LBRARY  OF  THE  THEOLOGICAL  SEMINARY 

PRINCETON,  N.J. 

The  George  J.  Finney 

Collection  of  Shaker  Literature 

Given  in  Memory  of  His  Uncle 

The  Rev,  John  Clark  Finney 

Class  of  1907 


'iW'^v^r- 


.NIFESTO, 


DECL.-JR.iTW.V  OF  THE  DOCTRLVIIS  JA'D  PliACTiCB 


CnUECH  OF  CHDIST. 


BY  JOIIN^  DUNLAVY, 


Then  ahall  ye  return,  and  discern  between  the  righteous  and  the 
wicked;  between  him  tiuit  scrvcth  God  and  him  that  serveth  him  not. 

We  are  made  as  the  Rlth  of  the  world — the  off-scouring;  of  all  thiny-s 
unto  this  day. 

:'ni  njm  r^-rp  rr-b:?  1^\^^2^  imxi  a':3  n^ino  n'hi  Ezek.  2.  10. 


PLEASANT  HILL,  Ky. 

?.  EEllTRAND,  PniXTER.     . 
•    1318. 


OF  making  many  books  there  is  no  er>d,  and  much  study  is  k 
weariness  of  the  flesh.  The  writing  of  so  )nany  books  on  various 
religious  subjects,  may  appear  irksome  to  some  and  lead  them  to 
conclude  that  nothing  will  be  gained  by  leading  any  move,  for  mat- 
ters never  conic  to  such  a  concluding  point  as  to  remove  uncertainty 
and  promote  union  and  common  agreement  among  ])rofcssors.  Arid 
among  the  various  sentiments  industriously  propagated  how  shall  the 
inquirer  know  with  whom  to  cast  his  lot  ?  But  admilting  that  litlle 
is  yet  effected  to  the  satisfaction  oi  the  mtdtitude,  tliis  is  no  rcafeoii 
that  men  should  cease  to  search  after  the  hid  treasure  ;  for  evciy  one 
who  believes  there  is  truth,  must  acknowledge  that  it  is  attainable. 
And  what  if  considerable  labor  be  expended  in  acquiring  it  ? 

The  first  chapter,  contahung  a  very  concise  essay  on  the  Being  cf 
God,  was  not  occasioned  by  the  expectation  that  sentimental  atheism 
is  genei-ally  or  extensively  prevalent ;  although  it  is  known  to  have  its 
advocates  in  places,  who  are  not  backward  in  attempting  to  infuEC  the 
poison  into  others.     It  was  therefore   considered  not  improper  to 
state  a  few  particukirs  for  the  relief  and  strength  of  honest  people, 
who  might   be   beset  with    its  corruptions.     Unbelief  of  the   holy 
scriptures,  or  infidelity  towards  an  orderly  rcvelalicn  and  th.c  cor- 
rectness of  the   christian  faith,  is  more   prevalent ;  yet  neither  was 
the  second  chapter,  which  relates  to  the  truth  of  the  scriptures,  de- 
signed as  an  attempt  to  convince  mankind  by  the  dint  of  arguuicnt 
in  the  letter  ;  but  rather,"  together  with  the  former,  as  a  prelude  to 
the  following  work,  that  it  may  give,  at  least,  an  honest  exhibition,  or 
rather  declaration,  of  the  basis  on  which   the  practical  work  of  the 
gospel,  to  which  it  relates,  is  built ;  and  in  the  mean  time,  that  a  few 
useiiii  reflections  might  be  presented  to  the  thinking-  part  of  mankind. 
The  following  sheets  have  been  written  in  grefit  plainness  and  fa- 
miliarity ;  as  usefulness  and  information  have  been  more  studied  thnn 
elegance  of  stylo  or  even  systematic  order.     I  have  m.ade  a  free  use 
of  the  original   languages,  particularly  the  Greek,  frequently  using 
an  api)ea}  to  the  learned  for  the   corvectne.ss  of  the  au^endments  of 
the  common  reading.     Few,  if  any,  amendments  are  ofL'ci'cd  to  the 
translation  from  the  Hebrew  scriptures,  without  the  support  of  IIc- 
brcAv  critics  in  one  view  or  another :  and  I  have  built  no  doctrine  on 
a  criticism  drawn  from  tlie  original  text,  but  used  it  only  for  elucida- 
.tion.     For  it  has  not  been  my  oliject  -to  provoke  to  a  contention  of 
letters,  but  to  minister  truth  to  those  who  desire  it.     And  wiien  we 
have  opened  the   faith  of  the   gospel  ;  and  shoVi'n  wherein  we  and 
others  have  been  in  error,  it  is  not  done  for  contention  or  to  provoke 
others  to  resist.     And  should  any  be  inclined  to  do  so  ;  they  may  con- 
sider ;  that  we  feel  very  little  inclination  to  coRtend  with  dry  syste- 


ir  PREFACE. 

iimt'ics,  b-.t  lo  inform  tI;o'.;e  M'ho  seek  salvatior..  If  we  sliould  ever 
iT!?.l;e  a  reply  oi'  any  considerable  labor  or  extent,  wc  shall  iirst  look 
<6  see  somttliinfj  of  more  weight  and  reason  than  those  things  \vh)ch 
have  been  Avritten  heretofore;  as  the  niaiicious  slanders  of  James 
Sniitii ;  the  puerile  superficlals  of  a  John  Eaily  ;  the  chimerical  reve- 
jies  of  a  Christopher  Clarke;  tiie  fabricated  aspersions  of  a  fali.kn 
I.ORExzo  Dow;  or  even  the  disingenuous  attracks  of  a  B,  W. 
Stone,  who  would  likely  never  have  been  noticed  in  public,  only  for 
his  pccuHaj"  stariding. 

By  treating  a  variety  of  Subjects  nearly  connected,  and  yet  not 
rjosely  cncugli  to  he  discussed  together,  sundry  repetitions  occur, 
wl-.ich  have  unavoidably  sv.-cjied  the  volume  to  a  greater  size.  But 
considering  t\vd\  rnany,  not  to  say  most  readers,  would  feel  the  force 
(  f  evidence  l>etter,  by  liavjng  it  laid  open  freely  on  one  subject  at 
<-r.ce,  t!:?n  ly  being  referred  from  one  to  another,  I  have  used  free- 
dcn:  m  liiat  respect,  t'le  increased  size  of  the  book,  and  censure  of 
speculating  criiics,  notvitlislariding.  One  subject  is  generally  enough 
to  digest  at  a  time  ;  and  a  man  who  buys  a  book,  is  no  more  obliged 
io  read  it  through  and  digest  it  all  at  once,  or  on  a  sudden,  than  he 
vrilo  kills  a  beef,  is  obliged  to  eat  it  in  a  day. 

To  have  found  the  everlasting  gospel,  the  pvrfect  work  of  God,  is. 
<^ne  thing,' and  to  be  perfected  in  the  knowledge  and  experience  of 
the  same  is  anuthcr.  Of  the  first  v.'e  speak  confidently,  having  no 
rcnaining  doubt.  But  as  to  the  second,  our  proficiency  is  only  ac- 
co; cling  to  cur  time  and  travel.  '1  he  everlasting  gospel  is  only  in 
ils  increase  on  the  earth,  as  yet  far  short  of  its  meridian  ;  and  my 
''xpcrience  only  in  minority.  If  ih.crefore  a  much  clearer  elucida- 
tion o^'many  subjects  in  the  following  work,  should  he'reafter  appear^ 
i'.  wii!  he  no  disgiace  to  the  gospel,  in  the  one  faith,  one  cross,  one  self- 
denial,  and  one  Christ.  And  my  junior  age  and  short  experience 
in  the  gospel  is  a  sufficient  apology  for  the  imperfection  which  in 
■';."ne  may  appear  in  the  follov/ing  work  ;  or  rather  which  appears  al- 
ready ;  for  were  the  whole  work  to  be  reprinted  immediately,  I  can 
ree  mc?:ny  places  which  could  be  stated  in  much  greater  perfeclicn,. 
And  it  is  our  privilege  to  grow  in  the  knowledge  of  God.  Or  should 
any  calculation  cf  time  which  depends  on  the  letter,  and  not  cleai-- 
ly  expressscd,  here  afLer  be  more  correctly  and  satisfactorily 
opened  as  the  light  increases,  it  will  not  be  inconsistent  with  our  pre- 
sent faith.  Had  the  work  been  inspected  by  those  who  are  farthest 
traveled  in  the  faith,  it  would  nd  doubt  have  been  much  more  per-r 
feet :  but  they  were  at  too  great  a  distance. 

Some  errors  hsve  escaped  iuripection  until  too  la'c  to  be  corrected 
in  the  press,  mainly  in  o'.'thogia]ihy ;  but  it  is  presumed  there  are 
iv>rie  l)ut  such  as  the  inlellicvnt  reader  can  ca;:iiv  discover. 


INDEX. 


Pack. 

ONthe  Eeiiii^cfGocl, -         1 

Of  the  Truth  of  Revelation, -  18 

Of  God,  in  a  Compendious  View  of  his  Attributes,         -         -       26 
Of  the  nature  of  Ciod's  Decrees;  or  what  a  Decree  is,        -  o.> 

Of  man  as  the  cfi'spvjnr^-  ofCiocI,  and  (/f  responsibility,     -         -       35 
Of  the  gospel  offers,  and  man's  capability  of  complyinjj  ;  and 

whether  God's  decrees  at  all  intercept  its  free  operation,  •  46 

Of  justification  by  fuith  and  obedience:  and  of  imputation,  66 

Tiic  subject   continued,  by  inquiring  into  the  nature  and  de- 
sign of  the  death  of  Christ,  and  whether  it  is  imputed  to  us 
for  justiHcation,        ...._---       S2 

The  subject  continued ;  in  relation  to  the  legal  sacrifices  and 

other  matters,  -         .         .         .  ...     I04 

Objections  against  the  foregoing  doctrines,  stated  and  obviated,      126 
The  Doctrine  of  Election,  and  the  Foreknowledge  of  God,  1 68 

Tiie  subject  continued,         -         -         -         -         -         -         -183 

<3f  the  Times  ancl  Seasons,  or  accepted  time  and  day  of  sal- 
vation,   '-         -         209 

The  appointed  aivl  correct  Order  of  God  for  the  Confession 

and  Forgiveness  of  Sins,  -         -         -         -         -         -217 

The  subject  continued,  as  it  respects  the  'work,  of  God  in  the 

Gospel,  -         -         -         --         -         -         -         -     229 

Evidences  relating  to  the  Church  of  Christ,  mainly  Negative,       2o  1 
More  Negatives.     The  absence  of  Christ.     Christians  do  not 

commit  Sin,     -..-..---     260 
Some  objections  against  the  sinless  life  of  a  christian  answer- 
ed and  the  point  confirmed,  ....         -  270 

Inimitable  Lcve  and  Union  obtain  in  the  Church  of  Christ,  and 
are  manifested  u-,  a  Joint  Iniieritance  in  things  temporal  as 

well  as  spiritual, 284 

Without  the  cro;3s  of  Christ  no  pov/cr  over  sin.    The  Abomi- 
nation that  malietii  desolate,  or  Man  of  sin,         *         -         -     296 
The  order  and  works  of  the  Generation  do  not  appertain  to 

Christ  or  his  church,         ....--.     303 

Marriage  a  civil  right  and  carnal  relation  of  the  world,  there- 
fore doth  not  belong  to  the  Church  of  Christ,      -         -         -     317 
Christ's  people  not  of  this  world,       -----         325 

Of  the  Resurrection ;  more  particularly  as  it  relates  to  the 

person  of  Jesus  Christ,  ------         349 

The  subject-  ccntinccd  ;  with   some   attention   to   prophetic 

scriptures,  '-         -         -         -         -         -         -         -35  8 

The  Rerrrrectiou,  v,'ii;i  ujore  immediate  relation  to  the  Saints,       268 

ik 


vi  INDEX, 

Of  some  scripUires  incapable  of  a  proper  acceptation  on  the 
principle  of  their  relating  to  the  resurrection  of  the  animal 
body, 37C 

The  resurrection  the  same  as  regeneration ;  and  a  progressive 

work, 379 

Of  the  last  judgment;  by  way  of  Appendix  to  the  foregoing 

chapters, 401 

A  LETTER. 

Of  Freedom  in  religious  convei-sation,  _         .         .         .     4.35 

Free  and  friendly  observations  on  the  sentiments  and  practice 

of  the  Superscribed,  and  the  subjects  of  the  revival,  -.    448 

The  subject  continued,  with  farther  remarks  on  the  writings 

of  the  Superscribed,         -..:---     475 

Further  observations  and  corrections ;  together  with  sundry 
matters  pertaining  to  the  rev^ation  of  Christ  in  his  everlast- 
ing kingdom,  - 48/ 


4 


A 


THE 

MANIFESTO, 

OR 

A  DECLARATION 

OF  THE 

DOCTRIJ\rES  §•  PRACTICE 

OF  THE 

CHURCH  OF  CHRIST. 


PJRT  I. 
ON  THE  DECREES  OF  GOD.  ^, 

CHAPTER    I. 

On  the  -Bei7ig  of  God. 

THE  belief  of  the  existence  of  God,  of  his  character,  and  the 
relation  which  subsists  between  God  and  men,  is  the  foundation  and 
spring  of  ail  religion.  The  existence  of  God  is  proved  in  the  first 
place,  by  the  consent  of  all  nations;  and  the  argument  is  corroborat- 
ed by  that  consent  increasing  and  becoming  more  confirmed,  as  any 
people  become  more  enlightened  in  general  and  consistent  know- 
ledge ;  so  that  it  may  be  fairly  concluded,  that  none,  in  any  enlight- 
ened land,  deny  the  Being  of  God  from  real  belief;  but  that  those 
who  do,  only  use  such  denial  as  a  pretext  for  giving  latitude  to  their 
own  desires,  and  not  being  subject  to  the  will  of  God,  whose  nature 
andwavs  they  do  not  love,  being  lovers  of  pleasure  more  than  lovers 
of  God. 

But  that  tlic  belief  of  the  Being  of  God  obtains  among  the  nations 
of  the  earth,  is  an  indisputed  fact.  Now  this  belief  was  either  taught 
by  nature  or  revelation,  these  being  the  only  two  methods  of  gaining 
such  belief.  It  the  first ;  that  belief  is  either  true,  or  nature  is  a 
false  guide,  and  therefore  no  more  to  be  trusted;  accordingly  the  ne- 
cessity of  revelation  becomes  unavoidable,  or  man  must  be  foi-ever 
in  uncertainty,  and  existing  truth  forever  unknown,  which  is  absurd. 
But  if  nature  is  true,  teaching  that  God  is,  the  point  is  proved,  and 
nature  is  an  helper  to  revelation.  But  if  the  belief  of  the  Being  of 
God  be  said  to  be  through  revelation  from  God,  that  saying  acknow- 
ledges that  God  IS. 

And  that  God  doth  exist,  is  farther  proved  by  the  existence  of  the 
things  which  are  seen.  For  the  existence  of  that  which  is  seen  and 
'-•therwlse  directly  meets  the  senses,  is  not  denied,  being  self-evident. 


2  UN  THt 

But  that  which  really  exists,  is  either  a  necessary  existence  or  pi(i' 
duced  by  another.  For  it  cannot  be  both;  because  a  created,  o«' 
produced,  necessary  existence  would  be  an  ab;mrdity,  an  impossibili- 
ty ;  for  a  necessary  existence  includes  the  idea,  or  the  attribute  of 
independence,  and  therefore  also  of  self-existence  and  self-govern- 
ment. But  no  material  or  visible  being  possesses  these  attributes. 
Again;  a  necessary  existence  is  necessarily  wiiat  it  is,  there  being  no 
previous  or  separate  being,  power  or  agency,  to  cause  it  to  be  this  or 
that.  It  is  therefore  necessarily  unchangeable.  But  no  visible  Ijcing 
possesses  this  attribute.  A  necessary  existence  is  nece'jsarily  from 
everlasthlg  and  V/ithout  ?.nf  beginning,  or  initiation  in^o  existence ; 
for,  to  suppose  a  time  when  there  was  no  existence,  is  to  deny  exist- 
ence altogether,  contrary  to  self-evident  and  conscious  fact ;  for  no 
cause  can  prodtice  an  effect  equal  to  itself,  much  less  superior,  and 
nonentity,  or  no  cause,  could  never  produce  an  efiect  to  be  the  cause 
of  all  other  things.  A  necessary  being  is  necessarily  perfect  and 
infinite,  there  being  no  supposable  objection  to  the  necessary  or  self- 
existence  of  an  infinitely  perfect  being  which  will  not  equally  militate 
against  all  necessary  existence  of  the  most  limited  character  or  attri- 
butes ;  and  there  is  no  superior  or  previous  power  to  set  bounds  to  a 
primary  and  necessary  existence.  But  existences  are  extant  and  evi- 
dent to  our  senses,  none  of  which,  thus  in  the  reach  of  our  senses  or 
subject  to  our  immediate  contemplation,  exhibit  or  possess  the  attri- 
butes of  a  nfccessary  self-existent  being ;  they  are  therefore  all  de- 
pendent on  God,  a  necessary,  self-existent,  infinitely  perfect  Being, 
whose  wisdom,  power  and  other  attributes  are  displayed  in  his  works 
of  creation,  providence  and  grace.  On  this  principle  the  existence 
of  God  is  clearly  proved  to  a  demonstration.     But  further : 

What  is  here  stated  is  not  intended  to  contradict  this  truth,  that 
revelation  and  the  light  of  nature  agree  to  support  the  belief  of  God's 
existence.  For  as  the  belief,  or  knSiAvledge  of  God's  existence,  waS' 
received  by  man  in  his  first  creation,  he  has  never  been  able,  through 
all  the  windings  of  his  disobedience,  to  erase  the  impression  from  his 
h6art ;  however  he  may  have.  corr\ipted  or  tranJifornied  it  into  vain 
notions;  while  in  the  mean  time,  the  revelation  of  God  has  not  bee}i 
altogether  wanting,  which  has  still  rene\*ed  the  impression,  and  the 
light  of  nature  and  reason  have  biirae  witness  to  the  fact,  arguing 
from  the  works  of  (lod  in  his  ci-eation  and  providence.  "  Because 
*'  that  which  may  be  known  of  Godj  is  rtianifest  in  them:  for  God 
*'  hath  shev/cd  it  to  them.  For  the  invisible  things  of  Him  from  the 
*'  creatibn  of  the  world,  afc  clearly  seen,  being  understood  [conteni- 
*'  plated]  by  the  things  which  are  made,  even  his  eternal  power  and 
«  God-head,  that  is.  Deity." 

It  is  vanity  to  plead  that  the  belief  of  God's  existence  maybe  the 
fruit  or  workings  of  the  imagination.  For  the  imagination  is  the 
imagery,  or  power  of  forming  on  the  mhid  the  imagery  of  things 
which  do  exist;  and  though  this  imagery  may  be  transformed  into 
a  thousand  corrupt  and  inconsistent  shapes,  it  ahvays  proves  the  ex- 
istence  of  the  original,  and  tlie  iniagination  can  never  exteixl  so  fur 


BEING  OF  GOD.  3 

aii  to  a  nonentity  or  annihilation,  there  being  no  protot)'pe.  And  if 
the  mind  infers  the  existence  of  God  from  the  contemplation  of  things 
vhich  are  seen  to  exist,  that  is  a  correct  testimony  of  nature  that  God 
is.  Thus  false  *iotions  of  God  among  mankind,  though  formed  ac- 
cording to  their  corrupt  inclinaLicms,  v.'ho  have  departed  from  the  true 
God,  prove  the  existence  of  the  true  God;  and  a  false  worship,  or 
\yorship  oflered  to.  idols,  proves  the  propriety  of  worship  offered  to 
the  true  God  according  to  liis  ov\'n  appointment,  which  has  been  the 
original  instigation  of  that  impious  worship  of  idols,  through  the  sub- 
version and  ignorance  of  the  human  mind.  Thus  the  Israelites,  be- 
ing taught  of  the  true  God  to  offer  burnt  offerings  and  sacrifices  to 
him,  and  to  praise  him  in  the  dance,  as  at  the  red  sea,  when  they 
turned  to  their  idol,  offered  the  same  worship.  But  this  iniquitous 
conduct  Avas  so  far  from  CQudcmriing  sacrifices  and  dancing  in  the 
y/orship  of  God,  that  it  really  supported  them  both,  and  both  alike. 

In  like  manner,  before  the  true  Christ  did  actually  appear,  the 
imagination  could  receive  no  impression  of  his  character  and  works, 
for  the  want  of  an  original,  although  much  liad  been  said  in  pro- 
plietic  language  by  that  Spirit  who  knew  him,  Avhich  is  all  made 
plain  enough  in  the  event  of  its  accomplishment,  and  stands  as  an 
abiding  monument  of  the  existence  of  that  Spirit,  whom  Ave  call 
God.  But  after  Christ  appeared  there  could  be  false  christs  in  plen- 
ty; for  the  imagination  had  then  found  an  original.  Thus  all 
the  incoherent  and  coPitradictory,  corrupt  and  insufficient  schemes 
and  professions  of  Christianity,  conclusively  argue  the  propriety  of 
christian  worship  and  tl'.e  truth  of  primitive  Christianity.  And  the 
outcry  of  many  to  find  the  true  and  perfect  v/ay,  argues  the  propriety 
and  originality  of  that  faith  Avhich  views  Christianity  as  the  true  and 
perfect  way  of  God,  saving  the  people  who  have  it  from  all  sin  and 
ci'imhial  imperfection. 

The  common  argument  that  nature  produces  all  her  works  with- 
out the  acknov.  ledgmcnt  of  any  pre-existing  cause  or  being  besides, 
is  very  lame ;  too  much  so  for  any  man  who  is  compos  mentis  to  de- 
pend on  it,  unless  for  the  sake  of  warding  off  conviction  and  living 
after  his  ovm  corrupt  will.  For  in  the  first  place,  it  lacks  acknow- 
ledged data.  There  are  no  first  principles  to  be  stated  Avhich  com- 
mand the  approbation  of  common  sense.  And  without  these  no  ar- 
gument can  be  supported ;  for  it  is  vanity  to  undertake  to  convince  a 
rnanof  sense,  unless  the  argument  be  grounded  on  principles  which  he 
either  acknowledges,  or  cannot  deny  without  violathig  common  sense 
and  sacrificing  his  character  as  a  reasonable  man.  But  there  are  no 
such  principles  from  which  to  argue  that  nature,  abstractedly  from 
God, produces  all  the  beings  and  works  v/hich  we  see,  and  with  which  ^ 
we  are  daily  conversant.  It  remains  to  be  proved  tnat  God  doth  not 
exist  before  the  above  argimient  can  be  valid, 

On  tipe  contrary ;  it  is  abundantly  evident  that  material  nature  can 
of  herself  produce  nothing  which  has  the  appearance  of  actual  ope- 
ration or  power.  She  is  endued  with  a  certain  order  of  production, 
i»  each  part,  according  to  its  own  line  or  species;  but  turn  her  out 


4  ON  THE 

of  that  particular  line,  and  her  operations  become  abortive,  cr  ijv 
effectual,  which  proves  that  all  her  operations  proceed  from  a- 
superior  power.  For  there  is  no  effect  without  a  cause,  the  atheist 
himself  being  judge,  and  no  effect  can  exceed  the  cause,  or  even 
equal  it.  All  the  Avorks  of  nature  therefore  depend  on  a  power  su- 
perior to  man,  her  pre-eminent  boast  for  intelligence,  wisdom  and 
art.  For  no  living  child  of  nature,  not  even  man  in  his  utmost  de- 
gree of  wisdom,  who  by  the  acknowledgment  of  the  atheist  himself, 
possesses  intelligence  above  all  others,  can,  by  his  own  contrivance, 
or  v/isdom,  produce  his  ov/n  likeness,  or  even  the  smallest  particle  of 
animal  life  in  the  best  formed  matter:  nature,  therefore,  independ- 
ently of  a  superior  cause,  cannot  create  living  beings.  If  men  are 
capable  of  propagating  their  own  species,  this  depends  on  a  law  which 
none  of  them  have  been  able  to  develope,  which  proves  that  the  ca- 
pability is  the  product  of  superior  power  and  wisdom.  For,  were 
this  power  within  the  compass  of  the  wisdom  of  men,  they  could 
explain  the  principles  to  satisfaction ;  as  well  as  the  artist  can  those 
of  a  watch.  But  man  in  this  law  has  no  superiority  over  other  ani- 
mals, each  after  its  kind  being  endued  with  a  like  capability.  And 
were  this  law  Avithin  the  compass  of  man's  Avisdom,  or  intelligence, 
it  Avould  not  account  for  his  origin ;  for  the  cause  is  ahvays  prior 
to  the  effect :  and  so  of  all  the  other  parts  of  creation.  The  argu- 
ment is  therefore  good,  that  all  the  laws  and  operations  of  nature 
necessarily  depend  on  another  cause,  which  is  prior  to  nature  and  also 
superior,  even  incomprehensible.  For  in  strict  propriety  no  effect 
can  be  produced,  unless  by  a  superior  cause.  To  talk,  therefore,  oi' 
the  absurdity  of  believing  in  an  uicomprehensible  Being,  called  God, 
as  the  atheist  disputes,  only  shews  his  oAvn  ignorance  and  impiety. 

Doctor  Benjamin  Rush,  after  his  labored  and  faithful  inqniry  into 
the  cause  of  animal  ///f?,very  pertinently  proceeds:  "  Should  it  be 
"  asked,  what  is  that  peculiar  organization  of  matter,  Avhich  enables 
"  it  to  emit  life,  I  ansAver,  I  do  not  knoAv.  It  is  true,  the  votaries  of 
"  chymistry  have  lately  attempted  to  imitate  it ;  but  no  arrangements 
"  of  matter  by  their  hands  have  ever  produced  a  single  living  fibre, 
*'  nor  have  any  of  their  compounds  produced  a  substance  endoAved 
*'  Avith  the  properties  of  dead  animal  matter.  Lavoisser  labored  in 
"  vain  to  produce  that  simple  animal  substance  Ave  call  bile.  That 
"  the  human  body  is  composed  of  certain  matters  Avhich  belong  to 
"  the  objects  of  chymistry,  there  can  be  no  doubt;  but  their  propor- 
"  tions  and  manner  of  aggregation,  are  unknoAvn  to  us." 

"  The  great  Creator  has  kindly  established  a  Avitness  of  his  un- 
"  searchable  wisdom  in  every  part  of  his  Avorks,  in  order  to  prevent 
"  our  forgetting  him,  in  the  successful  exercises  of  our  reason." 

That  there  are  existences,  some  active  and  some  inactive,  is  not  to 
be  denied ;  but  these  existences  argue  as  much  in  favor  of  the  exist- 
ence of  God  as  a  pre-existing  cause,  as  of  nature  producing  her  oAvn 
Avorks  independently  of  him;  not  to  say  much  more,  A>.hen  Ave  look 
at  the  order  and  harmony  Avhich  exist  among  the  Avorks  of  creation, 
adapting  every  part,  as  far  as  avc  are  able  to  comprehend  the  who!e> 


BEING  OF  GOD.  5 

to  the  end  for  which  it  is  created:  and  christians  can  see  and  com- 
prehend these  subjects  as  truly  and  as  perfectly  as  the  sons  of  inde- 
pendent nature.  Here  are  an  order  and  harmony,  the  cause  ofwliich 
none  of  these  sons  of  independent  nature  can  describe,  or  even  dis- 
criminately  nominate,  without  having  recourse,  directly  or  indirectly, 
to  that  being  whom  we  call  God.  Moreover,  the  undeniable  facts  of 
the  fleeting  state  of  all  earthly  existences,  both  animate  and  inani- 
mate, and  not  only  of  the  fleeting  and  transient  state,  but  also  their 
uncertainty  and  subjection  to  a  thousand  incidental  causes  of  destruc- 
tion, none  of  the  animal  part  being  able  to  retain  their  present  state 
of  existence  according  to  their  own  choice,  and  none  having  m  them- 
selves the  power  of  continuance  independently  of  choice,  render  the 
notion  of  self-existence,  or  necessary  existence,  or  independence  in 
them,  too  absurd  and  preposterous  to  obtain  a  place  among  men. 
For  a  necessary,  self-existent  being,  not  perfectly  master  of  self-go- 
vernment iind  self-preservation,  is  as  great  an  absurdity  as  an  intelli- 
gent being  not  conscious  of  his  own  existence.  Neither  is  there  any 
such  being  as  is  called  nature  independent  of  the  creatures  or  prcltluc- 
tions,  or  separate  from  them,  to  which  these  sons  of  nature  can  point, 
or  show  any  traces,  to  prove  its  existence  to  men  of  reason.  But 
their  adorable  7iaturc  is  dependent  for  her  existence  on  the  fruit  of 
her  ov.Ti  v.omb;  (if  dcay  such  being  be  supposed;)  which,  therefore, 
must  necessarily  exist  previously  to  her  existence,  and  be  the  creators 
cf  their  own  creator. 

Besides ;  those  sons  of  nature  can  assign  no  approved  or  good  rea- 
son for  the  existence  of  these  transient  beings,  particularly  of  the  ra- 
tional part,  whose  mental  powers  indicate  in  their  very  constitutional 
existence,  and  earnestly  reach  after  an  endless  duration  ;  I  say  no 
good  reason  for  their  existence,  seeing  they  have  to  resign  it  again 
in  so  short  a  period  and  be  no  more,  which  is  the  inevitable  conse- 
quence of  the  notion  of  no  God,  and  is  also  acknowledged  by  the 
atheist.  Tftat  nature  must  be  cruel  indeed  to  her  sons.  But  the 
belief  of  the  being  of  God,  and  particularly  as  it  embraces  Christian- 
ity, ministers  full  relief  on  that  subject,  by  bringing  life  and  immor- 
tality to  light  by  the  gospel. 

The  atheist  scofts  at  the  argument  drawn  from  the  order  and  har- 
mony which  appear  in  creation,  to  prove  that  God  is,  and  that  he  is 
intelligent,  wise  and  good.  But  all  his  scoffing  and  misrepresenta- 
tions will  never  take  away  from  the  eyes  of  thinking  beholders,  the 
visible  effects  of  wisdom  and  goodness  in  the  order  and  harmony 
which  appear  in  creation,  all  parts  being  adapted  to  their  proper  pur- 
poses, not  excluding  the  convenience  and  comfort  of  the  inhabitants 
for  the  time  being.  Without  extending  our  thoughts  to  the  various 
parts  of  the  planetary  system,  which  receive  the  enlivening  rays  of 
the  sun,  placed  in  the  midst  of  the  whole,  we  may  contemplate  with 
ease  the  earth  on  which  we  live,  which  is  iji  the  view  of  our  senses, 
and  the  subject  of  our  daily  experience,  and  there  see  every  thing 
viaptcd  to  the  support  and  comfort  of  animal  life,  from  man  the  most 


c!    •  ON  THE 

i;"itc}U,8;'ent,  and  tlicrefore  the  most  iraportaiit,  down  to  the  meanest 
axiimal  within  our  survey. 

But  the  atheist  obstinately  insists  on  a  principle  not  granted,  not 
proved,  not  possible,  that  if  God  be  ininiutably  good,  his  creatures 
rannot  suffer  anything  evil,  or  at  all  disagreeable;  hence  he  ob- 
jects to  the  active  employments  in  which  men  are  necessarily  en- 
gaged to  prpc-'.rc  their  support.  This  principle  supposes  man  in- 
capable of  transgression,  which  is  neither  granted,  proved,  nor  possi- 
ble, unless  hc^coiild  be  equal  to  his  Creator,  which  is  impossible,  be- 
cause the  eHect  c;in  in  no  case  equal  the  cause  in  actual  production. 
This  is  true  in  nurture,  and  on  the  principles  of  natural  reason  ar.d 
experience ;  without  troubling  the  atheist  with  i^vealed  mysteries 
niiich  he  so  much  abhors:  nature  cannot  produce  an  instance.  It 
ulso  supposes  that  no  benefit  c^n  be  obtained  by  a  painful  experience, 
which  is  equally  false,  as  all  people  of  sober  reflection  can  witness. 

The  atheist  also  scoffs  at  the  indication  of  endless  existence  con- 
stitutionally in  mf,n,  as  though  the  argument  stood  on  this  principle, 
tliat  <every  man  will  obtahi  what  he  desires.  But  he  changes  the 
ground  of  argument;  the  inextinguishable  indication  of  endless,  ex- 
istence as  really  exists  in  ^le  constitution  of  man  as  the  desire  of 
happiness,  and  no  power  can  eradicate  it,  even  in  the  imagination.  'It 
has  been  argued  that  this  as  properly  proves  the  endless  future  ex- 
istence of  beasts  as  of  men,  for  that  they  as  r^ially  look  for  it  and 
desire  it.  Truth  is  not  to  be  rejected  for  any  of  its  necessary  conse- 
quences; if  the  endless  future  existence  of  the  beasts  be  thus  prov- 
ed, let  them  have  it ;  that  will  not  prevent  the  endless  life  of  men, 
But  that  there  is  any  real  prospect  or  contemplation  of  a  future  ex- 
istence in  that  part  of  the  creation  called  brutal,  is  not  proved.  They 
ajl  appear  to  have  a  dread  of  present  sufferings,  and  cautiously  to 
avoid  death  ;  but  that  will  not  prove  the  prospect  of  futurity. 

The  atheist  contests  the  being  of  God,  and  man's  being  his  crea- 
ture, because  man  v/as  created  subject  to  many  miseries,  or  capable 
of  becoming  subject;  making  no  account  of  an  acknowledged  and 
irresistible  truthi  that  happiness  is  the  more.consummate,  and  that  men 
appreciate  it  the  better,  when  preceded  by  the  contrary,  or  contrasted 
Vv'ith  misery.  It  is  therefore  in  no  wise  inconsistent  Avith  infinite  wis- 
dom., power  and  goodness  in  God,  that  man  was  created  capable  of 
subjecting  himself  to  miseries  of  his  own  procuring,  that  he  may 
learn  the  better  to  appreciate  his  own  happiness  when  he  is  deliAcr- 
ed.  And  those  distressing  miseries  which  the  atheist  objects  against 
the  being  of  God,  as  Creator  and  Governor,  to  which  man  is  sub- 
jected above  other  animals,  only  argue  his  greater  worth  and  the 
greater  degrees  of  enjoyment  to  which  his  constitution  points  in  the 
event :  for  the  capabiliiy  of  great  suffevings  indicates  the  capability 
of  great  happiness.  And  christians  are  witnesses  for  themselves, 
(and  they  are  the  best  judges,  having  experienced  both  conditions,) 
and  can  show  the  fruits,  which  are  sufficient  evidence  to  reasonable 
n,::en,  that  they  have  more  real  happmessj  in  the  present  tense,  than 
those  who  reject  the  faith  of  Christ.     In  vain  does  the  atheist  object 


BElKG  O^  Got).  7 

that  the  greater  part  of  men  are  appointed  to  irrecoverable  arid  end- 
lesss  misery.  Christianity  doth  not  teach  so  ;  but  o,»  the  contrary, 
that  none  will  fail  of  final  and  eternal  happiness  who  do  not  lose  it  by 
their  own  voluntary  choice,  while  it  is  yet  in  their  reach  and  thcv 
know  the  way. 

The  atheist  •ungenerously  ranks  all  religions  on  one  scale  ;  not  coH' 
sidering  like  a  man  of  reason,  as  he  professes  to  be,  exciusivehj  for--- 
sooth,  that  all  false  religions,  (all  which  contrast  with  the  christian,) 
argue  in  confirmation  of  the  true ;  not  only  because  fiilse  religions, 
or  counterfeits,  are  an  evidence  of  the  existence  and  truth  of  thb 
genuine,  but  also  because  Christianity  hath  long  since  prophesier? 
tliat  such  would  be.  But  no  religion  will  stand  Ijutthat  which  com- 
ports with  sound  reason. 

But  after  all  the  objections  of  the  atheist  against  the  being  oFGoi 
as  man's  Creator  and  Governor,  they  are  easily  retorted  on  himself^ 
for  these  visible  evils,  of  which  he  complains,  obtain  in  the  workk 
and  the  pixjof  cannot  be  destroyed.  "  The  vorUl"  says  he,  "  Is  ii 
7ieccssary  agent."  If  So,  it  is  either  intellectual  and  provide*?,  ci^ 
it  is  not ;  if  not,  and  it  is  the  cause  of  all  th'^ngs,  (according  to  hiis 
doctrine,)  it  has  communicated  to  man,  and  in  some  sort  to  othcv 
tmimals,  that  v.iiich  it  doth  not  itself  possess,  neither  any  thing  equi- 
valent: Avhich  is  impossible;  for  the  elfect  is  ahvays  inferior  to  the 
cause.  But  if  the  materia:',  world  be  intelligent,  or  nature,  or  the 
universe,  whichever  is  the  necessary  agent  and  cause  of  all  things, 
the  producer  of  man,  it  must  be  cruel  indeed  to  have  brought  ni-Jili 
into  being  to  be  perpley.ed  and  tormented  as  he  is,  during  his  exist- 
ence, without  the  least  prospect  or  intimation  of  a  reparation  in  i 
better  state;  but  though,  as  the  atheist  says,  the  vjorst  of  men  arc 
commonly  the  arbiters  of  the  world,  and  those  nvhoni  fortune  load.i 
with  her  favors,  and  consequently  the  best  of  men  the  most  exposed 
to  common  evils,  yet  there  is  no  hope  of  having  matters  adj\islcd 
in  another  life.  This  is  inexpressibly  more  unreasonable,  cruel  and 
unrighteous,  than  the  belief  of  God  and  his  works,  who  will  bring 
all  things  to  order,  a)id  give  the  upriglit  man  a  life  of  endless  felici- 
ty. In  vain  therefore  may  the  atheist  cavil  against  the  suflerings  of 
Jesus  Christ,  whom  God  gave  to  be  a  leader  and  a  guide  to  his  peo- 
ple, (I  do  not  say  suffering  to  appease  an  angry  God  or  satisfy  oficnd- 
ed  justice  ;  this  doctrine  doth  not  belong  tO  the  gospel,)  or  of  the 
sufferings  of  his  apostles  and  other  ministers,  who  were  leadere  of 
those  whose  sufferings  are  to  eventuate  in  a  greater  good  and  better 
appreciated.  If  God  suffei-s  these  things  to  be,  they  are  not  in  vahi, 
IViei/  work  for  us  a  far  more  exceeding  and  eternal  weight  of  glorir 
Christianity  therefore  is  the  most  consistent  and  righteous,  and  athe- 
ism the  most  unreasonable  and  unjust. 

"  The  world,"  says  the  atheist,  "  is  a  necessary  agent"  And  again : 
*'  The  universe  is  a  cause,  it  is  not  an  effect ;^^The  world  has  always 
been  ;  its  existence  is  necessary  ;  it  is  its  own  cause."  The  neces- 
sary existence  of  a  first  cause  is  unavoidably  acknowledged  by  all ; 
for,  to  siippose  the  first  cause  to  be  created  or  produced,  yrould  be  to 


8  ON  THE 

place  a  ctiuic  prior  to  tlic  first,  -which  is  absurd.  Tlic  necessaiy  ex- 
istence of  anv  first  cause  or  agent,  being  admitted,  includes,  v.'ith  the- 
same  facility  of  mind  and  reason,  the  existence  of  infinite  power, 
wisdom,  and  every  other  perfection.  For  no  reason  can  be  given 
why  a  Being  of  infinite  power,  wisdom  and  every  other  perfection, 
should  not  necessarily  exist,  v/hich  would  not  equally,  (not  to  say  more 
so,)  militate  against  the  necessary  existence  of  a  being  imperfect. 
The  necessary  existence  therefore  of  God,  infinitely  perfect,  is  ad- 
mitted with  as  much  facility  and  simple  reason  as  the  necessary  ex- 
istence of  the  universe  supposing  it  to  be  a  self-existing  agent.  There 
is  nothing  tliercfore  unreasonable  in  the  belief  that  God  is,  ajid  that  he 
is  the  rcnvarder  of  them  that  diligently  seek  him.  But  there  is  some- 
thing very  unreasonable  in  atheism.,  that  nature,  (for  nature,  the 
world,  the  universe  and  matter  are  all  confounded  and  considered  as 
one  by  the  atheist ;)  I  say,  that  nature  should  be  the  necessarily  ex- 
istent parent  of  men,  independent  and  self-existent,  and  should  intro- 
duce them  into  existence  in  the  midst  of  unavoidable  sufierings  in 
body  and  mind,  (for  men  have  intelligent,  provident  and  reflecting 
minds,  and  we  are  obliged  to  believe  it,  although  v/e  can  neither  see 
nor  comprehend  them,)  and  cannot  supply  them  with  a  portion  to 
make  them  comfortable,  either  in  this  life  or  the  life  to  come — For 
they  desire,  tliey  intensely  reach  after  an  endless  life,  and  no  reason- 
ing can  prevent  them :  it  is  incorpc-rated  Avith  their  existence. 
Wliencc  these  dreadful  and  shocking  disappointments  and  miseries 
to  the  human  race  ?  Doth  intelligent  and  just  nature  (and  nature 
must  be  intelligent,  or  not  the  parent  of  intelligent  man,)  bring  men 
into  existence  to  suffer  all  these  things  for  nought,  and  then  cease  to 
be  forever  ?  For,  according  to  atheism,  there  can  be  no  sin,  no  trans- 
gression in  man — he  necessarily  doeth  whatever  he  doeth — he  hath  no 
choice  in  his  conduct.  A  reasonable  man  need  not  be  told  that  athe- 
ism is  unreasonable — is  unjiiat.  So  false  is  the  futile  and  ungenerous 
cavil  of  the  atheist,  that  religion  excludes  and  rejects  reason,  and  that 
faith,  in  religion,  is  consent  ivithout  evidence. 

But  it  is  proved  that,  according  to  reason,  a  necessary  agent  is  ne- 
cessarily perfect ;  but  nature  is  imperfect  in  all  her  works,  and  una- 
ble to  make  out  the  road  to  perfection,  even  to  make  her  children 
perfect  according  to  their  kind,  but  man,  the  noblest  part  of  her  pro- 
ductions, must  be  left  more  exquisitely  wretched  than  all  tl>e  rest ; 
ever  in  pursuit  of  sonisthing  permanently  to  fill  his  mind  and  can 
never  find  it,  and  she  can  point  out  no  practicable  method  to  cure  him. 
We  are  therefore  compelled  by  I'eason  to  admit  of  the  Being  of  God, 
and  our  faith  is  not  consent  ivithout  e\>idence.  I  will  not  deny  that 
God  and  his  works  are  greatly  illustrated  by  revelation  from  that  God 
who  is  superior  to  all  our  reason,  and  from  whom  ours  is  only  ar;i 
emanation  of  his  own ;  but  rcA'elation  is  so  congenial  with  reason  in 
man,  that  the  honest  are  readily  gained  to  the  faith,  where  rcvelatior* 
is  fairly  and  justly  exhibited  to  view  in  those  who  have  it. 

The  atheist  objects  to  the  Being  of  God  because  he  is  said  to  pun- 
ish a  rebellious  people  or  nation.     But  do  not  the  most  kind  and  eI- 


BEING  OF  GOD.  9 

fectlonate  parents  punish  refractory  children  by  way  of  cliasUsemcnt  ? 
And  is  it  not  acknowledged,  by  the  atheist  himself,  that  the  best  of 
governments  punish  rebellious  subjects,  even  to  cutting  them  ofi', 
for  the  good  of  the  community,  when  they  become  such  a  uuisance 
as  to  require  such  severity  ?  Yea,  he  says  they  do  it  of  necessity. 
if  therefore  it  be  related  of  God,  that  he  hath  cut  off  some,  or  even 
many,  for  the  good  of  the  whole,  it  argues  nothing  against  his  exist- 
ence or  his  goodness,  for  it  is  all  done  for  the  procuring  and  securing 
of  a  great<5r  benefit.  And  even  tho9e  who  have  been  cut  off,  or  af- 
flicted with  the  greatest  punishments  known  by  man,  if  they  have 
not  made  a  full  and  final  rejection  of  the  everlasting  gospel,  arc  not 
out  of  the  reach  of  eternal  life  and  peace.  I  know  this  is  not  ac- 
knowledged by  those  who  confine  the  work  of  God  in  the  gospel,  to 
the  narrow  limits  of  this  life ;  but  it  accords  with  the  gospel  cf 
Christ,  as  shown  in  its  place. 

As  for  the  monstrous  affair  relating  to  the  sin  of  David,  king  of 
Israel,  and  the  seventy  thousand  slain  by  the  pestilence,  the  objector 
hath  surely  never  impartially  coasidered  the  subject  in  its  connection. 
l)avid  sinned  indeed  ;  and  wefi  chastised  by  the  destruction  of  the 
people,  his  subjects ;  but  they  had  simied  also  as  a  people  ;  for  the 
anger  of  the  Lord  was  kindled  against  Israel  before  David  numbered 
the  people,  not  by  caprice,  as  the  atlieist  speaks,  but  on  account  of 
their  iniquities,  against  which  his  displeasure  is  as  necessary  as  his 
existence. 

I  know  the  atheist  objects  that  it  is  incompatible  with  tlie  ex- 
istence of  God,  possessing  the  perfections  which  are  attributed  to 
him,  that  man  should  be  capable  of  transgression  at  all,  and  accor- 
dingly he  ascribes  every  evil,  or  improper  action  in  man,  to  the  im- 
mediate agency  of  God,  who  necessarily  imposes  it  on  every  man  to 
do  this  and  that :  (for  he  denies  the  possibility  of  a  choice,  or  free- 
dom, in  God  or  in  man,  whether  man  be  the  son  of  God  or  of  nature.) 
But  such  arguing  is  weak  in  the  man  who  is  exclusively  a  rcasoner  j 
for  tltat  man  docs  transgress  and  is  liable  to  go  astray,  and  therefore 
needs  restraint,  is  a  fact  und;yiiable,  and  acknowledged  by  the  athe- 
ist himself.  And  this  stubborn  fact  is  utterly  inconsistent  with  his 
doctrine  of  man,  who,  according  to  him,  is  moved  in  a  certain  line  of 
ronduct  Vv'ithoutany  choice,  and  acts  by  imperious  necessity,  whether 
he  be  the  son  of  nature  or  of  God.  Besides;  as  before  stated,  it  is 
irnpGssible  that  man  should  be  equal  to  his  Maker;  for  a  created  un- 
created bciag  is  impofi-iible,  contradictory  and  absurd ;  and  no  effect 
can  equal  the  cause  ;  it  is  therefore  impossible  that  men  should  pos- 
sess the  perfection  of  Deity.  Consequent!)  it  is  impossible  that  man, 
who  is  a  rational  being,  should  not  be  subject  to  trial,  Avhethcr  he 
would  obey  hi o  superior  or  not.  And  where  there  is  no  possibility 
of  falling,  or  cf  traiVJgressing,  there  can  be  no  trial ;  it  was  therefore 
impossible  that  man  could  have  been  created  impeccable,  or  out  of 
the  reach  of  tzansgression. 

Why  then,  says  the  atheist,  did  God  create  man  ?  For  his  own 
7ood  pleasure  in  the  display  of  his  own  glory  and  perfections,  and  for 

B 


10  ON  THE 

the  good  pleasnrc,  that  is,- the  happiness  of  man.  God  hcing  infi- 
nitely good,  it  is  reasonable  that  he  should  exercise  infinite  delight 
in  the  Avorks  of  his  power,  and  in  communicating  happiness  to  his 
creatures  as  they  become  fit  to  receive  and  use  it.  God's  wisdom  is 
much  more  displayed  by  creating  man  a  reasonable  and  responsible 
being,  than  it  could  have  been  bj-  creating  him  in  an  unavoidable  line 
of  conduct :  a  machine  can  make  no  active  offering-  of  praise  to  its 
former.  And  much  greater  foundation  is  laid  for  the  glory,  honor, 
immortality  and  eternal  life  of  man,  by  Ids  being  made  capable  of 
choosing  good  or  evil,  and  putting  him  in  a  situation  to  bring  him  to 
the  trial,  than  could  have  been  by  a  contrary  procedure. 

Man  was  not  required  to  transgress,  by  any  imperious  or  insur- 
mountable necessity,  he  was  only  required  by  the  temptation,  and  he 
yielded  to  his  disgrace.  Had  he  remained  stcdfast  ia  his  obedience 
with  integrity,  it  had  been  much  niore  to  his  honor,  than  to  have  been 
prevented  from  failing  by  irresistible  powc-r  or  necessity.  And  God's- 
foreknowing  that  he  Would  fall,  is  no  good  reason  Avhy  he  should  not 
be  put  to  the  trial,  seeing  that  man  in  the  nature  of  things,  as  shown 
abovcy  could  never  arrive  to  tlie  summit  of  that  happiness  of  which 
he  is  capable,  without  siich  trial.  Neither  is  (rod's  foreknowledge 
of  the  event  of  man's  trial  any  evidence  against  the  most  consum- 
in?.te  gootlness  in  God,  or  his  good  v.-ill  to  his  creatures,  especially 
considering  that  he  stood  ready,  at  the  time  appointed,  or  when  it 
Avould  be  the  most  expedient,  all  things  considered,  to  introduce 
Christ  the  Redeemer,  and  by  hi-m  to  reinstate  man  into  a  superior 
state  of  happiness,  better  confirmed  and  better  appreciated,  after  ex- 
periencing the  contrary.    All  these  thii~igs  arc  ir^cludcd  in  Christianity. 

This  view  of  the  subject  sho"v\s  the  unreasonableness  of  the  mai'i 
of  boasted  reason,  who  objects.  If  God  could  tiot  make  man  impec- 
cable.^ fjhy  did  he  make  him  at  all?  and  then  fmninh  him  fur  not 
being  iii-i fie c cable?  It  is  not  so;  man  is  net  punished  for  not  bemg 
impeccable;  but  for  unnecessary  transgression.  And  he  is  Subject 
to  ch;^stiseincnt  to  bring  iiim  to  a  sense  of  hin  duty,  and  to  punish- 
ment for  transgressions  committed  against  better  information,  accord- 
i::ig  to  their  nature  and  the  degree  of  uniighteousricss. 

But  the  atheist,  impatient  of  restraint,  cr  the  least  su'ojection  to  Cod, 
insists  that  Ciod,  if  he  exists  at  all,  is  required  to  clear  the  v.ay  for 
m.an  to  be  happy  at  once,  and  to  prevent  by  absolute  power  every  de- 
gree of  paili  or  distress ;  thus  im|>JicitJy,  not  to  say  explicith",  de- 
manding that  God  ought  to  be  subject  to  the  will  of  his  creatures  in 
every  punctilio ;  as  if  that  Avoidd  be  reasonable  ;  or  as  if  parents 
ought  to  be  subject  to  the  desires  of  children  or  minors,  and  use  no 
more  chastisement  than  the  minors  would  love.  Would  they  ever 
know  the  benefits  of  dutiful  obedience  ?  But  men  will  all  learn  \\\ 
the  event,  that  God  is  more  Avise,  as  Avell  as  more  patient  than  they. 

But  let  the  atheist  tell,  Avhy  his  good,,  necessary  and  self-existing 
■nature,,  the  parent  cf  men,  h^ith  produced  men,  and  still  propagates 
Ihem,  exposed  to  such  miseries,  Avhen  she  has  no  power  nor  Avisdoin 
to  consummate  their  happiness.     For  if  he  insist  that  light  Avill  some- 


BEING  OF  GOD.  11 

time  break  in  on  the  people  ;  her  cruelty  is  inexcusable  towards  those 
who  have  heretofore  perished  out  of  odstcncc  without  any  fault  m 
them,  and  those  who  now  exist  in  the  same  condition  :  and  for  all  tl-.ese 
there  is  no  hope.'  For  it  is  poor  consolation  for  my  distress  that 
sometime,  perhaps  a  thousand  or  two  years  hence,  some  people  will 
see  better  times,  for  a  few  days,  and  then  sink  into  an  unconscioiis 
chaos  with  all  the  re^st.  But  the  only  ])ossiblc  apology  for  this  con- 
duct of  the  all-producing  nature  is,  that  she  is  absolutely  incapable 
of  the  sensation  of  good  or  evil,  happiness  or  misery,  being  uncon- 
scious, iniintelligcnt  and  improvidej)!  ;  she  is  therefore  not  the  parent, 
or  producer,  of  man,  who  is  intelligent,  conscious  and  provident, 
having-  the  sensation  of  good  and  evil,  happiness  and  misery,  both  in 
himself  and  others,  and  therefore  far  superior  to  his  boasted  cause, 
va'.ure.  Thus  the  necessary  existence  of  -naiurc^  as  excluding  the 
Being  called  God,  is  reasoned  out  of  existence. 

The  atheist  combats  the  notion  of  the  existence  of* God,  because 
lie  is  called  a  Spirit,  insi-sting  that  the  existence  of  a  Spirit,  or  any 
being  distinct  from  matter,  is  impossible.  "  The  idea  of  i/nritvalUy^'* 
says  he,  "  is  an  idea  without  model."  Without  material  form  no 
doubt  he  m.eans.  But  whence  comes  this  idea  ?  All  ideas  are  either 
real  or  imaginary  ;  and  the  imagination  cannot  form  an  idea  of  any 
thing  which  has  no  existence,  or  strictly  no  model ;  for  it  is  only  the 
imagery  of  realities,  though  often  variously  formed  and  mingled  to-' 
gether.  And  as  no  knov/n  assemblage,  modification,  organization  or 
combination  of  material  existences  can  produce  a  result  wiiich  is 
spiritual,  it  follows  of  course,  that  spirit  does  exist,  and  is  made  known 
to  our  senses  by  sufficient  evidence,  else  the  imagination  had  never 
formed  the  idea.  "  But  whcrdn.,"  says  the  atheist,  "  is  viockrn  theo- 
logy sutierior  to  that  of  the  savages  ?  The  savages  ackno'ivU'dgc  a 
great  s/iirit  for  the  master  of  the  world"  And  why  do  they  acknoM- 
ledge  such  a  master  ?  First ;  very  rationally  ;  Because  they  see  that 
done  which  no  material  being  can  be  descried  or  discovered  to  do. 
And  secondly;  Because  all  nations  have  acknovdedged  the  existence 
,of  God  from  time  inmiemorial,  before  men  had  time  to  contrive  or 
the  imagination  to  paint,  Koithout  a  modcl^  such  an  idea.  It  is  there- 
fore, comrncnsurate  Vv'ith  man's  existence,  and  v,'as  communicated  to 
him  in  his  ci-e^tion.  But  as  men,  tiKo  'gh  ignorance  and  other  causes, 
tiiffer  in  opinion  on  various  subjects,  while  the  existence  of  the  things 
is  indisputable  so  in  relation  to  God  and  his  worship,  there  are  vaii^ 
ous  opinions  apd  practices,  all  which  argue  the  existence  of  the  ori- 
ginal facts,  as  counterfeits  argue  the  existence  and  utility  of  the  genu- 
ine, without  v/hich  there  could  be  no  motive  lor  the  coiuiterfeit. 

The  similitude  by  which  the  atheist  attempts  to  rcdicule  and  cour 
front  the  existence  of  God  is  not  only  imperfect  but  contemntii)le, 
"  The  savages,  lite  all  ignorant  fieojile,  attribute  to  sjiirits  all  the  (f- 
I'i'CtSy  of  vjhich  their  inexjierience  cannot  discover  the  true  cause. 
.Jsk  a  sdvag'c  nvhat  7noves  your  nvatch.  He  tjHI  tell  you.,  it  is  a  spirit. 
.  y.9A'  your  divines  xnhat  moves  the  uiiiverse.  They  cnsiver  it  is  a  spirit." 
)-/•■.■:  the  ar'.is-:  cav.  pob.t  out,  even  to  the  savage  the  spring  of  niolion  in 


\2  ON  THE 

the  watch,  and  its  author ;  yet  the  greatcijt  ?iitist,  the  master  of  reason, 
even  the  atht'ist,  exclusively  eminent,  cannot  point  out  to  the  most 
enlightened  n^ition  or  nran,  the  spring  of  motion  m  the  universe,  much 
less  the  aiithor  of  it,  one  side  of  that  necessary  existence  called  God. 
As  to  the  superiority  of  modern  theology,  (that  is  Christianity ;  for 
nothing  in  contrast  %yith  that  is  of  sufficient  utility;)  above  tliat  of 
the  savages,  it  will  appejir  in  its  consistency,  reasonableness  and 
other  superior  and  appropriate  fruita.  By  Christianity  I  do  not  mean 
every  tlung  called  by  that  name.  Nothing  is  worthy  of  that  name, 
except  that  which  is  consistent  in  its  principles,  reasonable  in  its  re- 
quisitions, intelligible  to  the  human  mind,  peaceable  in  its  measures, 
and  happifying  to  its  subjects,  imposing  no  arbitrary  measures  on  its 
friends  or  eneniies. 

But  the  atheist  combats  the  existence  of  God  from  the  considera- 
tion that  he  is  said  to  be  incomprehensible.  "  IVe  are  told"  says  he, 
"  that  divine  qualities  are  not  of  a  nature  to  be  comfirehended  by 
'''■  fitiite  minds.  The  ng,tiiral  consequence  must  be,  that  divine  quali- 
'•  ties  arc  not  made  to  occn'py  Jinite  ?ninds."  If  God  be  not  a  proper 
subject  of  contemplation  for  man,  to  occupy  his  mind,  because  he  is 
incomprehensible,  it  follows  as  a  natural  consequence,  that  man  is  not 
made  to  occupy  the  mind  of  man,  for  man  is  incomprehensible  to 
man.  The  life  of  man  is  an  inexplicable  mystery  to  man ;  and  his 
intellectual  part,  which  we  call  by  the  name  of  spirit,  and  whose  ex- 
istence is  undeniable,  according  to  the  irresistible  evidence  of  sense, 
and  according  to  whose  volitions  the  material  system  is  moved  to 
difTererrt  actions,  is  utterly  inexplicable  to  man  in  his  present  state  of 
existence,  not  to  say,  ever  will  be  :  its  mode  of  existence  and  method 
of  operation  are  unknown,  whether  it  bp  accounted  for  by  the  creat- 
ing ])owcr  of  God  or  by  the  assemblage  of  material  cssenses.  Bii^: 
its  existence  i^^  irresistibly  confirmed. 

Let  us  instance  a  case  isy  v/hich  it  will  appear  evident  that  the  spi- 
rit is  an  agent  entirely  distinct  from  the  material  body  or  any  of  its 
properties.  It  is  known  in  ten  thousand  instances,  to  men  of  sober 
leflection,  that  fleshly  propensities,  or  passions,  invite  to  the  enjoy- 
incnt  of  certain  objects,  which  by  a  co-operation  with  the  bodily  or- 
phans create  more  or  less  pleasure,  -when  the  intellectual  p-ower  in- 
forms the  man  that  such  an  object  is  improper  and  attended  with  so 
m-uch  evil,  as  to  o\  crbalance  tlie  pleasure,  and  in  many  cases,  cren 
convert  it  into  pain.  In  other  instances,  when  the  object  is  justifiable 
and  propei-ly  adapted  to  the  regular  appetites  of  the  body  in  due 
subordination,  the  delight  also  vv'hich  it  gives,  innocent,  the  intellect 
up]-)roves  the  invitation.  Now  what  arc  these  passions,  but  sen- 
sations arising  from  the  intimate  connection  of  the  affections  with  the 
material  body,  in  the  constitution  of  animal  life  ?  And  v/hat  is  the 
iritellectual  povrer,  but  the  more  noble  and  superior  faculty,  which  in 
its  proper  oider  soars  aliove  those  inferior  objects  ?  If  it  be  said  that 
the  intellect  and  the  aifections  arc  only  different  faculties  of  the  same 
licing,  and  if  the  latter  be  onjy  a  property  of  the  body  so  is  the  for- 
'i/ier.     Tlic  ansvrcr  is,  that  neither  the  one  nor  the  ether  is  of  the 


BEING  OF  GOD.  J3 

body  but  of  the  spirit ;  v;hich  is  proved  by  the  resistance  which  is 
offered  to  the  inclinations  of  the  body  and  the  subjection  required; 
for  no  active  principle  can  resist  itself.  These  passions  run  precipi- 
tately, being  excited  by  bodily  sensation  ;  but  the  intellect,  as  though 
more  distantly  connected  with  the  body  than  the  affections,  or  by 
some  cause  less  exposed  to  its  influence,  is  able  to  govern  the  whole, 
in  direct  opposition  to  these  passions.  And  though  in  the  first  in- 
troduction of  the  most  important  truths,  we  get  access  to  men  only 
by  the  senses  and  then  to  the  affections,  the  intellect  is  calculated  in 
its  proper  ofllice,  to  govern  the  whole  into  sucli  regulation,  that  these 
fleshly  passions  have  nothing  to  do  in  the  case  ;  and  will  always  do  so 
in  important  matters,  substantiated  by  proper  evidence,  where  it  is 
not  violently  wrested  from  its  seat.  This  agency  of  the  spirit  shows 
that  it  is  distinct  from  the  body,  and  not  of  it,  by  any  assemblage  or 
organization  whatever,  and  that  it  is  capable  of  an  existence  and 
agency  when  disaigaged  from  it.  And  though  it  is  unknown  to  us 
how  that  can  be,  its  present  order  of  existence  and  agency  shows  that 
it  is  capable  of  both,  by  the  power  of  the  same  agent  that  created  it. 
Yet  its  mode  of  existence  and  method  of  operation  are  beyond  the 
science  of  man  in  his  present  stage  of  action.  And  it  is  not  aneces- 
-sary,  or  self-existing  agent,  else  it  would  undci"stand  and  comprehend 
itself^ — ^its  mode  of  existence  and  manner  of  operation— man  could 
comprehend  Jiimself  and  analyze  his  own  existence.  But  all  nature 
cannot  do  this*^  nature  therefore,  or  matter,  cannot  be  man's  author  ; 
for  every  correct  author,  or  artist,  can  analyze  his  own  Vr'ork.  The 
existence  therefore  of  this  intellectual  faculty,  or  spirit,  irresistibly 
proves,  by  th§  evidence  of  sense,  the  existence  of  a  necessary,  self- 
existent  agent,  superior  to  all  nature  ;  that  agent  is  called  God. 

Again,  the  atheist  argues  ;  "  If  God  be  a7i  irifinite  being,  (here 
"  cannot  be,  cither  in  the  present  or  future  ivorld,  any  relative  pro- 
^  portion,  between  man  a?id  his  God.  fhe  idea  of  God  can  never 
"  enter  the  hutnan  mind."  And  agajn ;  "  Thus  i?i  flaying  God  is  in- 
*■'■  finite^  you  annihilate  religioy,  for  'man,  nvho  is  a  finite  being." 
These  are  all  self-evidentjy  false  positions.  The  mind  of  man  un- 
failingly discovers  a  relative  proportion  between  two  existences  al- 
though the  one  be  infinitely  superior  to  the  other :  this  needs  no 
proof.  And  the  idea  of  God,  both  as  to  his  existence  and  characticr, 
although  he  is  infinite  ajid  incomprehensible,  hath  entered  the  human 
mind,  and  it  retains  it,  and  all  the  reasoning  of  unbelievei's  can  never 
get  it  away.  It  is  easily  understcotl,  that  the  idea  and  proof  of  the 
existence  of  any  being,  and  correct  (as  far  as  it  goes)  knowledge  of 
its  character,  arc  very  different  mattei-s  from  a  perfect  comprehen- 
!;ion. 

The  atheist  aims  to  demolish,  es  at  one  stroke,  the  evidence  of  mir- 
acles in  favor  of  the  existence  of  God  ai)d  the  truth  of  religion,  thus. 
"  Is  a  miracle  cafiable  of  anniliilating  the  evidence  of  a  demonstrat- 
•^  ed  truth  ?  Although  a  rna7i  shcuid  have  the  secret  of  healing  all 
"  the  sick,  of  making  all  the  lame  to  walk,  of  raising  all  the  dead  of 
■*  a  city,  of  c?ccndi^ig  into  the  air,  of  stofifiing  the  com-se  of  the  fnn\ 


U  ON  THli 

*'  cmd  moon,  can  he  tliereby  convince  vie-,  that   two  and  two   do  not 
"  make  four.)  that  one  77iakes  three  and  that  three  make  only  otic  .?" 
Query  ;  Why  could  not  thia  shrcivd  reasoner  have  inforrat'd  himself 
that  cJu'istianity  calls  for  no  miracles  to  prove  such  contradictions ; 
but,  Avhcn  they  are  used  at  all,  to  confirm  those  things  vvhich  are  ac- 
cording to  men's  reason,  though  often  out  of  the  reach  of  it  to  discov- 
er until  taught  by  superior  v.isdom  ?     But  he  continues  to  ask  if  these 
miracles  can  convince  him,  ''  That  a  God.,  whose  immensity  fills  the 
.universe,  couid  be  contained  in  the  body  of  a  Jew  ;  that  the  Eternal 
could  die  like  a  man?"     Let  these  wise  men  once  more  be. taught 
iiiat  cl'iristianity  teaches  no  such  doctrines.     The  Eternal  cannot  die, 
but  a  man  could  die.     Christianity  saith  not  that  the  God  of  immen- 
sitr  v/as  contained  in  the  body  of  a  Jew,  or  of  any  man.     Heaven., 
■■:)(' the   heaven  of  h"a~oe7is  cannot  contain  him.     The  body  of  that 
-vfiiihy  Jew,  to  whom  the  atheist  alludes,  could  not  contain  his  appro- 
;K-Jalc  rational  spirit  which  v/as  in  connection  with  it,  which  was  oc- 
wpicd  in  contemplations  arid  engagements  far  superior. 
But  this  is  not  to  contradict,  tliat  the  fulness  of  Deity  dwelt  in  that 
::r,an-~that  of  all  the  character  and  perfections  of  Deity  he  v,-as  a  par- 
■.ikcr,  having  the^  proper  benefit  and  aid  of  the  pov/er,  wisdom  and 
:hcr  perfections  of  tliat  God  with  whom  he  stood  in  union.     But  why 
^  oukl  not  God  dv/cU  in  that  man,  and  by  him  be  revealed  to  the 
V.  ,jvld  ?     Gcd  is  love.     Is  there  any  reason  why  love  could  not  be  in 
l!i,at  man,  and  be  shovvn  out  in  his  life  and  actions?  and  so  of  the  rest. 
But  he  coulinues  to  inquire  if  the  above  miracles  can  convince 
fiim,  '•  That  a  God,  iidio  is  said  to  be  immutable,  provident  and  sen- 
•'  .^ible,  could  have  changed  his  mind  u/iou  his  religion  and  reformed 
•'  Ills  oivn.  ivork  by  a  new  revelatio/i  ?"     If  these  be  the  reasonings 
of  the  sole  proprietor  of  reason,  (for  he  saith  that,  every  man  who 
rra.'iOJis   soon  becomes  an  vnbeiicver)  it  is  time  to  displace  reason 
Irom  the  precedency.     Doth  not  every  man  of  reason  know  that  even 
short  sighted  men,  (these  of  the  most  provident  cast,)  might  see  far 
enough  iorv/ard  to  knov/,  tliat  in  many  cases,  temporary  laws  might 
be  advantageously  enacted,  which  it  would  be  proper  by  and  by  to  re- 
scind and  supersede  by  a  more  effectual  and  permanent  code  ?     Did 
it  indicate  an  improvident  and  mutalile  being  to  find  him  continually 
inti'madng  that  a  great  change  v/ould  come  at  an  after  period,  and  to 
finfl  it  such  whcii  it  came,  as  to  show  that  it  was  signified  by  all  that 
Av^'nt  before  ?     These  are  the  Avorks  of  a  permanently  provident  and 
inimutable  God. 

I  Such  palpably  erroneous  and  distorted  statements  as  those  in  the 
aljove  paragraphs,  shov/  the  disingeneous  man  and  the  weakness  of 
Li-i  cause. 

'But  as.  I  have  no  intention  to  pursue  the  atheist  throughout  his 
Iitnunt,  it  begins  to  be  time  to  leave  him  for  the  present,  lest  I  should 
';()cur  the  censure  of  v/asting  time  by  making  serious  replies  to  ini- 
7"orthy  caviiings.  For  som^  not  to  say  many,  of  his  assertions  arc 
•  io  preposterous  ii.rjt  to  fnake  his  iiUcUigent  abettors  blush.  I  sball 
■j"evf.-r  take  notice  of  one  or  tvo  p'^.rticulars  more, 


BEING  OF  GOD.  15 

He  asserts  that  "  The  idea  of  injinity  is  to  us  art  idea  ivithoiit  ino- 
*'  del^  ivithout  archetype^  rjithotit  object  "  How  so  ?  Because  (tre- 
ated bcuigs  are  not  infinite  ?  But  if  the  idea  of  infinity  be  without 
model,  archetype  or  object,  whence  comes  the  idea  ?  For  people 
have  the  impression  that  the  thiing  is,  and  all  our  ideas  are  by  sensa- 
tion and  reflection  on  the  things  which  the  senses  perceive.  But  the 
idea  of  infinity  is  as  constitutional  and  congenial  to  man  as  his  thoughts. 
Did  any  man  of  mature  reflection  ever  extend  his  thoughts  so  far  as 
not  to  conceive  that  he  left  an  infinity  beyond  ?  Not  one.  And  with 
relation  to  God,  or  any  first  cause,  the  thought  of  a  necessary,  self- 
existing  agent,  not  infinite,  not  perfectly  acipiainted  willi  himself  and 
all  his  works,  or  net  possessed  of  every  perfection,  is  as  absurd  as  to 
deny  existence  altogether.  But  tliis  is  not  nature,  according  to  tiie 
atheist  himself,  who  acknowledges  that  the  world  is  evidently  not  go-' 
verned  by  an  intelligent  being — and  yet  iliis  linintelligent  being  is, 
according  to  him,  the  parent  of  intelligent  h.-ix\ :  an  efi'ect  superior  to 
the  cause,  which  is  absurd.  Whence  theri  is  man  ?  Ke  is  the  o'f- 
spring  of  God  as  Christianity  saith.  V/hy  then  can  he  not  compre- 
hend his  Maker  ?  Because  it  is  contrary  to  the  reason  and  nature  of 
things  for  the  inferior  to  comprehend  the  superior,  as  well  as  for  th;- 
cff"ect  to  equal  the  cause.  A  superior  power,  or  degree  of  wisdom 
or  skill,  may  accommodate  itself  to  the  making  of  an  inferior  worl;, 
but  an  inferior  cannot  produce  a  superor.  Man  therefore  is  not  the 
offspring  of  nature,  or  matter,  who  evidently  possesses  more  iiitclli- 
Ijence  than  all  animate  or  inar.imate  matter  besides. 

Again  ;  If  man  be  the  offspring  of  nature,  and  possess  no  other 
medium  of  information  ;  and  if  nature  cannot  be  in  disorder,  from 
■what  source  is  the  notion  of  the  infinite,  v/isc  and  powerful  God  ?  Is 
it  the  orderly  work  of  nature  to  teach  falsehoods  ?  Is  ignorwu  c  in 
man  so  j">owerfuI  a  contriver  that  all  wisdom  cannot  contradict  its  pro- 
ductions ?  Or  are  there  extant  certain  invisible,  inhuical  agents,  un- 
connected with  nature,  that  infuse  corruption  into  the  human  inip.dr 
Whether  is  it  most  rational  to  believe  in  the  necessary  existence  o'> 
such  demons,  or  to  acknowledge  in  full  f  lith  the  existence  of  a  pow- 
erfiil,  wise  and  perfect  Gcd,  who  after  men  Iiave,  in  hisAvisdcn),  born 
suffered  to  try  their  utmost  according  to  nature,  vv'ithout  eflccljng 
happiness,  will  leact  them  in  a  way  which  by  their  ovni  wisdom  they 
knev/  not,  to  level  their  pride  and  display  lus  awn  wisdom  and  for- 
bearance, love  and  goodness,  in  their  more  ccnsumniatc  and  confir:n- 
ed  happiness,  according  to  the  christian  faith  ? 

But  tlie  atheijt  objects  to  Christianity  as  being  un.rcasonabic,  1)?- 
cause  contrary  to  nature,  and  confronts  the  idea  of  God's  coiirfnni'' 
ing  the  wisdon;  of  men,  thus;  "You  tell  us,  tlieologiaiis,  tJiat  ti^^i^r' 
''  is  folly  in  t/ie  eyes  of  men  is  iinsdorn  before  God,  ii'ho  delighis  ,'■: 
•'  co'nfound  the  vAsdoni  of  the  vjise.  But  do  you  not  say  that  huuiart 
"  wisdom  is  a  gift  of  heaven  ? — Is  it  not  strange  that  one  can  be  the- 
"  friend  of  your  God,  only  by  declaring  himself  the  cncuiy  of  reason 
*'_  and  good  sejise  ?"-  Thus  iie  alv/ays  Kpisrepresents  the  chlistian  re 
ligion,  whi'li  hath  sho^vn  what  kind  of  wisdo'm  God' sees  fit  Iq  rz--. 


16  ON  THE 

found — the  wiRuom  of  those  who  arc  wise  to  do  evil,  wise  in  corrdp' 
ti,oa — that  ^^'isdom  which  is  earthly^  se?isuaiy  devclish — not  reason  and 
good  sense.  But  let  the  atheist  object  as  he  may,  it  is  an  undeniable 
fact  that  the  ways  of  mankind  arc  corrupt,  and  that  their  wisdom 
needs  an  overturning  ;  they  need  a  work  to  counteract  their  natures. 
Such  a  work  as  nature  with  all  het"  laws  and  wisdom  independently 
of  God,  can  never  accomplish.  For  tliis  corrupt  nature,  or  the  cor- 
ruption and  depravity  of  man,  the  atheist  can  assign  no  consistent 
reason  ;  for  according  to  him  there  is  no  God,  men  therefore  could 
not  have  become  wicked  by  departing  from  his  laws  ;  neitlier  could 
they  ha\e  been  corrupted  by  deviating  from  the  laws  of  nature,  for 
her  laws  are  irresistible,  and  men  are  inevitably  obedient  to  them. 
Christianity  alwie  can.  solve  the  mysteries  of  human  depravity,  and 
reveal  man  to  himself. 

It  is  not  intended  to  object  to  the  propriety  of  speaking  of  the  laws 
or  Works  of  nature.  But  these  laws  and  works  can  be  interrupted 
and  subverted ;  which  conclusively  bespeaks  their  dependence  on 
another  cause  and  their  subjection  to  another  power,  and  that  these 
laws  are  nothing  more  than  certain  qualities  and  capacities  with  which 
the  whole  creation  hath  been  endued,  every  part  in  its  own  order^ 
cdaptlng  each  to  its  proper  intention,  by  the  power  and  wisdom  of 
the  Creator.  For  the  confusion,  jaring  principles  and  contrary  ope- 
ration^;,  which  arc  found  among  the  different  parts  of  creation,  arc  so 
far  from  weakening  the  evidence  of  a  creating  and  governing  power, 
that  they  rather  confirm  it,  because  without  such  a  power  the  whole 
would  be  reduced  to  a  perfect  chaos. 

I'hc  greatest  pitch  of  power,  Avisdom,  intelligence  and  the  like,  to 
which  atheists  can  point,  is  in  men,  the  most  noble  of  nature's  sons ; 
neither  can  they  show  an  evidence  or  a  trace  of  her  existence,  power, 
v/isdom,  or  any  thing  of  the  kind,  beyond  men ;  she  has  given  them 
no  comrftunicable  or  ostensible  laws  or  rules,  l^y  which  to  regulate 
their  conduct,  or  to  indicate  her  being  possessed  of  such  power  and 
wisdom  as  they  ascribe  to  her.  And  it  is  inconsistent  v/ith  reason,  to 
suppose  any  one  can  communicate  to  others  that  which  he  or  she 
doth  not  possess.  One  may  in  some  cases  commuiucate  through  an 
other  as  a  medium,  that  which  he  who  v.i  the  medium  doth  not  origin- 
ally possess ;  but  the  commuriicator  must  be  equal  to  the  thing  com- 
municated by  actual  possession,  as  it  is  granted  that  no  effect  car. 
exceed  the  cause,  neither  can  it  equal  it. 

How  preposterous  therefore  to  suppose  that  nature  without  life, 
tan  communicate  life  to  her  children,  even  as  far  as  to  a  toad  or  a  fly  ! 
Or  that  without  mental  powers,  she  can  communicate  wisdom  and 
intelligence  to  men  !  Or  that  without  forethought  or  plan,  she  could 
create  men  or  other  beings  capable  of  wisely  laying  out  their  pur- 
suits, being  provident  of  futurity  1  Or  that  ■w~itliout  eyes  or  sight  ci- 
any  equivalent  power,  she  coidd  minister  to  men  and  other  animal?, 
that  organ  of  tlie  most  delicate  and  exquisite  structure,  ?Jid  of  in- 
controvertablc  and  definite  discernment !  In  these  few  examples  we 
may  see  the  absurdity  of  such  notions ;  cs  well  as  in  Xqw  thousand 


13EING  OF  GOD.  ir 

more  of  the  miiiutc  and  exquisitely  wise  and  useful  operations  in  tke 
foiTnation  of  man. 

Once  more.  It  is  much  m.ore  consistent  with  reason  aixl  common 
cense  to  heljevc  in  God,  a  Behis;,  independent,  necessarily  cxistirj;^,  as 
he  is,  and  therefore  unchanj^cabic,  self-existent,  and  possessing  power 
and  ■wisdom  adequate  to  the  works  of  creation  and  providence,  and  to 
a  happy  result  in  the  end,  and  who  hath  also  made  kr.own  his  v;\]]  to 
this  intent,  as  the  great  first  ca^isc  on  whom  all  are  dci:)endcnt,  than 
to  believe  in  the  necessary  existence,  or  independence  of  nature  and 
all  creation,  or  its  deiwidencc  on  its  own  laws  which  cannot  be  point- 
ed out  by  itself  or  i^Hiildrcn,  which  is  also  dependent  on  its  own  pro- 
ductions for  its  ex^^ce.  But  a  pre-existing  cause  is  necessary 
to  every  effect,  nnd  the  faith  of  it  irresistible.  And  these  advocates 
for  nature  cannot  point  out  any  such  independent,  all-suflicicnt  Be- 
ing, distinct  from  that  God  v/hom  christians  vrorship. 

As  for  tlie  all-sufficient  lav/s  of  nature  of  Which  they  talk,  it  is  easi- 
ly proved  on  the  principles  already  stated,  that  no  si'ch  laws  can  pos- 
sibly exist ;  because  no  lav/s  can  exist  without  a  legislator,  or  an  agent 
capable  of  containing  them  ;  or  in  other  words,  no  principle  of  agenc  ■' 
can  exist  without  a  subject  caj>able  of  containing  those  principles  and 
putting  them  iiito  operation.  But  the  existence  of  the  laws  of  nature 
to  which  are  attributed  all  e'lTccts  and  operations,  depends  on  the  prc- 
cxistence  of  nature's  works,  (for  nature's  laws  exist  only  in  her  works 
or  are  the  gift  of  another,  even  God,)  which  places  the  efl'ect  l^efore 
the  cause,  or  the  product  prior  to  the    principle,  which  is  absurd. 

This  part  of  the  subject  is  to  meet  the  reasonings,  or  reveries  of 
those  Avho  contemplate,  the  existence  of  nature  some  how  abstractedly 
from  material  existences.  That  matter  cannot  be  the  pre-existing, 
Independent,  cause,  is  proved  before.  He  therefore,  Avho  denies  the 
existence  of  God,  to  be  consistent,  must  deny  all  existence,  all  agency, 
ail  language  and  even  all  thought,  for  it  will  not  be  denied  that  he  who 
is  capable  of  thought  must  also  liave  an  existence,  and  that  existence, 
riot  being  necessary,  or  self-sufficient,  mvist  have  a  previous  cause, 
which  is  none  but  God,  the  only  self-sufficient  Being,  as  already  proved. 

These  things  are  written,  not  because  there  is  any  deficiency  of  evi- 
dence in  the  revelation  of  Ciod,  relative  to  his  existence,  character  and 
works  in  the  gospel,  but  to  show  the  unbeliever  a  few  of  his  Mcak- 
nesses,  and  some  of  his  dislioncsty,  on  his  own  ground.  For  notv/ith- 
standing  that  many  professed  christians,  kings,  princes  and  priests, 
■with  their  followers,  have  been,  and  still  are,  extravagantly  wicked, 
(but  these  have  neither  part  nor  lot  in  Christianity,)  and  have  truly 
»;iven  much  occasion  to  )inbeiievers,the  latter  have  been  very  super- 
Jovial  and  nncandttl  in  their  investigations  of  the  subject  of  christianky. 

c 


is  OF  TlIK 

CHAPTER  II. 

Of  the  Truth  of  Revclalion. 

AFTER  the  Being  of  God,  it  seems  necessary  to  the  cxisLcnce  of 
true  religion,  in  the  spirit  of  unity,  without  v/hicja  there  can  be  no  per- 
fect human  happiness,  to  believe  in  revelation.  x)r  to  bclie'i  c  tliat  Gcd 
hath  made  known  his  mind  and  Avill  to  men,  loHMi^^h  iiifallible  proof? 
as  to  satisfy  the  understanding,  tiic  heart  and  c^Kience,  and  be  a  firjn 
jmd  unsuspected  foundation  v/hereon  to  builc^W*  everhistinj;^.  This 
will  naturally  have  respect  in  the  first  place  to  the  truth  of  the  sci  ip- 
tures,  v/hich  relate  to  the  making  knoAvn  of  hi;;  wiii  at  sundry  times 
and  in  divers  manners,  by  the  prophets,  by  his  Son  Jesus  Christ,  and 
in  connection  with  him,  by  his  apostles  and  ether  followers.  Abun- 
dance hath  been  vrvittcn  on  this  subject  with  great  energy  of  thought 
and  rer.scn ;  but  still  the  desired  end  is  not  effected,  Avhich  yet  must  be. 

The  holy  scriptures,  no  doubt,  carry  an  evidence  of  their  truth  and 
divine  original,  in  the  S  ery  face  of  them,  beyond  connncn  writings. 

The  subject  matter  of  them,  in  great  part,  is  beyond  tl;e  possible 
knowdedge  of  men,  on  any  other  principle  than  that  of  their  origin  be- 
ing divine — The  sublimity  and  worth  of  their  communications,  being 
of  a  spiritual  and  eternal  nature,  carry  forcible  evidence  that  they  ne- 
ver sprung  from  an  earthly  minded  creature  without  diviiic  iufiuence 
— The  honesty  with  which  the  writers  have  recorded  tlieir  own  crimes 
and  those  of  one  another  argues  wdth  great  propriety  that  they  v^ere 
not  governed  by  that  ruling  and  selfish  passion  of  mankinfl,  ever  par- 
tial to  themselves  and  to  their  pecuiiai-  party,  but  by  that  spirit  of 
truth,  which  would  not  build  on  a  foundation  of  deceit,  and  will  let  God 
be  true  but  every  man  a  liar,  giving  to  God  the  supremacy,  as  the 
only  fountain  of  worth,  and  acknowledging  men  to  have  no  good  in 
them  except  what  they  receive  from  him — Tlie  univcisaily  attribut- 
ing of  the  glory  and  praise  of  all  good  things  and  of  all  excellence  to 
God  alone,  evinceth  that  they  w  ere  not  dictated  by  that  sc'f-pleasing 
self-exalting  spirit  of  man  who  ever  loves  the  pre-emincrxc. 

The  miracles  v/hich  were  wrought  by  the  muiisters  of  God ;  by  Mo- 
ses and  some  of  the  prophets;  by  Jesus  Christ  and  his  followers, 
are,  in  their  own  nature  and  place,  incontestible  proof  of  their  divine 
original ;  but  not  direct,  especially  to  those  who  have  not  seen  them 
and  do  not  credit  the  record.  For  should  a  man  deny  the  truth  of 
the  record,  there  is  no  direct  proof  of  the  existence  of  those  mira- 
cles, the  existence  of  which  must  be  confirmed  before  they  can  have 
their  influence  in  confirming  the  divinity  of  the  scriptures.  But  in- 
directly, the  record  of  those  miracles  is  a  weighty  and  serious  proof. 
For  it  is  not  reasonable  to  suppose  that  such  a  recoi'd  of  facts  could 
have  been  forged,  and  they  attested  to  have  been  done  in  so  public  a 
manner  as  they  were,  and  the  forgery  not  have  bcx-n  delected  at  the 
time  and  the  scheme  ovcrthroAvn.    Neither  is  it  probable,  or  possi- 


1  RUTH  OF  REVELATION.  J  9 

\>\e  in  the  fuce  of  the  inquiring-  and  aspiring  temper  which  prevails 
in  some  at  all  times,  that  such  a  forgery  could  have  been  made  and 
Ijiiarded  urilil  pahiied  on  the  people  for  truth,  by  dating-  the  facts  out 
of  the  remcmljrance  of  those  who  were  then  living ;  fur  tliey  would 
iiave  imn:edlately  inquired  why  tliese  things  v/ere  never  known  be- 
fore, and  especially  as  they  are  said  to  have  been  done,  at  least  most 
of  them,  in  tiie  presence  of  a  learned  and  enlightened  people,  such 
a  people  too  as  werc^encmies  to  the  performance  of  iiiany  of  these 
r^.iraclcs,  and  woidd  i^ici-  they  could  have  been  denied.  13ut  added 
to  ail  this,  their  eni^jlB  liave  confessed  many  of  the  facts,  as  n^any 
v/riters  have  shpv.'n.]^B 

But  the  history  of  tne  facts  in  that  open  and  public  manner  in  which 
they  are  related,  in  a  long  succcs;;iou  of  time,  with  the  undoubted  ex- 
istence of  the  people  among  whom  they  were  wrought,  and  as  no- 
thing can  be  produced  really  to  overturn  the  evidence,  is  no  conlempr 
tible  proof  of  their  truth.  For  the  history  without  unequivocal  cvi^ 
dence  to  the  contrary,  hath  at  least  a  righ.t  to  the  same  weight  with 
other  history.  And  as  to  the  things  Avhich  are  narrated  being  out  of 
tlic  oi'dinary  knowledge  and  experience  of  man,  and  therefore  con- 
^idei-ed  by  some  as  maltei  s  of  doubtfulness,  the  real  truth  is  the  con- 
trary in  the  circumstances  with  vthich  those  things  are  connected  j 
in-asmuch  as  they  arc  not  a'ledged  in  favor  of  any  of  the  vanUies  or 
temporal  pursuits  of  men,  but  that  everlasting  substance  A'/hichcovdd 
never  have  entered  iiito  the  lieart  of  man  without  the  existence  arid 
influence  of  superior  v.isdom  ;  a  substance  v/hich  is  not  according  to 
the  selfish  and  inferior  pursuits  and  propensities  of  men,  but  beyond  and 
contrary  to  them  all,  and  therefore  exposed  to  be  denied  had  it  been 
possible  to  Conceal  them.  For  the  very  existence  of  the  profession  of 
Christianity,  as  before  observed,  to  the  extent  to  whJcli  it  obtains ;  not-» 
withstanding  all  the  variety  of  forms  and  contradictions  of  sentiments,  is 
a  sti'ong  argument  of  its  truth,  as  being  originally  divine.  And  so 
arc  the  false  religions  v."hich  obtain  in  the  world,  not  excepting-  ma- 
hometanisnij  an  argument  in  favor  of  the  true  ;  because,  however  men 
may  vary  and  new  model,  mix  and  divide,  every  one  of  these  forms 
must  I.-ivc  had  something  from  which  to  take  its  rise,  as  much  as 
counterfeit  money,  for  the  contrivance  of  which  there  could  have 
been  no  motive  without  the  existence  and  worth  of  the  true. 

New  the  existence  of  Christianity  is  either  by  the  doctrine  of  na- 
ture, or  by  revcl-ation,  and  is  either  true  or  false.  If  by  the  doctrine 
of  nature  and  false,  nature  is  no  longer  to  be  trusted,  and  it  is  time 
ior  men  who  regard  truth  to  cease  pleading  the  authority  of  nature  ; 
hixt  if  true,  nature  confirms  the  authority  of  revelation  and  hath  her 
instructions  from  the  same  source.  But  if  Christianity,  or  revelation, 
hath  its  existence  by  the  work  and  revelation  of  God,  as  the  scrip- 
tares  say,  those  scriptures  which  give  an  account  of  its  origin  from 
iirst  to  last,  ai-e  of  divine  original :  Christianity  and  they  stand  or  fall 
tor-;ether. 

It  is  utterly  uncandid  and  ineffectual  to  object  against  tlic  truth  of 
levelatiQinj  as  some  do,  certain  things  contained  in  the  scriptures  of 


20  OF  THLi 

the  oM  testament,  Avhich  arc  so  full  of  metaphors  and  paral)lcs,  and 
fustoms  now  unknown,  as  the  account  of  t?ic  ma?i  nvho  had  h'lfj  ahoc 
loosed  in  larad.^  as  contahiing  absurdity,  because  they  caiuiot  under- 
stand the  reason  of  such  things.  All  men  cannot  equally  undcrstahd 
all  m.atters  which  obtain  in  the  present  tense,  even  thos''  thinijs  in 
which  they  aj^rce  as  far  as  the  mind  of  each  one  is  capable  of  appre- 
hending them.  And  hotv  shall  they  who  have  not  nuidc  practical 
religion  their  business,  understand  all  the  customs  and  their  reasons, 
which  obtained  in  ages  of  which  they  liave  no  jiccuratc  knowledge  ? 
But  whatever  is  to  become  of  such  matters  a3|jK|Kc,  they  are  not  set 
f(>ii!i  as  the  evidence  by  which  the  truth  of  f||p  scriptures  is  to  be 
evinced,  and  the  judgment  of  irien  concerning  sucli  matters  cannot 
destroy  that  evidence  for  which  m.en  cannot  ?.ccount  on  any  other 
principle  than  that  of  divine  authority. 

Tlic  truth  of  revelation,  or  the  reality  of  the  work  of  which  the 
scriptures  speak  and  out  of  the  spirit  of  wliich  tliey  sprang,  together 
Y/ith  llie  credibility  of  the  scriptures,  in  their  own  place  and  proper 
use,  by  no  means  depends  on  the  logical  accuracy  of  the  language  or 
iiarative,  neither  on  the  rigidly  accurate  consistency  of  all  the  parts 
in  matters  of  kss  consequence,  especially  when  we  consider  the  ex- 
po-scdness  of  the  soipturcs  to  errors  through  translations  and  tran- 
scriptions. Translations  read  difierently  in  some  instances.  As  for 
example,  the  difference  of  tAventy  years  in  two  accounts  of  th.e  age 
of  Ahaziah  when  he  began  to  reign,  is  removed  in  the  Greek  trans- 
lation called  the  Septuagint :  it  is  twenty-tv/o  in  each  place.  (See  2 
Kings  8.  26.  2  Chrcn.  22.  2.)  But  to  be  able  to  reconcile  punctili- 
ously and  literally  all  naratives  in  matters  of  less  consequence  or  of 
a  parabolical  nature,  is  no  more  necessary  to  support  the  credibility 
•oi'  the  scriptures,  or  the  fc^ith  of  that  work  of  salvation  to  which  th.cy 
relate,  either  immediately  or  more  remotely,  or  to  be  in  possession  of 
that  salvation,  than  r>n  accurate  reconciliation  of  all  historical  facts 
relating  to  any  country,  or  people,  is  necessary  to  tlie  belief  of  ll;e 
existence  of  that  people.  The  truth  of  the  scriptures,  or  of  re^cal- 
cd  i-eligion,  is  not  nuiteviully  aftccicd  by  these  thinp,s.  I'herc  are  not 
difiiculties  enough.,  or  of  a  sulViciently  serious  and  irrcconcilrlle  na- 
ture>,  to  etVcct  much  with  honest  n)iuds,  A\hilc  these  saine  scriptures 
carry  in  their  face,  evidences  which  may  ahnost  be  called  intuitive, 
and  Avhich.  could  cOmc  I'rom  no  other  source  than  tliat  to  which  they 
are  ascribed. 

For  in  the  next  place  ;  the  thiiigs  which  are  taught  by  the  scrip- 
tures, as  the  duty  and  life  of  a  christian,  arc  of  such  a  nature  and  have 
such  a  tendency  to  counteract  the  current, or  rather  torrent,  of  man's' 
nature  and  ppopensitics,  that  it  is  impossible  that  they  should  ever 
have  originated  from  that  source.  For  it  is  a  principle  in  nature  as 
wxdl  as  revelation,  that  as  is  the  fountain  such  is  the  stream,  and  thai 
no  effect  can  exceed  or  be  contraiy  to  the  cause. 

Now  shou.ld  men  have  coatiivcd  a  scheme  of  religion,  it  -vvould 
have  been  adapted  to  thcij-  own  inclinations ;  and  whatever  mortifica- 
tions they  might  hav^  counted  nccc-ssarv  to  obtain  the  end,  that  end. 


TRUTH  OF  REVELATION.  2i 

<jr  acquisition,  would- have  been  accommockitocl  to  ihc  natural  feeiing;S 
of  the  predominant  principle :  as  it  is  said  the  mahonicdans  arc  led 
through  much  mortification  (To  which  they  have  been  instis^atcd 
likely  by  the  knowledge  of  the  self-denial  and  mollifications  of  the 
flesh  practised  by  christians.)  with  the  prospect  of  a  paradise  of  sen- 
sual delights ;  so  that  the  whole  plan  is  accommodated  to  tlic  predo- 
minant sensual  appetites  of  men.  And  this  principle  is  proved  in 
fact  by  the  immensely  superior  number  of  those  v/ho  profess  Chris- 
tianity on  the  express  principle  of  its  being  founded  on  the  revela- 
tion of  God,  who  accommodate  the  faith  and  rules  of  Christ  to  their 
own  taste,  until  there  iB  no  discoverable  difference,  farther  than  the 
profession,  between  them  and  the  non-professors. 

But  there  is  no  principle  in  man  ever  to  have  produced  that  prac- 
tical cross-bearing  and  self-denial  which,  according  to  the  scripture 
account,  Jesus  Christ  tauglit  his  Ibllov.'ers  l)y  word  and  Ijy  works. 
That  cross  on  which  is  crucified  the  flesh  with  its  affections  as  well 
as  its  lusts.  For  they  that  are  Christ's  have  crucified  the  Jlcsh  ivith 
the  affections  and  lusts.  That  cross  therefore  which  everlastingly 
buries,  Avithout  hope  of  restoration,  all  that  lust  of  roncupisccj^.ce 
which  is  the  life  of  the  world,  so  that  it  is  said.  He  that  urill  seek  to 
save  his  life  shall  lose  it,  and  which  gives  the  promise  of  an  ever- 
lasting reward  in  the  enjoyment  of  that,  for  which  natural  men  have 
no  relish  and  of  which  they  can  have  no  real  knowledge,  is  the  cross 
of  Christ,  which  is  enjoined  on  the  people  who  profecs  his  name,  to 
bear  every  day.  Tliis  is  that  cross  and  this  ti\e  self-denial  taught  in 
tlie  scriptures,  AA'hich  men  naturally  abhor,  and  v/hich  therefore  there 
is  nothing  in  them  to  have  contrived. 

I  am  not  unaware  that  the  earthly  reasoning  of  men  will  make  tlils 
cross  an  objection  to  the  truth  of  genuine  Christianity,  saying  it  is  un-  ' 
reasonable  because  unnatural.  But  if  unnatural  whence  came  it  ? 
Surely  not  from  nature  ;  not  from  the  spirit  of  iniquity,  or  principle 
of  evil,  which  christians  call  the  devil,  who  ruleth  in  men,  and  who 
inclineth  men  to  foster  their  natural  lusts  ;  for  it  is  a  principle  of  rea- 
son, as  well  as  revelation,  that  nature  is  not  divided  against  itself,  and 
that  satan  is  not  divided  against  satan. 

But  we  need  not  marvel  if  such  reasoning  be  found  in  those  who 
professedly  disbelieve  revelation  and  allow  themselves  to  be  ruled  I)y 
nature,  when,  preposterous  as  it  is,  those  who  acknowledge  the  truth 
of  revelation,  and  that  nature,  as  it  now  exists  in  men,  is  contrary  to 
God  and  to  all  good,  argue  in  the  same  Avay,  and  reject  the  gospel 
v/hich  inculcates  the  same  practical  cross  and  self-denial,  on  tliat  same 
account.  These,  things  show,  as  before  stated,  that  if  men  had  con- 
trived a  scheme  of  religion  they  Avolild  not  have  had  such  a  cross  iii 
it,  there  being  no  source  in  them  ever  to  conceive  of  such  a  thing,  as 
being  necessary  or  proper.  These  things  also  show  that  the  profess- 
ed christians  and  those  whom  they  call  infidels,  have  religion  nearly 
allied  together:  all  being  of  the  earth,  they  savor  alike  the  things  of 
ihc  earth. 


-■:  Ob  TilL; 

iiUt  i;  is  lirjie  to  cdvcrli-jc  the  reader  that  tlic  truth  of  the  scrip- 
tures, or  of  revelation,  stands  on  an  entirely  different  footing  since 
tlie  cstablisimient  of  tjie  iaith  of  Christ's  second  appearing  from  what 
it  has  done  for  ages  before.  Men  have  been  contending  about  names 
and  seniimeiits,  abetting  tlie  scriptures  in  the  letter  --.vhile  they  had 
uot  the  fruits  cf  Christianity  to  show  in  its  defence.  But  the  profes- 
sion of  Christianity  was  i  cproachcd  and  the  7iame  of  God  blasjihemcd 
among  the  Ge?i(i/ca^  hy  the  vuihailowcd  lives  of  professors.  The  di- 
■vihtoivs,  the  animosities,  the  wars  and  uioodsheddings,  the  cruel  and 
'.nhuman  barl:)aritic3  exercised  in  many  places  against  each  other,  the 
avcrice  cf  tlic  major  part  of  its  nr.nisters,  as  fast  as  they  obtained 
T>owor  to  LHipjDcrt  their  avaricious  temper,  with  many  such  iniquities, 
have  fumshsd  the  e:icmies  of  revelation  with  good  reasons  against 
its  truth,  and  do  yet  where  these  evils  are  practised. 

For  v,-hiie  tlic  prGiessor3,taup;l!t  that  the  scriptures  were  the  foim- 
dation  en.  which  tlie  church  was  built,  and  that  church  was  such  a 
poor,  mangled,  divided,  corrupt  and  incoherent  thmg,  its  members 
■violating  the  precepts  and  example  cf  him  whom  they  professed  to 

^iic.rve,  and  of  the  scriptures  by  which  they  professed  to  be  governed,, 
■nore  especially  in  modern  ages,  they  had  poor  arguments  to  offer  in 
tiieir  defence  ;  mainly  tliose  which  v/ere  far-fetched  by  abstruse  rea- 
r,r;r.ings  on  history  and  other  topics,  or  those  which  were  only  internal 
anci  therefore  incivpable  of  being  used  to  good  advantage  for  the  v.'aiU 
0f  ccncomitarit  works  as  a  conhrmation.  But  it  is  a  poor  method  to 
prove  the  truth  of  the  scriptures  or  of  the  profession  of  Christianity, 
to  talk  of  an  in-*;  ard  treasure,  the  proper  and  convincing  frints  of 
wluch  can:ict  be  seen.  Not  disputing  but  nrany  arguments  used  iDy 
B'iany  in  th.osc  times  and  to  this  day,  in  defence  of  revelation,  are 

•  proper  and  irrefragable  in  their  own  nature  and  place,  but  often  in- 
!"f-?icacicus  for  the  waiit  of  their  proper  concomitants — true  gospel 
Crvnts.  For  the  profession  of  Christianity  connected  with  the  life  of  a 
man  ei  the  world  is  a  ilagrant  inconsistency. 

Xow  it  is  very  exceptionable  for  those  who  believe  the  scriptures, 
10  teach  that  the  church  is  built  on  the  scriptures;  for  accordmg  to 
tl;c  scriptures,  the  house  of  God,  or  church  of  the  living  God,  is  the 
groiu-id  an.d  pillar  paase,  or  foundation  and  style]  of  tiie  truth,  and  the 
law  goeth  forth  of  Zion  and  the  word  of  the  Lord  from  Jerusalem, 
and  not  Zion  from  the  ]a^v,  or  Jerusalem  from  the  scriptures ;  neither 
.'.re  tlie  £crii)tin'es  ever  said  to  be  the  foundation  on  which  the-chnrch 
Is  built.  The  saying  of  the  apostle  to  the  Epiiesians,  (2.  20.)  "  And 
"  are  built  on  the  foundation  of  the  apostles  and  prophets,  Jesus  Christ 
"  himself  being  the  c1)ief  corner-stone,"  hath  been  alledged  as  a 
prcof  that  the  churcli  is  built  en  the  scriptures.  But  the  argument 
is  foreign  and  inconclusive  ;  for  the  foundation  of  the  aj^ostles  and 
prophets  is  evidently  that  foundation  on  v/hich  they  vrere  built,  or  to 
which  they  bore  v/itness,  which  could  not  be  the  scriptures  ;  for  they 
were  built  before  the  scripttires  were  written,  and  stood  iirm  v.diilc 
they  were  writing  them,  each  one  according  to  his  day  ;  and  tlic  foun- 
dation to  which  thev  bore  witness  was  Christ.     To  hhn  gave  ail  the 


TPJJTIi  OF  REVELATION.  S."^. 

iirojihets  witness,  as  v/ell  as  the  apootles,  sayliij^,  Gl.her  /oundation 
Can  no  man  lay  than  that  is  laid,  vjkich  is  Christ.  Or  the  fop.nda- 
tion  of  the  apostles  and  prophets  is  tiie  revelation  oF  the  truth  oi' 
God,  which  centres  altogether  in  Christ,  who  is  the  chief  cornci-- 
stone.  Some  professors  may  ohject,  that  this  is  popish  doctiiuc 
And  what  then  ?  It  is  the  truth  of  God;  and  is  any  truth  oljieciioiv 
able  because  a  people  accounted  cornii)t  believe  it  (  The  revclatioi* 
of  God  is  in  the  true  church  of  Christ,  in  every  place  where  tl.ut 
church  is,  and  is  its  fouridation  and  support,  as  well  as  its  ceinent  ar.d 
Spirit  of  union. 

There  are  serious  disadvantages  attending  the  opinion  that  the  scrip- 
tures s.re  the  foundation  of  the  ehurcli,  wiiich  show  therar5clvc3  in  the 
fruits  of  those  churches  or  societies  who  believe  so,  none  of  theiu 
being  able  to  exhibit  the  genuine  fruits  of  the  gospel,  t'ae  ui»lty  oi 
the  Spirit  in  the  bond  of  peace,  love,  which  is  the  bond  of  perfectncss, 
and  the  like.  And  it  is  natural  tliat  this  should  be  the  case  ;  for  it  is 
iindenia.ble  that  the  scriptures  have  suffered  by  llic  hand  of  ti^nc, 
through  transcribings  and  translations,  and  have  lost,  especially  to  the 
English  reader,  and  others  who  have  theiii  by  translation  only,  niucU 
of  that  perfection  which  they  at  first  had,  conse(|ucntly  the  birlk'ing 
Avhich  is  built  on  them,  or  even  squared  by  them  alone,  must  be  pro- 
portionably  imperfect  and  uncertain.  But  this  is  net  all;  The  scrip- 
tures in  no  case  represent  themselves  as  the  foundation  of  the  chuicJi, 
but  the  revelation  of  God,  or  Christ  himself;  it  is  therefore  subvert- 
iiig  the  scriptures,  and  as  they  arc  true,  aubvcrtiiig  the  Intth,  to  make 
them  the  foundation.  "  For  other  foundation  can  no  man  lay  than  th.at 
''  is  laid,  whicli  is  Christ."'* 

But  in  the  progress  of  the  work  of  Ood  axkl  in  the  increase  of  the 
church  in  the  second  appearing  of  Christ,  matters  will  have  a  uifi'cr- 
ent  train,  and  t!ie  truth  of  the  scriptures  be  ccnilrmed,  while  thc^ 
serve  their  ov/n  proper  use  in  the  hands  of  the  people  of  God.  "  All' 
*'  (holy)  scripture  is  given  by  inspiration  of  God,  and  is  pi-ofitablc  for 
■*'  doctrine,  for  reproof,  for  coi-rection,  for  instruction  in  righteous^ 
*'  ness ;  that  the  man  of  God  may  be  perfect,  thorougldy  furnished 
«'  to  all  good  works."t  In  the  true  church  of  Christ  the  genuine 
fruits  of  the  gospel  may  be  fouiid  in  such  a  manner  as  eventually  to 
confound  all  scruples  as  to  the  truth  of  reAclation  ;  for  in  its  progress, 
which  hath  already  begun  to  appear,  may  be  found- — ^peace,  for  its 
members  do  not  go  to  war  against  men's  lives,  or  property,  or  riglits — 
safety,  for  its  members  shed  no  hvnnan  blood — union,  or  the  uriity  of 
the  Spirit  in  the  bond  of  peace,  for  there  is  one  body  and  one  Spirit, 
one  faith,  one  baptism,  being  all  baptized  by  one  Spirit  mto  one  body ; 
one  Lord  Jesus  Christ,  one  God  and  Father  of  all,  who  is  aljove  a!  J 
and  through  all  in  them  all.  No  place  is  found  for  selfishness,  covet- 
ousness,  or  partiality ;  for  they  have  all  things  common  and  no  man 
ealleth  any  thing  tuhich  he  /losseth  his  orjn.  No  room,  is  left  for  even 
a  plausible  suspicion  of  worldly  or  sinister  views  in  their  possessiuris : 

*    !  Cor.  %.  1).     I  ^  Tiiv.  .1.  lf>. 


24  OF  THE 

for  tlicy  gain  their  livin,^:  ]>y  their  own  inclus'.r}',  and  theh*  preachers 
receive  not  a  cent  ot"  pay  in  money  or  other  value  of  earthly  goods  as 
a  compensation  for  preaching-.  And  the  testimony  which  they  bear 
against  sin  in  nature  and  works,  inchiding  the  visible  and  manifest 
order  of  their  lives,  cuts  off"  all  room  for  sensual  indulgences. 

No  doubt  the  suspicious  will  sm-mise  that  worldly  motives  arc  the 
object ;  but  as  the  most  judicious  cannot  point  out  the  room  for  such 
aurniisings,  they  will  have  no  weight  with  the  candid.  And  bclievers^ 
being  able  to  live  thus  together,  supported  only  by  that  faith  and  re- 
velation which  they  profess,  to  live  without  any  external  bond,  in 
closer  communioB  than  any  who  have  such  bonds,  to  live  in  freedom 
from  destructive  v.  ars,  and  \fasting  contentions  among  themselves, 
Mtand  as  a  lasting  monument  of  the  truth  of  the  faith  of  Christ  which 
they  profess,  and  of  their  being  buiit  on  the  true  foundation,  as  well  as 
a  silencing  proof  of  the  truth  of  revelation,  and  of  those  scriptvu'es 
which  bear  witness  of  such  a  church,  because  experience  proves  that 
no  faith  one  side  of  that  which  is  grounded  on  revelation,  yea,  none 
one  side  of  the  foith  of  Clirist  in  hisseccrnd  appearhig,i3  able  to  pro- 
duce such  fruits. 

Tlic  clnu'ch  thus])uilt  upon  the  foundation  which  God  hath  laid  in 
Zion,  and  instructed  by  that  giddc  whom  Christ  promised,  of  which 
promise  a  record  is  made  in  the  scriptures  to  stand  as  a  lasting  wit- 
ness showing  who  is  the  guide  of  his  people  ;  I  say,  the  church  built 
on  that  foundation  aiid  instructed  by  that  guide,  is  not  subject  to  the 
fluctuation  and  inconstancy  to  which  they  are  sul)ject  who  undertake 
to  build  on  the  scriptures  as  their  foundation  and  director.  Most  of 
them  indeed  undertake  to  modify  that  foundation  to  their  own  imdcr- 
standing,  forming  systems,  as  they  say,  according  to  the  scriptures; 
but  none  of  these  plans  are  able  to  keep  the  people  together  on  that 
principle,  during  a  revival  of  the  light  and  power  of  God  to  any 
great  extent,  however  they  may  answer  for  a  form  in  times  of  deep 
insensibility  or  profound  darkness. 

But  the  church  of  God,  built  on  the  true  foundation,  and  taught 
by  tlie  Holy  Spirit  accorduig  to  promise,  is  able  to  understand  the 
Kcriptures  and  apply  them  to  their  right  use,  and  the  youngest  of  it.s 
members  possess  a  sufficiency  of  understanding  and  find  enough  of 
the  Spirit  to  keep  on  the  foundation  in  union.  And  the  unfaithful 
cannot  abide ;  for  the  foundation  is  a  stone  of  stumbling  and  a  rock 
cf  offence  to  l/ie/n  liiho  stumble  at  the  cross  being  disobedient.  The 
church  on  this  foundation  will,  in  its  progress,  wipe  off  all  reproach 
from  the  name  of  Christianity  and  confirm  the  truth  of  revelation. 

But  we  have  no  intention  of  treating  largely  on  this  subject,  or  of 
entering  minutely  into  the  arguments  and  obviating  the  objections  of 
naturalists  against  the  existence  of  God  or  the  ti'ulh  of  revelation,  as 
fhat  Avoi'k  of  God  has  begun  on- the  earth,  Avhich  in  its  progress  will 
obliterate  every  trace  of  infidelity  or  doubt  respecting  the  Being  of 
God,  the  certainty  of  his  revelations  to  men  or  the  truth  of  Christian- 
ity. In  the  meantime,  what  is  here  stated  may  subserve  the  promo- 
tion cf  that  work  of  God,  by  ministering  at  least  some  instructions  td 


TRUTH  OF  REVELATION.  25 

honest  minds,  who  may  be  beset  with  the  flattering  baits  of  infidelity. 
But  the  publication  is  mainly  intended  for  those  who  believe  in  the 
Being  of  God  and  acknovvledge  the  propriety  of  worshiping  him.  ■ 


CHAPTER  ni. 

Of  God,  in  a  Compendious  Vieiv  of  his  Attributes. 

I  COME  in  the  next  place  to  speak  of  God  in  his  relation  to  his 
creatures.  God  is  the  author  of  all  other  beings,  the  fountain-head, 
of  whom  and  for  whom  all  his  creatures  were  made,  and  by  whom 
they  live 

The  first  thing  to  be  considered  in  the  character  of  God  as  related 
to  his  creatures,  particularly  to  men  with  whom  we  have  mainly  to  do, 
is  his  powEii.  His  eternal  power  is  clearly  seen  in  his  works,  which 
is  so  intimately  connected  with  his  Deity,  or  existence  as  God,  that  it 
is  seen  also.  (Ro.  1 .  20.)  Power  is  indispensible  in  the  works  of  God, 
in  his  creation  and  providence.  It  was  necessary  that  God  should 
have  power  in  himself,  adequate  to  the  execution  and  management  of 
the  works  which  he  intended,  and  that  he  should  have  in  himself  the 
knov/ledge  that  he  did  actually  possess  that  power,  independently  of 
all  other  beings.  He  is  at  no  loss  for  power.  These  things  will  not 
be  controverted  by  many. 

The  next  particular  to  be  noticed  in  contemplating  the  divine  cha- 
racter, in  his  relation  to  his  creatures,  is  his  avisdom.  It  was  necessa- 
ry that  God  should  possess  wisdom  to  plan  his  works  in  the  best  man- 
ner to  effect  the  proposed  end;  so  that  his  true  character  might  ap- 
pear in  his  works,  in  the  best  manner  possible,  his  own  glory  be  de- 
clared, and  the  happiness  of  his  creatures  secured  on  the  most  fair  and 
clegible  terms,  or  if  lost,  that  the  character  of  God  should  remain 
unblemished  and  finally  unimpeachcd  and  the  unhappy  shiner  be  left 
inexcusable,  to  confess  and  deplore  his  own  folly  and  guilt.  "  Lo  this 
"  only  have  I  found,  that  God  hath  made  man  upright ;  but  they  have 
"  sought  out  many  inventions."  (Eccl.  7.  29.)  "  Come  now,  and  let 
us  reason  together,  saith  the  Lord."  "  Say  ye  to  the  righteous  that 
'•  it  shall  be  Avell  with  him  ;  for  they  shall  eat  the  fruit  of  their  doings. 
''  Woe  to  the  wicked  :  it  shall  be  ill  with  him  ;  for  the  reward  of  his 
"  hands  shall  be  given  him."  (Isa.  1.18.  and  3.  10.)  God's  wisdom  ap- 
pears in  his  works,  and  is  more  and  more  conspicuous  as  men  become 
acquainted  with  his  ways.  But  his  wisdom  is  like  himself,  incom- 
prehensible by  the  finite  mind.  "  O  the  depth  of  the  riches  both  of 
''  the  wisdom  and  knowledge  of  God !  how  unsearchable  are  his  judg- 
"  ments,  and  his  ways  past  finding  out !"  (Ro.  1 1.  33.)  The  wisdom 
of  God  is  the  fountain-head  of  all  the  little  portions  of  wisdom  in  men, 
which  he  bestows  as  they  have  need.  Thus  God  gave  wisdom  to 
Solonton;  and  saith  James,  "  If  any  of  you  lack  v.isdom,  let  him  ask 
'  of  God,  wiio  p-ivcth  to  all  men  liberally  and  upbraideth  not ;  and  it 

D 


U  OF  GOD  S 

"  shall  be  given  him.  But  let  him  ask  in  faith,"  (Ja.  I.  5.  6.)  But 
that  God  doth  inherit  in  himself  an  inexhaustible  fountain  of  wisdoii^ 
■\viil  be  readily  acknowledijed. 

His  KNowLEDGK  is  intimately  connected  with  his  wisdom  in  the  or- 
der of  his  attributes.  Thus  the  apostle  speaketh  of  the  depth  of  the 
riches  both  of  the  wisdom  and  krioiv ledge  of  God.  His  knowledge 
r.iay  be  considered  as  the  offspring  or  emanation  of  wisdom,  ar.d  \ie^v•- 
cd  as  having  a  special  relation  towards  the  objects  on  which  it  fixes, 
or  the  works  of  Gcd,  and  those  of  his  creatures,  which  are  the  objects 
c4  his  notice  and  attention.  That  God's  knowledge  is  equal  to  all  de- 
mands, or  that  there  is  no  lack  of  knowledge  in  God,  and  that  it  is 
unlimited  in  and  of  himsel^f,  its  source  being  inexhaustible,  v,'ill  be 
readily  granted.  "  Known  to  God  are  all  his  v/orks  from  the  begin- 
ning of  the  world."  "  In  whom  are  hid  all  the  treasures  of  wisdom 
«  and  knowledge."  (  Act.  15.  18.  Col.  2.  3.)  But  the  knowledge  of 
God  will  come  into  consideration  hereafter. 

God's  RiGiiTECusMESS  and  justice  come  next  in  order,  being  es- 
sentially one  ;  but  the  first  of  which,  if  any  distinction  be  made,  may 
be  considered  as  the  inherent  and  necessary  attribute  of  God,  from 
which  the  second  issues  forth  and  is  inseparable  fi  cm  all  his  works  and 
ways,  Avhich  are  all  righteous,  just  and  equal.  "  Shall  not  the  judge 
"  of  all  the  earth  do  right  ?  "  And  again,  "  The  lord  is  righteous.' 
And  again,  "  The  lord  our  God  is  righteous  in  all  his  works  which 
"  he  doeth."  The  righteousness  and  justice  of  God,  in  connection 
Av  ith  his  power,  wisdom,  and  the  like,  are  the  defence  of  all  truth  and 
righteousness  in  men,  as  well  as  the  source  from  which  spring  the 
protection  and  confidence  of  all  just  men,  by  which  a  happy  event  is 
secured  to  them.  "  For  the  rod  of  the  wicked  shall  not  rest  upon  the 
*'  let  of  the  righteous."  "  For  the  righteous  lord  loveth  righteous- 
ness." "  Say  ye  to  the  righteous,  That  it  shall  be  well  Avitli  him  ; 
"  for  they  shall  eat  the  fruit  of  their  doings."  (Psm.  125.  5.  and  1 1. 
7.  Isa.  3.  10.)  So  that  no  man  need  be  afraid  to  practise  righteous- 
ness, because  of  the  present  sufferings  and  reproach,  while  God  is 
righteous  who  stands  engaged  for  the  issue.  All  acknowledge  God's 
righteousness  in  words,  though  many  maintain  such  sentiments  con- 
cerning God  as  greatly  tarnish  his  chacdcter,  not  to  say  they  would 
utterly  supplant  ail  I'ighteousness  and  justice  in  him  and  his  Avorks. 
But  we  will  take  a  more  familiar  and  free  contemplation  on  this  sub- 
ject ill  the  sequel. 

"  God  is  love."  It  would  be  in  vain  to  attempt  to  point  out  in 
words  the  Avhole  character  of  God  in  its  true  colors :  The  only  de- 
sign of  what  is  here  stated  is  to  take  a  compendious  view  of  the  at- 
tributes of  God  as  he  stands  related  to  men,  amongst  which  tb.at  of 
love  is  by  no  means  to  be  omitted,  being  that  which  he  hath  set  forth 
in  the  gospel,  as  the  un.iting  cord  between  God  ard  men ;  "God  is 
"  love ;  and  he  that  dwelleth  in  love  dwelleth  in  God,  and  God  in 
him."  "  For  God  so  loved  the  world,  that  he  gave  bis  only  begotten 
"  Son,  that  v/hosoevcr  believcth  in  him  should  not  perish,  but  have 
"  everlasting  life.."  (1  Ino.  4.  16.  aiyJ  luo.  3,  16.)     And  abundant!.- 


ATTRIBUTES.  ^r 

taove  to  the  same  puport.  But  I  must  not  in  this  place  give  a  loose 
rein  to  feelings  on  tliis  subject,  as  I  should  be  carried  too  far  from 
the  present  desjgn. 

The  GOODNESS  of  God  may  be  considered  as  the  handmaid  and 
the  offspring  of  love.  Goodness,  as  well  as  love  and  all  the  rest,  i:j 
properly  an  attribute  or  quality,  and  not  a  foundation  or  primary  ex- 
istence. And  without  love  there  can  be  no  goodness,  and  without 
righteousness  and  justice  there  can  be  no  true  love  or  goodness,  and 
without  power  and  v.-isdom  and  knowledge,  there  could  be  no  lightc- 
ousness,  or  justice,  or  love,  or  goodness  in  God.  God  is  perfect,  and 
no  part  of  his  character  can  be  lacking  or  rejected  without  rejecting 
God.  The  goodness  of  God  is  made  known  to  men  in  the  works  of 
nature  and  grace,  or  in  the  accommodations  for  the  support  and  com- 
fort of  the  body,  in  return  for  which  all  are  called  to  be  exercised 
with  gratitude,  and  in  the  provision  which  he  has  made  in  Christ  for 
the  salvation  of  the  soul  by  the  gospel,  in  return  for  Avhich,  and  influ- 
enced by  a  just  respect  to  the  recompencc  of  reward,  all  ho»nest  men 
devote  themselves  and  their  all  to  God  in  tb.e  gospel  of  Christ.  "  For 
*'  the  love  of  Christ  constraineth  us."  (2  Cor.  5.  14.) 

The  MERCY  of  God  may  be  viewed  as  comprehended  in  his  love 
and  goodness.  This  though  properly  an  attribute  of  God,  the  prin- 
ciple of  wliich  is  necessarily  included  in  his  character,  hath  no  place 
to  exercise  iteelf  without  having  respect  to  creatures  in  disti'css,  or 
some  state  of  wretchedness,  v.'ant  or  dependence,  as  it  hath  particulai' 
i-elation  to  misery,  that  is  something  to  move  mnxy  or  fiiti/,  and  es- 
pecially so,  as  it  is  exercised  toward  the  fallen  race.  And  out  of  this 
state  of  things  the  term  mercy  seems  to  have  arisen.  Neverthclcs'^, 
that  original  attribute  or  perfection  of  Deity,  as  it  exists  essentially 
in  Him,  and  by  which  he  is  moved  to  rislieve  the  distressed,  is  essen- 
tially and  unchangeably  the  same,  and  could  have  been  exercised 
towards  hid  dependent  creatures,  who  would  always  have  stood  in 
jiced  of  his  aid,  had  they  never  knov»^n  sin  or  guilt  or  any  of  the  wages 
of  sin.  No  doubt  the  impression  of  this  essential  attribute  in  Deity, 
produced  from  the  heart  and  tongue  of  Zacharias,  that  rich  expres- 
sion, "  Through  the  tender  mercies  of  our  God ;"  in  the  Greek, 
ThvQVgh  the  comjiaasionatc  bowels  of  the  mercy  of  our  God.  The 
Hebrew  word  also,  [lon]  so  often  translated  mercy,  is  considered  as 
denoting  the  deepest  immotions  and  strongest  affections  of  the  heart, 
as  those  between  parents  and  children  ;  which  the  Greeks  expressed 
tjy  [fopyr,*"!  innate  love,  or  that  which  is  natural  to  the  order  of  beings 
towards  their  own  offspring,  relatives,  and  finally  to  all. 

*  This  is  that  Jiatvra!  affection  of  ivhich  the  cfiostle  refirescnta 
r,ome  of  the  heathen  c?  beini^  destitute,  afopyorf,  Tjithont  natural  af- 
fection, or  having  no  desire  for  the  happiness  of  others.  ( Ro.  2.  j\.J 
This  is  (he  natural  affection  or  compassionate  disposition  common  to 
the  human  family,  and  ivhich  to  violate  is  inicjuity.  This  is  it  which 
i:i  .?o  ofteii  construed  into  the  lusts  of  the  flesh,  or  sexual  propensi- 
ties: hxi  modern  devotees  to  a  carnal  Ife,  ivho  object  to  living  a  life  of 


28  OF  GOD'S 

God's  holiness  is  so  universally  acknowledged  and  ascribed  to 
him  by  all,  that  nothing  need  be  said  to  gain  the  consent  of  mankind, 
that  it  is  an  essential  attribute.  Without  that  infinite  contrariety  to 
sin,  and  opposition  to  every  thing  wicked  or  impure,  called  /loliness^ 
there  could  be  no  God — without  holiness,  no  mercy,  no  goodness,  no 
love,  no  justice,  no  righteousness,  no  wisdom,  no  power  in  an  original 
subject,  no  light,  no  truth.  Accordingly  in  all  the  ascriptions  of 
praise  to  God,  holiness  has  a  leading  place.  Thus  in  Isaiah's  vision 
of  the  Lord,  he  heard  one  crying  to  another  and  saying,  "  Holy, 
"  holy,  holy  is  the  Lord  of  hosts ;  the  whole  earth  is  full  of  his  glo- 
"•'  ry."  (Isa.  6.  3.)  And  in  the  vision  which  John  had  of  the  church 
of  God,  the  four  living  creatures,  each  of  whom  had  six  Avings  as 
the  seraphim  seen  by  Isaiah,  and  who  were  full  of  eyes  within,  '•  Rest 
"  not  day  and  night,  saying.  Holy,  holy,  holy.  Lord  God  Almighty, 
*<  who  Avast  and  art  and  art  to  come."  (Rev.  4.  8  ) 

But  the  holiness  of  God  is  particularly  proper  and  necessary  to  be 
remembered  on  account  of  its  practical  use.  For  as  God  is  essen- 
tially and  necessarily  holy,  it  cannot  be  expected  that  he  can  possibly 
acknowledge  an  unholy  being  in  that  intimate  and  near  relation  to 
him,  v/hich  accompanies  salvation.  The  necessity  of  holiness  in  the 
people  of  God  was  early  taught.  "  Yc  shall  be  holy  :  for  I  the  Lord 
"  your  God  am  holy."  (Lev.  19.  2.)  And  when  Christ  appeared 
who  first  revealed  the  perfect  way,  in  Avhich  alone  men  could  become 
holy,  the  exhortation  was  not  forgotten ;  "  But  as  he  wlio  hath  called 
"  you  is  holy,  so  be  ye  holy  in  all  manner  of  conversation.  Because 
"  it  is  written.  Be  ye  holy  ;  for  I  am  lioly."  Accordingly  the  people 
of  God  are  habitually  represented  as  a  holy  people  ;  and  although 
under  the  law  they  could  be  no  more  than  ceremonially  holy,  it  is 
not  so  in  the  gospel ;  "  For  the  law  made  nothing  perfect,  but  the  bring- 
"  ing  in  of  a  better  hope  doth  ;  b^  the  which  Ave  draAv  nigh  to  God." 
(Heb.  7.  19.)  This  doctrine  of  holiness  utterly  supplants  and  finally 
ovcrthroAvs  the  notion  of  any  man  or  people  being  christians  miless 
they  have  found  that  Avhich  takes  aAvay  all  sin  and  saves  them  from 
all  unholiness.  Those  therefore  Avho  pretend  to  be  christians  Avhile 
they  commit  sin,  or  acknowledge  they  do,  are  to  be  judged  ovit  of 
their  own  mouth ;  and  those  also  Avho  profess,  and  yet  teach  that 
christians  are  all  subject  to  commit  sin,  are  to  be  esteemed  mockers 
of  the  work  of  Christ.  "  He  Avho  despised  Moses'  law  died  Avithout 
"  mercy,  under  two  or  three  Avitncsses ;  of  how  much  sorer  punish- 
<•  ment,  suppose  ye,  shall  he  be  thought  Avorthy,  Avho  hath  trodden 
"  under  foot  the  Son  of  God,  and  hath  counted  the  blood  of  the  cove- 
"  nant,  AvhereAvith  he  Avas  sanctified, ,  an  unholy  thing,  and  hath  done 
«  despite  to  the  Spirit  of  grace.  ?"  (Heb.  10.  28.  29. ") 

crucijijoio?!  to  the  Jlesh  with  the  affectloris  and  huts,  after  the  exavi- 
ple  of  Christy  lest  by  renmincing  the  Jicihly  ivorks  of  the  first  Adam 
they  should  fall  under  the  afioctollc  rejircbathn  and  lose  their  re.'u- 
tion  to  Christ  the  qukkcnl)ig  ffiirlt. 


ATTRIBUTES.  29 

Cjod  is  truth.  Nothing  can  with  more  propriety  be  attributed  to 
God  than  truth.  His  Spirit  is  trtith  ;  his  word  is  truth  ;  Jesus  the 
Son  of  God,  the  Word  who  was  made  flesh,  is  truths  and  dwcit 
amongst  us  full  of  grace  and  truth.  Without  t7-uth  there  could  be 
no  holiness,  no  righteousness,  no  justice,  nor  any  thing  else  truely 
valuable  or  excellent.  To  lack  truth  is  inconsistent  with  the  rcspcc  - 
table  and  good  character  of  a  man,  and  how  much  more  must  such 
an  insinuation  reflect  dishonor  on  the  character  of  the  righteous 
Judge  of  all  the  earth,  the  God  who  cannot  lie.  Yet  many  seem  to 
hope,  as  the  great  source  of  their  comfort,  that  God  will  not  fuUil  his 
Avord  in  all  things  against  sin,  laying  judgment  to  the  line  and  riglitc- 
ousness  to  the  plummet.  They  hope  that  the  soul  that  sinneth  shall 
not  surely  die,  believing  the  devil,  the  father  of  lies  more  than  Cdd 
who  cannot  lie,  and  that  they  shall  have  peace  though  they  add  drunk- 
enness to  thirst,  or  at  least  are  sinful  and  not  holy.  But  these  know 
not  that  relation  to  the  God  of  truth  which  accompanies  salvation. 

After  this  cursory  view  of  the  character  and  attributes  of  God, 
which  comprehends  those  most  commonly  spoken  of,  I  thought  to 
have  desisted  from  this  part  and  to  ha^  e  proceeded  to  the  m.ain  body 
of  the  work,  as  it  relates  more  immediately  to  those  things  which 
are  influential  on  the  practice.  But  while  I  look  into  the  v\'r)  tings  of 
the  apostles,  I  see  another  character  qr  attribute  ascribed  to  God, 
which  seems  to  pervade  and  comprehend  the  whole,  and  is  of  so 
much  consequence  to  living  Christianity,  that  I  cannot  feel  my  mind 
relieved  without  noticing  it.  The  following  words  communicate  the 
subject  matter  of  this  attribute.  • 

God  is  light,  and  in  him  is  no  darkness  at  all."  ( 1  Ino.  1.5.)  Wlicn 
Ave  speak  of  light  as  pertaining  to  the  character  of  God,  or  of  God 
as  being  light,  it  is  not  to  be  understood  that  this  light  is  limited  to 
God  as  peculiarly  belonging  to  him,  and  making  manifest  to  him  his 
own  character,  purposes  and  works,  together  with  the  character  and 
works  of  his  creatures ;  but  also  that  every  one  wlio  comcth  to  the 
knowledge  of  God  is  a  partaker  of  that  perfect  light  Avhich  is  the 
true  God,  according  to  the  degree  of  his  acquaintance  with  God  ;  so 
that  no  man  can  with  any  propiiety  be  called  a  chiistian,  or  be  said  to 
know  God  as  he  is  revealed  in  Chiist,  unless  he  also  Avalk  in  that 
light  vvhich  is  God,  as  Christ  also  walked.  For  any  one  therefore  to 
walk  in  darkness,  or  not  to  enjoy  that  perfect  light  and  knowledge  of 
the  truth,  by  Avhich  he  is  delivered  from  all  uncertainty  or  doubt 
about  the  true  way  of  God  and  eternal  life,  and  about  his  oAvn  clia- 
racter  and  standing  before  God,  is  incomj^atible  with  being  a  chris- 
tian, or  true  follower  of  Christ.  "  This  then  is  the  message  v.hich 
*'  we  have  heard  of  him,  and  declare  to  you,  that  God  is  light  and  in 
"  him  is  no  darkness  at  all.  If  we  say  that  Ave  have  felloAvship  Avith 
"  Iiim,  and  Avalk  in  darkness,  Ave  lie,  and  do  not  the  truth  :  but  if  avc 
"  Avalk  in  the  light,  as  he  is  in  the  light,  \vc  have  felloAvship  one  Avith 
"  another,  and  the  blood  of  Jesus  Christ  his  Son  cleanseth  us  from  all 
•'  sin.''  (1  Ino.  1.  5.)  The  inference  is  clearly  to  the  point,  that  be- 
cause God  is  light,  therefore  his  people  Avalk  in  the  light  as  he  is  iii 


30  Oi-   GOD=S 

the  light,  lor  he  waiketh  in  thcni,  as  it  is  written  again,  "  I  will  iluelj 
"  in  them  and  walk  in  them,  and  I  will  be  their  God  and  they  shall  be 
"my  people."  (2  Cor.  6.  16.)  Equally  clear  is  the  doctrine  of 
Christ  from  his  own  mouth,  showhig  that  because  he  is  light  the  peo- 
ple who  follow  him  are  freed  from  wandering  in  uncertainty  or  walk- 
ing in  darkness  ;  "  I  am  the  light  of  the  world  ;  he  that  followeth  me 
"  shall  not  walk  in  darkness,  but  shall  have  the  light  of  life."  (Ino. 
8.  12.)  This  is  true  gospel  language.  Much  darkness  was  consis- 
tent with  being  an  honest  Jew,  under  the  law,  which  was  at  best  but 
a  shadow  ;  but  we  speak  not  of  Jews  but  of  christians ;  and  we  never 
read  in  the  holy  scriptures  of  an  uncertain  or  a  doubting  christian ; 
they  know  in  whom  they  have  bejieved,  and  they  know  that  they  are 
of  God  by  the  Spirit  which  he  hath  given  them,  and  the  Spirit  is- 
truth. 

The  pernicious  sentiment,  so  very  prevalent  among  professors,  that 
iTien  may  be  christians  and  yet  remain  in  great  doubt  and  uncertainty 
whether  they  are  christians  or  not,  is  such  a  destructive  heresy,  and 
such  a  powerful  engine  to  retain  people  asleep  in  sin,  that  it  ought 
to  be  pierced  with  the  sword  of  the  Spirit  wherever  it  is  accessible  ; 
and  for  this  cause,  nowithstanding  that  the  subject  is  more  extensive- 
ly treated  in  another  place,  I  have  been  particular  to  notice  it  here, 
as  being  counteracted  by  this  doctrine,  that  God  is  lig/it,  and  that 
thcxj  tvho  are  of  God  drjell  in  the  light,  that  the  reader  may  liave  the 
impression  of  the  truth  of  God  fixed  in  his  heart,  as  it  were  from  the 
bcgiixning,  and  know  that  they  who  are  clnistians  indeed  Avalk  in  the 
light  of  God,  being  partakers  of  divine  nature, 

I  have  been  the  more  careful  to  make  some  practical  remarks  on 
"he  character  and  attributes  of  God,  that  readers  may  be  impressed 
with  some  influential  sense  of  what  a  man  must  be,  when  he  iDCComes 
a  sen  of  God  in  Christ;  that  he  must  be  like  God  \i\  all  the  graces 
of  the  spirit ;  for  as  Jesus  Christ,  Mho  was  the  first  true  tabernacle 
'jf  God  ainong  men,  which  the  Lord  pitched,  and  who  is  the  head 
uf  the  body,  the  church,  had  the  fulness  of  the  Deity  dwelling  in  him 
bodily,  so  each  and  all  of  the  members  who,  in  union  with  the  head, 
constitute  the  true  body  or  church,  which  is  Christ,  are  jiartakers  of 
liie  same  Spirit  arid  same  divine  nature,  that  God  may  be  all  and  in 
all.  "  And  of  his  fulness  have  all  we  received,  and  grace  according 
•'  to  grace."  And  the  glory,"  said  Jesus  to  the  Father.  "  which  thou 
'■'•  gavcst  me,  I  have  given  them  ;  that  they  may  be  one,  even  as  wc 
^'  are  one."  "  Now  if  any  man  have  not  the  Spirit  of  Christ  he  is 
•'  none  of  his."  (Ino.  1.  16.  and  17.  22.  Rom.  8.  9.) 

I  have  not  in  this  small  tract  been  careful  to  follow  the  order  of 
s}"stematics,  in  their  distribvitions  and  arrangements  of  the  attributes 
of  God ;  neither  have  I  propostxlly  taken  into  view  all  which  they 
cmuTicratc,  as  his  infiiiity,  eternity,  imchangcablcness,  onmiscicncc, 
and  the  iikr.  Ncitl^cr  have  I  attended  to  the  usual  distribution  of 
communicable  r^nd  incommunicable,  or  the  famous  distinction  of  the 
iuiuice  of  God  into  distril)ntivc,  remunerative  and  vindictive,  with 
many  other  distinctions  vvhicb  one  or  anoth.cr  lias  named,  Vvdio  knew 


ATTRIBUTES.  3i 

■;ot  what  he  said  or  whereof  he  afBrmed.  But  my  leading  object  in 
stating  what  I  have  done  in  this  place  is  to  open  the  way  for  what  is 
yet  to  be  said. 

Nevertheless,  let  it  be  remembered,  with  respect  to  the  attributes 
of  God,  that  no  one  of  them,  neither  ail  of  them  together,  compre- 
hend God  so  as  to  enable  us  to  know  definitivefy  what  God  is.  He 
is  incomprehensible.  We  cann.ot  know  God  except  as  he  rcveala 
himself  in  his  character,  his  attributes  and  his  works.  We  cannot 
have  any  just  conceptions  of  God  as  lacking  any  one  attribute  be- 
longing to  the  perfection  of  his  character,  and  yet  when  we  view  all 
these  to  the  extent  of  our  sphere,  there  is  yet  that  behind  of  his  Es- 
sence and  Being,  of  which  we  are  ignorant.  All  these  attribues,  or 
perfections,  are  qualities  none  of  which  can  exist  abstractedly  or 
alone.  Thus  if  we  speak  of  his  holiness  ;  holiness  is  a  quality  which 
implies  a  being,  as  it  were,  previously  extant,  to  be  holy,  or  a  being 
capable  of  containing  holiness.  If  we  speak  of  love  ;  love  is  a  quality 
or  attribute  of  some  being  presupposed  by  the  very  naming  of  this 
attribute.  If  we  speak  of  goodness ;  goodness  is  also  an  attribute 
or  perfection  of  some  being  or  existence  presupposed  or  at  least  in- 
cluded in  the  thought,  and  so  of  the  rest.  Yet  so  intim.atcly  and  es- 
sentiahy  do  these  perfections  belong  to  the  very  essence  of  his  nature 
and  being,  that  Ave  rnay  say  in  truth  and  with  safety,  that  God  in  truths 
God  is  light,  God  is  love,  God  is  holiness  ;  for  there  is  nothing  in 
God  but  what  is  truth,  there  is  nothing  in  God  but  v.hat  is  li^ht,  there 
is  nothing  in  God  but  what  is  hue,  there  is  nothing  in  God  but  what 
is  hoimess,  and  so  of  the  rest.  On  the  whole,  no  one  can  have  any 
just  conception  of  God  otherwise  than  as  his  character  is  revealed  in 
his  word  and  works  ;  neither  can  any  have  a  just  and  correct  know- 
ledge of  God,  even  by  revelation,  any  farther  than  as  they  grow^  into 
an  acquaintance  with  him  by  travelling  .into  the  same  nature  in  the 
work  of  redemption  and  holiness,  by  t!ic  gospel. 

Nevertheless,  according  to  the  privilege  given  to  us  in  the  revela- 
tions Avhich  he  makes  of  himself,  to  teach  us  our  duty  and  our  rela- 
tion to  him,  we  may  talk  freely  of  his  chai'acter  and  his  works,  in  the 
things  which  pertain  to  our  salvation  and  redemption.  For  God  hath 
revealed  himself  in  Christ,  that  in  our  sphere  we  m.ay  know  him  with 
certainty,  in  all  his  character,  and  speak  of  him  with  safety.  So  that 
while  on  the  one  hand,  we  are  unable  fully  to  comprehend  all  or  any 
one  of  the  perfections  of  Deity,  God  being  incomparably  superior  to 
man,  on  the  othei*  hand^  there  is  nothing  in  God  which,  in  our  sphere, 
and  to  the  extent  thereof,  we  may  not  know  with  certainty  and  safe- 
ty, as  fast  as  we  overcome  evil.  For  although  no  m.an  hath  seen  God 
abstractedly  at  any  time,  yet  the  only  begotton  Son  who  is  in  the  bo- 
som of  the  Father  hath  revealed  him — hai*li  revealed  God,  tvhole 
God,  in  himself  who  is  the  brightness  of  his  p;lory  and  the  character 
of  his  person,  or  subsi.stmce.  And  nothing  shoi  t  of  the  correct  and 
perfect  knowledge  of  God  in  his  whole  clian-icter  can  ever  com- 
plete the  happiness  of  man,  who  w'as  created  in  the  image  of  God. 
And  for  tliis  ci«usc  he   h:v<:h  scr.t  lis  Son  n^o  rbc  v.-ovld.  In  viior.: 


32  OF  GOD'S 

dwelt  all  the  fulness  of  the  Godhead  bodily,  to  be  our  example  aiid 
to  reveal  God  to  us,  that  we  might  find  salvation  in  being  conformed 
t'j  the  image  ot  his  Son,  and  so  to  God  himself,  and  in  no  other  way. 
Thus  God's  people  live  as  knowing  the  unknoAvable  and  seeing  him 
who  is  invisible. 

"  God  is  a  Spirit  ;"  or  more  properly  and  emphatically,  "  God  is 
SnniT.  This  is  perfectly  consistent  with  the  Greek  text,  and  con- 
veys a  much  more  noble  sentiment  of  God  and  fixes  on  the  mind  a 
more  noble  impression,  than  to  say,  he  is  a  Spirit^  as  though  he  were 
a  riicumscribed  or  limited  being.  There  arc  many  spirits  all  limit- 
ed and  dependent  beings,  but  there  is  one  God,  independent,  and  iu 
fill  his  character  and  perfections  unlimited.  But  God  is  Spirit  ;  and 
is  therefore  the  proper  fountain  from  whom  all  created  spirits  pro- 
ceed. Moreover  God  is  Spirit ;  it  is  therefore  no  marvel  that  he  is 
not  satisfied  v\ith  fleshly  or  material  worship  ;  "  God  is  Spirit ;  and 
they  that  v/orship  him,  must  worship  him  in  spirit  and  in  truth." 
(Ino.  4.  24.)  And  no  marvel  that  God  Avill  increase  the  work  of  the 
Spirit  in  his  people  until  they  are  finally  redeemed  in  the  Spirit  and 
the  flesh  made  void.  And  what  if  we  should  say  that  God  is  Spirit^ 
comes  nearer  to  pointing  out  v/hat  God  is,  in  his  real  Being  or  Es- 
sence, than  any  other  name,  character  or  attribute,  ascribed  to  him 
by  the  Spirit  of  revelation,  not  even  excepting  the  name  by  which 
he  was  made  known  to  Moses,  I  am  that  I  am,  or  I  will  be  what  I 
WILL  RE,  expressing  his  unchangcableness  and  independence  ?  We 
can  have  some  understandhig,  according  to  our  sphere,  of  the  exist- 
ence of  a  Being  who  is  Spirit  in  the  abstract,  as  a  primary  Being  or 
foundation  existence,  independent  of  any  distinct  being,  attribute  or 
quality,  and  yet  as  it  were  the  proper  basis  for  ail  good  qualities,  and 
without  all  and  every  one  of  which  v/e  cannot  conceive  of  that  Spirit, 
that  Existence,  Avhoni  we  call  God.  Spirit  is  a  real  existence ;  a 
proper  agent ;  a  subject  of  ixjVvcr,  of  righteousness,  holiness,  love, 
and  the  like.  A  Being  who  is  Spirit  is  also  the  proper  subject  of 
volition  ar.d  free  agency.  But  if  VtC  speak  of  love  it  is  not  an  inde- 
ipcndent  idea;  it  presupposes  some  sul^iect  or  agent  to  inherit  and 
exercise  that  love.  If  we  speak  of  justice;  it  presupposes  a  Being 
who  is  just,  distinct  from  the  idea  of  justice,  as  its  possessor  seat,  or 
the  place  of  its  habitation.  If  we  speak  of  light  ;  though  by  some 
supposed  to  be  a  real  body,  it  seems  nearest  the  truth  to  say,  that  it 
presupposes  some  being  capable  of  illumiriation  and  reflection,  and 
that  where  there  is  no  body  to  contain  light  there  can  be  no  light.  If 
wc  speak  of  power  or  wisdom,  it  is  a  dependent,  idea,  presupposing 
a  Being  powerful  or  wise,  and  so  of  th.e  rest. 

But  Avhen  we  say  that  God  is  S/i/rit,\ve  express  the  idea  of  an  ex- 
istence, not  material,  yet  real,  capable  of  volition  and  agency  ;  I  say 
wc  conceive  and  express  the  idea  of  the  Being  of  God,  accordmg  to 
our  sphere,  for  beyond  that  he  is  incomprehensible  to  us,  v,e  know 
nothing;  and  the  circle  of  our  knowledge  is  small  in  the  infinite  I 
AM.  Yet  when  we  say  CJod  is  Spirit,  v.'e  can  conceive  that  that  Spirit 
is  capable  of  volition  aiid  agency  ;  and  is  also  capable  of  possessing 


TRUTH  OF  REVELATION.  33 

m  himself  as  his  essential  qualities,  attributes  or  perfections,  fiowrr^ 
wisdojn^  righteousness  and  justice^  holiness,  truth,  goodness,  love^ 
7ncrcy,  light,  independence,  self-existence,  and  the  like.  Accordiri^^iy, 
when  we  speak  or  read  of  the  Spirit  of  God,  it  is  God  the  Spirit ;  if 
of  the  Spirit  of  truth,  we  have  respect  to  God  the  Spirit,  v/ho  is 
Truth  ;  that  Spirit  who  could  not  exist  or  ever  have  existed  without 
truth  ;  if  of  the  Spirit  of  holiness,  it  is  God  the  Spirit,  who  is  holy, 
essentially  holy  in  his  very  nature  ;  if  of  the  love  of  God,  or  Spirit  of 
love,  it  is  no  other  than  God  the  Spirit  who  is  love, "  For  God  is  love, 
"  and  whosoever  dwelleth  in  love  dwelletli  in  God  and  God  in  him ;" 
if  of  the  Spirit  ot  unity  in  the  bond  of  peace,  it  is  none  else  but  that 
Spirit  who  is  God,  and  is  one,  in  himself  and  all  who  know  him,  be- 
ing in  them  and  to  them,  the  uniting-  bond  in  abiding  peace  towards 
God  and  one  another.  Thus  when  a  man  receives  the  Spirit  of 
Christ,  he  receives  God  who  is  Spirit ;  and  vvheu  the.  Spirit  of  Christ 
abideth  in  any  man,  he  hath  abiding-  in  him  that  God  who  is  Spirit ; 
and  he  hath  both  the  Father  and  the  Son.  '^\t  that  driy  ye  shall  knov/ 
"that  I  am  in  my  Father,  and  ye  in  me,  and  I  in  you  "  "  If  a  man 
"  love  me,  he  will  keep  my  Avords  :  and  my  Father  will  love  him,  and 
"we  will  come  unto  him,  and  make  our  abode  with  lTim."(Jno.l4.  20.) 


CHAPTER  IV. 

Of  the  nature  of  God's  Decrees ;  or  vjhat   a  Deci'ce  is. 

IT  HATH  been  already  intimated  that  God  works  according-to  plan; 
and  that  in  that  plan  of  things,  wisdom  is  profitable  to  direct.  "  The 
"•  LORD  possessed  me,"  saith  Wisdom, "  in  the  beginning  of  his  way, 
"  before  his  works  of  old"(Pro.  8.  22.)  And  that  God's  plans  are 
most  free,  according  to  his  own  understanding  and  wisdom,  and  with- 
out his  being  influenced  by  the  desires  or  wishes  of  any  other  being, 
or  any  exterior  cause  whatever,  will  likely  not  be  denied  by  any  who 
have  the  knowledge  of  "  Him  who  worketh  all  things  according  to 
<■'■  the  counsel  of  his  own  will."  Neither  can  it  well  be  denied  that 
God's  plans  are  consistent  with  each  perfection  of  his  nature.  As 
there  is  no  jar  in  the  perfections  or  attributes  of  Deity,  it  is  impossible 
that  God  should  lav  any  plan,  or  fix  aJny  decree,  by  which  mercy 
would  be  sacrificed  to  justice  or  justice  to  mercy,  righteousness  jus- 
tice or  truth,  be  sacrificed  to  power,  wisdom,  independence,  sclf-suffl- 
i  iencv,  his  own  glory,  or  any  thing  whatever.  For  although  the  glory 
of  GoVl  is  the  ultimate  end  of  all  his  works,  as  well  as  the  greatest 
happiiiess  and  highest  perlect'on  of  his  creatures,  whatever  is  planned 
or  executed  -for  the  praise  of  his  glory,  is  all  done  in  perfect,  union 
v/ith  righteousness,  trutl^,,  equity  and  every  other  perfection  in  God. 
So  that,  speaking  after  the  manner  of  men,  we  may  say  he  consults 
'^11  tkest:  ui  the   dU-u;s  which  he  lays  out,  or  the  decrees  v/Lich  lie 


I]  4  WHAT  A 

iiiakes  ;  and  that  .all  is  done  according-  to  the  understanding  and  reasc, 
Vtith  which  man  is  endued  by  the  Creator,  insomuch  that  each  one 
will  see  and  be  satisfied  of  the  propriety  of  each  pla.n  or  decree,  in  the 
event  of  his  acceptance  and  salvation,  or  convinced  in  the  event  of  his 
rcijcction  and  damnaiion.  For  neither  is  it  possible,  that  God  should 
lay  any  plan  or  make  any  decree,  Avhich  would  contradict  or  thwart 
the  intelligence,  reason  or  free  agency  with  which  man  is  ciKlucd  by 
his  Creator,  as  being  his  offspring.  Because,  take  away  man's  reason 
and  free  agency,  or  require  that  which  is  contrary  thereto  and  out  of 
man's  reach,  and  he  is  no  more  amenable  for  his  actions,  or  subject  to 
praise  or  blame.     But  of  this  hereafter. 

The  decrees  of  God  may  be  divided  into  two  general  classes.  The 
first  class  comprehends  all  the  pvu'poses  of  God,  concerning  what  he 
intends  to  do  immediately  as  at  tlie  beginning,  or  by  the  agency  of  his 
creatures  at  any  time  after  they  had  an  existence  in  their  proper  order. 
The  fixed  determination  of  God  to  efi'ectuatc  such  works  as  he  sees 
are  necessary  and  proper,  may  be  properly  called  a  decree.  The 
second  class  comprehends  those  things  which  creatures  are  required 
to  do  as  acts  of  obedience  to  God'^s  will,and  on  the  doing  of  which  their 
own  acceptance  depends,  as  If  ye  be  ivilling  and  obedient  ye  shall  eat 
the  good  of  the  land.  Ch'  any  established  law  or  rule  for  the  people, 
may  be  called  a  decree,  as  the  sentence  passed  by  the  apdstles  and  el- 
ders at  Jerusalem  concerning  circumcission.  So  a  determinate  r\ile 
Oi' court  is  called  a  decree  of  tXye  court,  and  the  courtiers  are  required 
to  observe  it,  and  in  case  of  violation  are  punishable. 

The  decrees  of  God  are  to  be  known  and  understood  by  the  reve- 
lation of  his  true  character,  the  declaration  of  his  will  by  tlie  word 
revealed,  and  by  the  works  of  creation  and  providence,  or  by  the 
works  of  nature  and  grace.  Beyond  these  sources  v/e  have  no  occa- 
sion to  inquiie  after  the  decrees  of  God  ;  these  are  sufficient ;  for  God 
doth  not  work  inconsiderately  ;  what  he  doeth  he  purposed  to  do,  and 
that  which  he  rtquireth  his  creatures  to  do,  is  also  according  to  coun- 
sel. Neither  is  it  to  be  forgotten  that  hi  all  God's  deci-ees  and  Avorks, 
he  hath  consulted  the  good  of  his  creatures  as  really  as  his  own  glory  ; 
for  notv/ithstanding  that  his  own  glory  is  his  ultimate  end,  the  happi- 
r.ess  and  final  glorification  of  his  creatures,  each  in  his  proper  sphere 
arid  lot,  are  so  connected  with  his  gloryj  that  the  one  serves  to  promote 
tiiC  other.  And  it  is  not  po;:%.ible  it  should  be  other^vise  ;  because,  for 
Crod  to  create  beings  capable  of  evejiastii;ig  happiness  and  not  have 
respect  thereto,  in  all  his  pui-poscs  and  works,  v.ould  tarnish  his  glory 
and  be  inicompatible  with  his  goodness,  love,  mercy  and  other  attri- 
butes ;  and  it  is  also  impossible  that  creatures,  as  men  are,  created  in 
the  image  of  God  and  after  his  iikeness,  should  be  happy  and  not  glori- 
fy God.  True  happiness  therefore  in  the  proper  sphere  and  order  which 
l)elongto  men,  as  the  offspring  and  accountable  creatures  of  God,  is 
a  justiliablc  motive  to  duty,  and  not  contrary  tb  the  purposes  of  God; 
a  motive  which  God  uniformly  proposes  to  induce  men  to  obedience, 
and  without  v»'hich  no  motive  can  reach  them  to  profit,  in  a  state  o\ 
Jialurc,  fallen  as  it  is.     And  whereas  God  promotes  his  own  glory  1  \ 


DECREE  IS.  3/i 

Ills  creatures,  tlirou;,^-h  their  agency  and  the  good  which  lie  docth  for 
them,  according  to  the  counsel  and  wisdom  of  hisov.'n  will,  althoup;h 
it  remains  true,  that  a  man  cannot  be  profitable  to  God  as  he  tliat  is 
wise  may  be  profitable  to  himself,  yet  in  filling  up  the  purposes  of 
obedience,  and  the  works  which  God  hath  appointed  him  to  do,  a  man 
may,  in  liis  own  sphere,  be  profitable  to  God  in  the  promotion  of  his 
g-lory. 

But  we  arc  particularly  interested  in  the  decrees  of  God,  and  tiic 
execution  of  them,  as  they  relate  to  men.  And  here  let  it  be  remem- 
bered according  to  what  has  been  already  statSd,  that  it  is  impossible 
God  should  decree  any  thing  to  be  done  by  himself  or  otherwise,  un- 
less it  is  his  will  it  should  be  done.  This  is  a  natural  inference  from 
tlie  nature  and  character  of  God  as  he  is  revealed  to  men:  he  is  net 
a  capricious,  vmcertain  being  like  them ;  "  He  is  of  one  mind."  It 
would  indeed  be  inconsistent  with  the  voluntary  a:id  free  agency  of  a 
man,  acting  without  constraint,  to  decree  any  thing  to  the  ccijtrary  of 
his  own  will,  and  how  much  more  so  in  the  infinitely  free  and  periect 
Being  who  is  of  one  niind  and  none  can  turn  him,  and  to  whom  all 
his  works  are  known  from  the  foundation  of  the  world.  This  is  a  first 
principle,  a  dictate  of  common  sense,  and  needs  no  farther  proof. 


CHAPTER  V. 

Of  man  a?;  the  '■jffXf'rin'^of  God^  audnfresJionsibHity, 

THAT  God  created  man  according  to  his  purpose  or  decree, 
needs  not  be  denied  if  we  attend  to  the  counsel  or  reasoning  which  he; 
held  at  his  creation.  "  And  God  said,  Let  us  make  man  in  our  im- 
"  age,  t.fter  our  likeness,  and  let  them  have  dominion  over  the  fish 
"  of  the  sea,  and  over  the  fowl  of  the  air,  and  over  the  cattle,  and  over 
"  all  the  earth,  and  over  every  creeping  thing  that  creepeth  upon  th.e 
"  earth.  So  God  created  man  in  his  own  image ;  in  the  image  of 
"  God  created  he  him  ;  male  and  female  created  he  them.  And  God 
"  blessed  them:  and  God  said  to  them,  Be  fruitful  and  multiply,  and 
"  replenish  the  earth,  and  subdue  it ;  and  have  dominion  over  the  fish 
"  of  the  sea,  and  over  the  fowd  of  the  air  and  over  eveiy  living  thing 
"  that  movcth  upon  the  earth."  Thus  man  came  forth  from  God,  as 
his  real  offspring,  as  said  Paul,""  Forasinuch  then  as  we  are  the  off- ■ 
spring  of  God;"  m  the  image  of  God,  as  it  were  God  in  miniature, 
the  image  and  glory  of  God ;  God  in  his  sphere,  having  dominion 
over  ail ;  yet  a  dependent  creature  of  God;  endued  by  hi;ii  in  the  ere  - 
ation,  with  the  capability  of  propagating  his  oAvn  species,  tlie  offspring 
of  himself  in  his  own  likeness.  This  capability  of  propagation  w?s 
found  in  the  cooperation  of  the  organs  of  the  material  body  in  the 
male  and  female  ;  which  material  body  stood  in  so  intimate  a  relation 
to  the  spirit  which  came  directly  from  God,  that  the  two  constituted 
JQ  each  one  distinct  person,  one  man  and  one  woman;  so  that  by  the 


36  MAN  GOD'S 

cooperation  of  the  procreative  powers  in  the  male  and  the  femak'  -. 
race  of  beings  were  propagated  and  continued,  who  are  not  merclv 
material  bodies,  but  men  like  their  original  in  all  their  pJiysical  pov.  - 
crs  and  properties.  Thus  mankind  are  the  offspring  of  God,  l!ie 
image  and  glory  of  God  to  this  day.  We  shall  consider  their  fall 
and  corruption  by  sin  hereafter. 

This  material  body  Avas  made  of  the  earth,  earthy,  adapted  to  serve 
as  a  habitation  of  the  spirit,  and  to  ansAvcr  every  necessary  purpose 
for  the  time  being.  So  that  the  first  man  is  said  to  be  of  the  earth., 
earthy  ;  and  not  only  the  first  nian,  but  all  iiis  posterity,  for  as  is  the 
earthy  siich  are  they  also  that  are  earthy.  Adam's  sons  are  like  him- 
self. But  the  spirit  came  immediately  from  God,  and  is  that  by 
which  rr  an  is  properly  the  oflspring  of  God,  and  that  in  vv^hich  the 
man  properly  and  finally  consists,  and  Avithout  wliich  man  would  not 
be  man  hi  his  proper  order.  "  And  the  lord  God  formed  man  of  the 
<'  dust  of  the  ground,  and  breathed  into  his  nostrils  the  breath  of  life  ; 
*'  and  man  became  a  living  soul."  In  this  soul,  or  spirit,  man  is  cap- 
able of  rising  again  to  God,  notwihstanding  all  which  he  hath  suffered 
by  the  fall,  and  of  being  manifestly  the  image  and  glory  of  God,  in 
the  redemption  which  is  ip  Christ  Jesus  the  Lord;  for,  He  who  7* 
joined  to  the  Lord  is  one  Sfiirit ;  and  again ;  The  second  man  is  the 
Lord  from  heaven  i  and  as  is  the  heavenly  such  are  they  also  that  are 
heavenly. 

Thus  God  in  the  execution  of  his  purpose  and  decree,  created  man 
to  be  the  true  representationof  himself,  and  to  stand  as  the  image  and 
glovy  of  God  forever,  and  so  to  declare  his  power  and  set  forth  his 
glory,  more  perfectly  than  all  the  material  heavens  and  earth  could 
do  besides. 

But  man  transgressed  the  law  of  God,  violated  the  will  of  God 
made  known  to  him,  and  so  fell  from  his  proper  lot  and  place  in  which 
he  v/as  created.  It  appears  needless  to  consume  time  and  labor  in 
this  place  to  prove  this  point,  which  is  so  abundantly  acknowledged, 
and  on  which  so  much  hath  already  been  written.  All  man's  works 
from  his  infancy  declare,  that  they  spring  from  a  source  Avhich  cannot 
pertain  to  God,  being  utterly  subversive  of  ail  good.  All  m.en  in  their 
natural  state  evince  by  their  works,  the  truth  of  the  scriptures, "  That 
«  God  hath  made  man  upright,  but  they  have  sought  out  many  inven- 
<'  tions."  (Eccl.  7.29.)  And  again;  "There  is  none  righteous,  no  not 
"  one ;  there  is  none  that  understandeth,  there  is  none  that  seeketh 
"  after  God  ;  they  are  all  gone  out  of  the  way,  they  are  together  be- 
"  come  vmprofitaiile ;  there  is  none  that  doeth  good,  no,  not  one :  de- 
"  3truction  and  misery  are  in  their  ways ;  and  the  way  of  peace  have 
"  they  not  knoAATi:  there  is  no  fear  of  God  before  their  eyes." 

The  inquiry  at  present  is.  Did  God  decree  that  man  should  act  as 
he  did,  and  so  fall  from  his  primeval  state  of  rectitude  and  happmess? 
To  this  we  arc  obliged,  by  tlje  force  of  truth,  to  answer  in  the  nega- 
tive :  That  God  did  not  decree  that  man  should  commit  such  a  deed, 
neither  was  it  the  genuine  fruit  nor  necessary  conscqiience  of  any  of 
God's  appointments.     God  made  man  iijiright^  but  they  have  tought 


OFFSPRING.  3/ 

'mtt  many  inventions  for  themselves-  For  as  before  stated,  it  is  impos- 
-iM;-  that  God  should  appoint  or  decree  any  thing  contrary  to  his  own 
a  '■■ !  I  or  any  of  his  perfections :  and  for  his  creatures  to  do  his  will,  or  to 
;-•'-■■  according  to  his  will  or  appointment  is  no  transgression  but  o'oc- 
i!:j:.ce;  and  no  fall  or  evil  consequence  could  be  the  result  of  such  do- 
ing, but  on  the  contrary  life  and  peace;  "Not  every  oriethat  saith  unto 
"  me,  Lord,  Lord,  shall  enter  into  the  kingdom  of  heaven ;  but  he  that 
"  doeth  the  will  of  my  Father  who  is  in  heaven."  "  But  the  mercy 
"  of  the  LORD  is  from  everlasting  to  everlasting  upon  them  that  fear 
"  him,  and  his  righteousness  to  •children's  children;  to  such  as  keep 
"  his  covenant,  and  to  those  that  remeniber  his  commandments  to  do 
«  them."(Matt.  7".  2L  Psa.  103.  17,18.)  It  cannot  be  transgression 
in  men  to  act  as  they  are  called  to  act  by  God's  appointment;  and 
to  say  that  it  was  necessary  that  man  should  sin  according  to  the 
order  of  his  creation,  or  by  God's  appointment,  is  to  say  that  God  is 
the  proper  and  primary  author  of  sin,  or  rather  that  there  is  no  such 
thing  as  sinning  against  God. 

It  was  no  doubt  necessary  that  man  should  be  tried  and  learn  by 
experience  to  resist  temptation ;  and  admitting  that  God  knew  that 
his  fall  would  be  the  result  of  his  trials,  that  was  not  to  prevent  God 
from  placing  him  in  those  circumstances  Avhich  were  necessary  to 
that  experience  Avithout  which  he  could  never  have  been  a  tried  and 
safe  subject  of  obedience,  or  a  safe  keeper  of  his  own  peace  ai^d 
happiness;  especially  considering  that  God  gave  him  warning  of  his 
danger,  and  foretold  him  the  consequence  of  disobedience :  "  In  thf.^ 
"  day  that  thou  eatest  thereof  thou  shalt  surely  die."  But  it  v/as, 
and  still  is  impossible,  that  God  should  place  man  in  circumstance;; 
where  he  Avould  unavoidably   be  unnecessarily  tempted. 

But  if  God  did  not  decree  that  man  should  fall,  it  may  be  askc.'. 
Did  he  decree  or  appoint  that  he  should  not  ?  To  this  we  answer 
in  the  affirmative,  that  God  did  pass  a  decree  that  man  should  not 
sin  or  fall:  for  without  sinning  he  could  not  have  fallen.  This  decree 
was  the  law  of  God  which  man  broke,  and  by  the  violation  of  wliich 
he  fell.  For  without  such  a  decree,  he  could  not  have  sinned;  be- 
cause, "  Where  there  is  no  law  there  is  no  transgression ;  for  sin  is 
the  transgression  of  the  Jaw."  And  without  such  a  decree,  neither 
could  man  ever  have  proved  his  obedience  nor  have  been  ever  confir- 
med in  happmess,  for  he  would  have  remained  untried.  And  so  ne- 
cessary is  trial  in  the  servants  of  God,  that  he  would  not  finally  crown 
his  own  Son,  or  place  lum  as  the  foundation  on  which  to  build  his 
church,  until  he  was  perfectly  tried  even  to  death,  a  tried  stone.,  and 
was  made  perfect  tlirongli  sufferings.  Neither  will  any  of  his  sainis 
e'-er  be  finally  crovvaied  with  the  crown  of  righteousness  and  e'lcrnal 
life,  until  they  pass  through  the  perfect  fiery  trial,  and  experience 
that  trial  of  their  faith  which  is  more  precious  and  more  refinmg  than 
that  of  gold,  and  learn  by  the  things  Avhich  they  suffer — until  tliey 
know  how  to  keep  themselves  in  the  love  of  God.  It  was,  therefore, 
as  correct  and  necessary  that  the  first  Adam  and  his  posterity  should 
fee  tempted  and  tried  as  that  the  second  and  his  seed  sliouid. 


3S  MAN  GOD  S  '-■' 

From  ^.vhat  is  here  said,  it  Avill  naturally  be  understood,  tliat  Goe 
did  not  decree  in  tliat  order  of  decrees  which  was  first  describee 
that  man  should  not  sin  or  fall,  that  is,  he  did  not  decree  absolutel 
that  he  should  not  sin,  TJo/e'n*  x'o/c7z.y,  or  that  he  would  interpose 
arbitrary  or  forbiddinc^  power  to  prevent  him  in  the  face  of  motivl 
and  man's  free  agency.     Such  a  decree  or  preventing  act  woull 
have  annulled  all  accountableness  in  man  and  made  his  withstanding 
of  tlie  temptation  a  necessary  act,  destitute  of  either  praise  or  blamt 
justification  or  condci'anation.     So  that  there  existed  no  possible  Avaj 
for  man  to  arrive  at  the  perfection  of  his  order,  or  that  summit  of  bles-' 
sednessof  which  he  Avas  capable  by  creation,  and  which  was  his  ulti- 
mate destination  in  the  spirit,  the  glory  of  God  and  the  enjoyment  oY 
him,  only  to  let  him  be  tried  by  tem.ptaticn,  and  the  result  be  attended 
to  as  occasion  required. 

God  did  decree  absolutely  and  without  reserve  to  provide  a  reme- 
dy for  man,  to  recover  him  from  the  fall  and  its  consequences.  Not 
indeed  to  restore  Adam  and  his  posterity  into  bis  first  order  in  thie 
flesh,  or  mend  up  that  order,  but  to  reinstate  them  into  the  favor  of 
God,  and  in  the  line  of  their  duty  and  happiness,  in  Christ  the  second 
Adam,  so  much  fartlier  on  their  way — as  many  as  will  yield  obedience 
to  that  plan.  This  decree  is  executed  in  Christ,  in  his  first  and  second 
appearing,  after  it  had  been  set  forth  by  many  shadows  and  various 
forms  in  the  lav/  of  Moses.  And  as  we  desire  to  make  as  short  work 
on  this  subject  as  will  consist  with  duty  and  perspicuity,  we  are  now 
ready  to  enter  en  the  ground  where  the  things  immediately  relatmg 
to  salvation  concentrate,  and  where  we  may  inquire  with  freedom 
into  the  decrees  of  God  as  they  respect  men  in  their  present  standing. 
Wc  are  still  his  offspring. 

But  God  is  a  free,  moral  agent,  who  ivorketh  all  ihingft  according 
to  the  counsel  qf  his,  ovjn  will,  or  in  other  words,  who  doeth  all  things 
as  he  seeth  and  judgeth  it  best  to  do  them,  all  things  considered. 
As  the  offsprini^-  of  God,  therefore,  man  is  also  a  free,  mcral^^agcnt, 
influenced  in  his  actions  by  his  own  mind  and  judgment. 

But  as  we  have  now  to  treat  of  man  in  liis  fallen,  corrupt  state,  it 
becomes  necessary  to  inquire,  whether  by  the  fall  his  moral  agency 
was  destroyed,  or  is  become  at  all  dilTerent  from  what  it  was.  To 
this  proposition  the  reply  is  negative.  It  is  not  destroyed;  it  is  not 
difTerent  from  what  it  was  in  the  creation;  for  let  that  be  taken  away 
and  a  man  is  no  more  amenable  for  his  conduct.  This  will  become 
evident  by  i'^.quiring  wherein  moral  agency  consists,  or  on  what  it  de- 
pends. '♦.Vhether  on  the  man's  holiness  and  the  rectitude  of  his  acti- 
ons, or  on  the  physical  powers  of  the  mind.  And  it  is  evident  it 
cannct  depend  on  the  first;  because  in  that  case,  having  once  become 
corrupt  or  unholy,  he  could  no  more  be  a  moral  agent,  consequently 
no  longer  responsible  ;  but  it  is  granted  that  man  has  not  lost  his  re- 
sponsibility to  God  and  to  his  feliow,creatures.  Besides ;  in  that  case 
he  could  no  more  be  influcrfccd  by  reason,  or  by  motives  presented 
to  the  intellect.  But  man  is  still  inFlucnced  by  motive,  and  gained  by 
reason;  and  God  always  addresses  himself  to  man  according  to  these 


OFFSPRING.  ^9 

liinciplcs.     "  Come  now,  and  let  us  reason  together  saith  the  lord.'-* 
[oral  agency,  therefore,  depends  on  the  other  source  ;  The  physical 
[oA^ers  of  the  mind  ;  those  powers  Mithout  which  man  would  not  be 
lan,  or  the  oftspring  ol"  God  in  his  own  image.     Now  these  powers 
\ere  not  taken  away  by  the  fall,  for  the  change  produced  by  sm  Avas 
)t  physical  but  moral.     It  left  the  man  pliysically  what  he  was,  ccn- 
iituted  of  body  and  mind,  or  rational  sjiirit,  with  the  animal  life, 
"he  result  tlien  of  this  inquiry  is,  that  man  is  found  to  be  a  moral 
iigcnt,  that  his  actions  have  respect  to  good  and  evil,  sm  duty,  obedi- 
ence and  disobedience,  since  the  fall  as  really  as  before;  and  that  his 
moral  agency  depends  on  the  physical  powers,  or  faculties  of  the 
rnind,  or  rational  spirit. 

I  haA^e  not  continued  to  use  the  double  epithet,  /i'ee,  ino?'ul  agi'?;:^ 
from  the  consideration  that  the  single  phrase  is  sufiicient,  as  I  know 
no  diflercnce  between  a  moral  agent,  and  a  free,  moral  agent ;  for  the 
action  which  is  not  free,  or  the  elfect  of  choice,  is  not  a  moral  action, 
and  neither  praise  nor  blame,  justification  nor  condemnation  can  at- 
tach to  an  action  of  that  kind.  Moral  actions  are  those  only  ^vhich 
come  within  the  liiiiits  of  volition  or  choice ;  and  all  such  actions  are 
criminal  or  justifiable,  in  proportion  to  the  agent's  acquaintance  witii 
the  nature  of  the  case ;  except  Avhere  they  are  of  so  little  weigh.t  as 
to  be  indifferent.  An  involuntary  or  unavoidable  action,  if  such  may 
be  called  agency  at  all,  cannot  be  crimirtal ;  neither  are  such  counted 
criminal  by  the  laws  of  God  or  men ;  the  knowledge  ai.d  intv-ntion  cf 
actions  or  the  motives,  leading  to  them, constitute  their  criminality  or 
1  ighteousncss.  Should  a  man,  in  an  unexpected  hour,  be  taken  up 
into  the  air  by  a  whirlwirid  or  liurricane,  and  thrown  on  another  man 
with  such  violence  as  to  kill  liim,  and  the  first  escape  with  his  life, 
Avould  either  (iod  or  man  account  him  guilty?^  1  trow  not.  But, 
should  he  stand  on  an  eminence  where  there  would  be  no  necessity 
of  falling,  and  designedly  throw  himself  on  the  other  and  kill  him,  he 
■would  be  guilty. 

It  may  be  objected,  that  the  being  irredstibly  taken  up  and  throAvn 
down  again ,  would  be  no  agency  at  all,  but  a  being  acttcl  npon ;  but  to 
act  knowingly  and  unAvillingly,  (as  some  say  they  sin,  but  not  will- 
ingly ,)while  moved  onward  by  the  unavoidable  influence  of  a  necessa- 
rily governing  principle  or  the  secret  ordination  of  heaven,  is  quite 
another  matter.  But  it  is  easy,  as  well  as  just,  to  reply,  that  the 
necessary  and  unavoidable  influence  of  an  irresistible,  governicg  prin- 
ciple, is  as  compulsory  as  irresistible  impulse  on  the  body.  Wlio  can 
withstand  that  which  is  necessary  and  irresistible?  Or  who  can  be  blam- 
ed for  doing  that  which  he  is  invincibly  necessitated  to  do?  or  for  not 
doing  that  which  he  is  invincibly  and  necessarily  iinable  to  do?  Not  one. 
And  let  men  talk  as  they  may  about  sinning  reluctantly,  and  agaln':t 
their  will,  it  is  all  a  hypocritical,  deceptions  affair,  for  selfjustificatioi: ; 
for  when  the  matter  comes  into  the  light,  it  is  found  that  no  necessai  ily 
j:;overning  principle  or  power,  known  or  unknown,  leads  or  prcrxipts 
any  man  to  sin,  without  liis  own  choice  cr  consent.  And  this  makes 
lam  criminal,  according  to  the  knowledge  v^hich  he  has  of  what  is  sin 


4o  MAN  GOD'S 

or  what  is  duty  ;  for  it  is  not  the  man's  choice  to  sin  for  tlie  sake  of  sii 
hiug  in  the  abstract,  but  to  do  certain  actions  to  ■vvliich  sin  is  attache 
cither  necessarily  or  by  consequence  of  their  relation  to  other  matters, 
I  v/ill  not  deny,  that  they  who  are  ignorant  of  the  gospel,  which  isth 
only  mean  of  obtaining  power  over  sin,  are  under  the  government  o 
s.  principle  which  is  invincible  by  them  in  their  present  situation,  by 
v/hich  they  are  led  into  sin  and  cannot  avoid  it;  but  this  pruiciple, 
invincible  in  that  situation,  is  their  ov\^n  natiire,  or  their  own  inclinatioi  i 
and  choice  to  do  those  things  v/hich  are  iniquitous  ;  and  their  criminal- 
ity is  only  in  proportion  to  their  light  and  povi^er,  and  the  opposition  to 
tliese,  which  they  practise  in  their  actions  :  but  they  have  not  salvation. 

But  it  is  argued  that  as  every  man  acts  by  the  influence  of  motive, 
in  all  Ids  moral  actions,  and  there  are  opposite  and  contradictory  mo- 
tives, some  to  do  good  and  some  to  do  evil,  every  motive  must  influ- 
ence according  to  its  present  weight  on  the  mind,  or  its  real  estimation,' 
consequently  the  man  must  be  influenced  and  governed  by  the  supe- 
rior motive,  or  that  which  is  of  the  first  importance.  The  question 
then  is,  can  a  man  commit  sin,  or  can  he  not,  his  actions  being  unavoid- 
able, the  necessary  product.of  irresistibly  superior  motive  ? 

In  the  process  of  this  discussion,  it  may  be  necessary  for  the  satisfac- 
licn  of  some  to  premise  a  few  things  respecting  the  faculties  of  the  mind 
oi"  rational  spirit,  and  their  order.  The  common  cmimeration  and  ar- 
rangement have  been.  The  judgment^  wil/  and  affections,  or^  ac- 
cording to  others,  the  jii-dgmcnt.,  the  affections  andthe  Ti>/7/.  The 
enumeration  of  the  faculties  has  also  been  carried  to  a  much  greater 
CKtent,  and  the  arrangement  made  very  diff'erent  from  eitlifer  of  the 
foreg-oing;  and  this  may  be  done  with  pi'opriety,  because  it  is  beyond 
a  doubt  that  the  spirit  in  man  is  capable  of  operations,  of  various  class- 
es which  are  not  definitively  expressed  in  any  of  these.  It  is  not  my 
i);teiition  to  be  ininute,  or  extensively  particular  in  tiiis  place  ;  but  to 
prepare  the  way  for  the  free  use  of  the  terms  as  they  may  be  needed 
in  the  following  pages,  I  v.41I  make  a  general  enumerati(5f» 

The  first  operation  of  the  mind  is  the  reception  of  ideas,  or  the 
impressions  of  certain  objects  presented  to  it.  That  power  or  facul- 
ty of  the  mind  by  which  this  operation  is  performed  may  be 
called  the  receptacle  of  those  ideas  or  impressions.  The  intel- 
J.F.CT  niay  be  noticed  next,  that  faculty  by  which  the  rational  spirit 
xmderstands  those  ideas.  Comparison,  or  tlie  comparing  of  ideas 
logether,  by  which  the  mind  observes  the  likeness  and  unlikencss  of 
things  presented  to  it.  The  judgment,  or  the  power  of  deciding  on 
the  propriety  and  impropriety,  superiority  and  inferiority,  goodness 
and  evil  of  actions  or  things  accorcling  to  evidence.  Conscience,  or 
the  MOKAL  r,jvcuLTY,by  which  the  mind  determines  in  favor  of  the  good 
and  against  the  evil  according  to  evidence  ;  and  accuses  and  condemns 
if  disobeyed,  but  approves  andjustifics  the  obedient.  Determinatoe, 
o<:  that  power  of  the  mind  by  which  it  determines  which  of  two  diff- 
erent or  contrary  objects  to  ptiefer.  The  choice,  or  power  of  choos- 
ing after  the  determination  is  closed.  The  memory,  which  is  simply 
the  power  of  retaining-,  and  reflectbig  upon  ideas  or  impressiojis  re- 


OFFSPRING.  -ii 

Ccived  before.  The  imagination,  or  the  power  of  forming  the  image- 
ry of  things  in  the  mind,  the  ideas  or  impressions  of  which  have  beeii 
received  before.  The  aiff-ctions,  which  environ  and  embrace  the 
object  of  the  choice,  or  that  which  obtains  the  ascendency  in  the  mind: 
as  love,  approbation,  complacency.  The  passions  ;  as  in  the  first  place , 
those  by  which  an  object  is  repelled,  or  rejected  from  the  mind,  as 
liatred,  reprobation,  aversion,  abhorrence.  But  these  are  more  pro- 
perly the  counterpart  of  the  affections;  for  if  vre  love  one  object,  we 
necessarily  hate  the  contrary;  if  we  approbate  one,  we  necessarily 
reprobate  the  contrary.  On  this  principle  it  is  stated  in  the  holy 
scriptures,  that.  No  man  can  serve  two  masters;  for  he  will  hate  the 
one,  and  love  the  other ;  or  else  he  will  hold  to  the  one  and  despise 
tlie  other  (Math.  6.  24.)  These  are  prone  to  move  with  violence  and 
impetuosity,  and  need  to  be  regulated  and  governed  by  the  judg- 
ment and  consideration.  But  the  passions  most  prominent  in  the 
human  life,  are  those  animal  sensations,  or  fleshly  appetites  ar.d  pro- 
pensities, arising  from  the  connectionof  the  spirit  ofman  with  the 
material  body,  in  the  constitution  of  anirnal  life.  These  move  in- 
considerately, and  impetuously  ;  and  seize  with  avidity  the  coveted 
object.  By  these  mankind  are,  precipitately  hurried,  often  into  ex- 
ti-avagant  evils,  and  the  whole  spirit,  or  mind,  is  as  it  wci'fe,  absorbed, 
in  the  pursuit  of  animal  and  fleslily  pleasures  and  indulgences.  By 
these  mankind  are  governed  in  ail  their  pursuits,  uritill  they  are  ar- 
rested by  something  of  greater  importance  presented  to  the  intellect 
and  apprehended  by  it.  All  these  may,  in  common  language,  be 
comprehended  in  the  general  term,  affections  ;  but  the  above  dis- 
tinctions are  not  without  their  use.  And  to  the  last  class  pertain  the 
affections  and  iusts  of  the  flesh  which  all  chrrjtians  crucify.  And  the 
gospel  alone,  when  received  and  obeyed,  is  calculated  to  furnish 
any  of  the  human  family  with  power  to  regulate  the  affections,  sub- 
due the  pasfiions  and  crucify  the  lusts.  To  these  might  be  added  tiie 
will  hy^Yh\Th.  the  inchnationand  determination  are  conclusively  fixed; 
also  reason^  cQnsidtrcftioii  and  the  like,  but  being  comprehended  in  the 
foregoing,  and  so  commonly  understood,  I  shall  at  present  leave  any 
farther  distinctions  to  those  v/hose  province  it  more  iminediately  is  to 
make  them. 

It  may  hov/ever  be  proper  here  to  add,  that  Avhen  we  speak  oi  the 
diff'erent  faculties  of  the  mind  or  spirit,  we  do  riot  intend  that  these 
ure  really  diiferent  powers  or  parts  distinct  from  each  other,  /.4 
which  the  spirit  is  composed,  like  the  body,  of  its  different  mem- 
bers ;  but  as  the  spirit  is  the  immediate  offspring  of  God,  it  is  on?, 
and  these  diff'ereut  faculties  are  the  different  modes,  capacities  or 
lines  of  operation  in  the  same  spirit.  Thus  when  we  speak  of  the 
intellect,  we  mean  the  spirit  capable  of  understanding ;  v.hen  6f  the 
judgment,  we  mean  tlie  spirit  capable  of  givingjudgment;. and  when 
of  the  conscience,  we  mean  the  same  spirit  approving  the  good  and 
condemning  the  evil.  Thus  also  we  say,  the  spirit,  and  sometimes 
the  soul,  the  miiid,  the  rational  spirit,  and  the  like,  to  denote  one  and 
the  vame  thing.     New  to  return  to  the  subject  in  hands      It  is  cqu- 


A.1i  MAN  GOD'S 

tende,d  that  every  man  follows  that  motive  v,-]iich  bears  with  the 
t;i-eatest  weight  on  his  mind,  at  the  instant  when  he  acts  or  when  he 
concludes  which  of  two  different  actions  to  do,  because  to  choose 
that  action,  or  that  course  of  actions,  or  manners,  which  bears  with 
the  least  \veight,  and  consequently  hath  the  least  influence,  would  be 
irrational,  and  contrary  to  being  influenced  by  motive,  and  make  void 
the  use  of  argument,  b)  proposing  reason  and  evidence  to  induce  to 
action  :  it  would  be  like  the  heaviest  weight  in  the  scale  being  ele- 
vated by  the  preponderance  of  the-  lightest.  I  shall  not  contest  this 
reasoning ;  I  see  no  method  to  overturn  it.  For  although  many 
men  do  many  things  which  they  would  much  rather  not  do  ;  they 
make  choice  of  these  rather  than  their  alternatives  ,  which  to  them 
appear  still  v/orse,  and  of  two  evils  they  choose  the  least ;  which  is 
a  good  rule,  as  it  relates  to  natural  things.  It  is  true  many  actions 
of  men  are  done  so  inadvertently  and  inconsiderately,  that  they  af- 
ford no  opportunity  for,  inquiring  into  the  spring  of  them,  and  many 
so  trivial,  that  they  arc  not  worth  an  investigation  ;  but  subjects  of  this 
kind  are  most  properly  elucidated  by  those  examples  which  are  evi- 
dent and  capable  of  clear  investigation;  and  by  these  it  ib  easily  proved 
that  meiihave  leading,  and  to  them  superior  motives,  Avhich  they  fol* 
lov/  in  all  their  actions. 

Bat  if  every  man  be  necessarily  led  by  the  first  or  superior  mo- 
tive, how  can  any  man  be  guilty  of  sin,  or  in  any  sense  criminal,  be- 
ing necessarily  led  to  every  action  by  an  exterior  cause  ?  For  mo- 
tive is  not  in  the  man  ;  in  him  is  only  the  receptacle  of  that  which 
Cometh  from  without,  the  subjec't  on  which  tlie  motive  may  fasten 
itself  IMcn  are  not  born  with  motives  in  them  ;  all  these  are  re- 
cei*-ed  through  the  medium  of  the  natm'al  senses,  as  hearing  and 
seeing.  But  in  men  is  found  a  spirit  or  mind  ciipablfe  of  receiving 
the  impressions  ©fall  things  which  are  presented  to  it  through  their 
senses,  and  of  surveying  and  comprehending  them  as  far  as  they  arc  re- 
presented or  laid  open,  and- all  real  facts  thus  opened  are"  congenial 
with  the  physital  powers  of  the  mind.  Thus  a  man  hath  in  him  no 
motive  to  v/orship  God,  until  he  is  taught  that  God  is,  whether  he 
learn  God's  Being  from  his  works,  or  by  revelation.  But  the  im- 
pression of  the  being  of  God  is  so  congenial  with  the  physical  make 
o*-  constitution  of  the  spirit  which  came  froin  God,  his  proper  image 
that  it  can  never  be  erased,  ajid  the  propriety  of  worshiping  him  is 
qiiite  eas)' — a  reasonable  duty.  «  I  beseech  you  therefore  breathren, 
"  by  the  mercies  of  God,  that  ye  present  your  bodies  a  living  sacri- 
<•■  fice  holy  and  acceptable  to  God,  which  is  your  reasonable  service." 
(Ro.  12.1.)  A  man  hath  no  motive  to  repent  of  hi.s  sins,  until  he 
learns  that  he  is  a  sinner,  and  sojnething  of  the  nature  and  conse 
quenseofsin.  But  when  these  thing-s  arc  knoAvn,  repentance  rea- 
dily appears  proper.  And  no  man  hath  any  motive  to  obey  the  gos- 
pel until  he  is  taup;ht  something  of  the  necessity  and  benefit  of  it. 
But  when  these  things  are  known,  nothing  cmi  be  presented  with 
motives  really  superior,  or  equal. 

But  if  men  arc  necessarily  ijpilucnccd  to  follow  the  superior  mo- 


OFFSPRIN©.  43 

-fives  in  all  their  actions,  aiid  if  these  motives  are  not  innate  or  phy- 
sically in  men,  but  must  come  from  some  other  source,  the  question 
again  returns.  Can  any  man  commit  sin  or  be  at  all  criminal  ?  Is  not 
every  man  completely  under  the  power  of  some  other  being,  or 
source  of  influence  either  good  or  bad,  so  that  if  his  actions  be  of 
the  wicked  class  they  are  not  criminal  in  him,  for  hoAV  can  he  help 
them,  the  first  motives  irresistibly  prevail,  and  if  they  be  of  the  good 
class  in  the  matter  of  them,  what  recommendation  are  they  to  him  ? 
Or  Avhat  do  they  make  in  his  favor  ?  They  may  indeed  be  negative- 
ly innocent  as  having  in  them  neither  good  nor  evil  to  him  ;  for  how 
can  he  avoid  thein  ?  and  who  thanks  him  for  his  good  deeds  ? 

But  it  being  granted  that  men  follow  the  first  motives  to  them,  or 
those  which  feel  most  engaging  for  the  time  present,  will  not  pro\-e 
that  they  always  follow  and  obey  the  really  and  intrinsically  superior 
motives.  For  men  do  not  always  acknowledge  the  full  weight  of 
such  rao^'es,  or  they  do  not  admit  the  most  worthy  motives  into  the 
account.  But  for  this  also  they  must  have  a  motive,  which  is  to  es- 
cape the  influence  of  the  superior  motive  which  v/ould  influence  them 
contrary  to  the  pursuit  of  some  hiferior  object  which  they  have  iij 
view  :  herein  is  dishonesty.  But  it  will  be  said  that  this  hifeiior  ob- 
ject is  the  superior  motive  v/ith  them  at  tliat  timq,  else  they  would 
not  follow  it»  Granted  ;  but  how  comes  it  to  be  superior  to  tl-iem  ? 
Because  it  is  so  in  itself  ?  Not  so  :  for  that  i^  contrary  to  our  pro- 
position and  to  matter  of  fact.  Is  it  superior  because  they  who  fol- 
low it  believe  it  to  be  superior  ?  Not  so  ;  for  they  believe  the  con- 
trary, else  they  would  not  be  afraid  or  unwilling  to  admit  that  which 
isi'eally  superior,  to  its  full  estimation.  For  oiample  ;  the  drunk- 
ard believes  that  sobriety  is  better  than  drxmkenness  in  every  res- 
pect; for  his  own  health,  for  the  wealth  of  liim  and  his  family,  and 
forthccgmfort,  peace  and  good  inorals  of  them  all  ;  and  often  looks 
at  it,  and  considers  how  much  better  it  wouhJ  be  to  be  sober  and 
temperate  ;  but  the  gratification  of  a  carnal  thirst  for  spirituous  li- 
quors, the  love  of  such  company  as  suits  his  disposition,  the  desire  to 
drown  perplexing  thoughts,  and  often  those  very  thoughts  and  con- 
victions which  relate  to  superior  objects  and  motives,  some  or  all  of 
these  inferior  motives  prevail,  he  chooses  and  practises  on  the  inferior 
Hiaking  them  tlie  superior  to  him  by  his  own  act ;  I  say  makin<^  them 
the  superior  to  liim  by  giving  them  the   first  place. 

The  question  nov/  is  are  these  motives  irresistible  ?  If  so  the 
drunkard  is  as  innocent  and  as  respectable  as  the  sober  and  temper- 
ate man.  Or  when  a  man  is  tempted  to  defile  his  neighbours  wife, 
and  he  commits  the  atrocious  deed,  if  tlie  temptations  are  irresistible 
he  is  j\ist  as  innocent  as  he  who  respects  lawful  -wedlock,  or  becomes 
an  eunuch  for  the  kuigdom  of  heavens  sake.  And  the  man  Avho 
is  offended  by  his  neighbour  and  avenges  hmrself,  by  takuig  his 
neighbours  life,  is  just  as  innocent  as  he  who  was  taken  up  in  a  hur- 
ricane and  irresistibly  and  without  intention  or  design  thrown  on  the 
other  so  as  to  kill  him.  It  will  be  said  in  this  last  tase,  the  force  was 
jiicchanical  and  therefoi-e  not  a  proper  similitude  of  the  influence  cf 


44  MAN  GOD'S 

i-noral  modve,  wliich  is  only  mental  and  therefore  not  irresistible  in 
the  same  manner.  But  an  ii-resistiblc  is  irresistible,  and  can  any 
man  show  or  discover  the  difference  in  the  effects  of  irresistibles  ? 
Every  man  imfailinj^ly  follows  the  intrinsically  superior  motive 
known  to  him  according  to  his  best  judgment  or  he  docs  not :  if  he 
does  not,  which  both  fact  and  acknowledgement  prove  to  be  the  case, 
then  moral  motive  is  not  irresistible  ;  because  were  it  irresistible  the 
superior  motive  known  must  always  have  the  irresistibility,  as  cer- 
tainly as  the  heaviest  piece  of  metal  will  have  the  preponderancy  in 
cu  equal  scale,  and  every  man  would  necessarily  follovv^  it.  Thus  it 
js  evident  by  the  scriptures  that  moral  motive  is  not  irresistible  ;  Yc 
do  alivarjs  resist  the  Holy  Ghost.  Now  no  motives  could  be  named 
of  more  intrinsical  estimation  than  those  proffered  by  the  Holy  Spi- 
rit, yet  tbey  resisted  them  with  success  ;  and  they  could  not  resist 
those  motives  which  were  not  in  their  reach. 

But  moral  motives  not  being  irresistible  will  not  prove  that  m.en  do 
not  follow  those  motives  which  they  esteem  the  greatest;  and  that 
motive  which  is  esteemed  the  greatest,  is  the  greatest  at  the  time,  for 
motives  are  superior  or  inferior  according  to  their  estimation  ;  for 
whatever  inclines  or  finally  induces  the  mind  to  certain  actions  in 
preference  toothers,  is  the  pre-eminent  m.otive  in  that  mind.  But 
moral  motives  not  being  necessarily  irresistible,  leaves  room  for 
man's  accountableness,  because  he  is  on  that  principle  at  liberty  to 
choose  or  refuse  ;  whereas  to  be  carried  irresistibly  by  any  poAver 
mechanical  or  mental,  excludes  all  choice,and  without  choice  no  man 
can  be  commended  or  blamed,  he  is  in  nothing  superior  to  a  ma- 
chine. 

But  the  question  reiiiiains  :  How  arc  these  things  reconcilable  r 
Men  are  invariably  governed  by  that  motives  which  is  to  them  the 
fiviperior  one  ;  yet  have  the  poAver  of  choosing  their  ways,  when  dif- 
ferent ways  are  presented  with  th.eir  attending  motives.  Just  on 
this  principle  the  matter  is  all  plain,  that  motives  are  none  of  them 
irresistible  ;  and  that  men  have  in  themselves  that  faculty  or  ^ower 
by  which  they  are  able,  most  deliberately  and  freely,  to  choose  the 
way  to  go  and  the  actions  to  do  according  to  the  best  of  their  judg- 
ment, and  according  to  evidence  received,  which  power  I  Jiave  denomi- 
nated the  n^TERMiNATOR.  Witliout  this  there  could  be  no  free  agen- 
cy. By  th.is  power  it  is  the  province,  and  privilege  of  every  man  to 
determine  what  motives  to  set  in  highest  place,  the  really  inferior 
which  are  most  agreeable  to  his  corrupt  inclinations  or  those  which 
ai-c  superior  by  iptrinsic  worth. 

By  this  I  do  not  mean  that  every  man,  or  any  one,  can  give  him- 
self information,  without  the  aid  of  aome  other  means,  what  is  the 
superior  motive.  But  when  different  objects  are  presented  to  th^ 
min<l  to  invite  the  man  to  this  or  that,  and  the  reasons  and  evidences 
arc  also  brought  into  view,  why  this  or  that  is  superior  and  the  other 
inferior,  it  is  the  prerogative  and  province  of  every  man  to  be  as  free 
{IS  God  in  determining,  according  to  his  best  judgment,  which  io 
'v.h,oosc — Trhich  motive  to  set  on  the  throne,  givhig  it  the  first  place 


OFFSPRING.  ij, 

in  his  mirif.,  choice  and  affections,  v/hethcr  that  which  is  ir.trinsi rally 
inferior  but  most  agreeable  to  the  man's  incHnations  and  passions,  or 
that  which  is  intrinsically  superior,  in  real  '»vorth,  and  therefore  just- 
ly claims  the  pre-eminence  in  the  judj^mcnt.  For  wjicn  the  whole 
matter  is  developed,  this  is  the  point  where  all  the  real  contrast  be- 
tween motives  centres.  Because  when  men  acme  to  be  governed 
by  their  judgment,  their  wliole  care  and  labor  is  to  have  the  judg- 
ment properly  informed  of  different  matters,  which  are  the  best,  and 
if  both  caiaiot  be  obtained  or  pursued,  the  most  valuable  is  chosen 
as  soon  as  the  judgment  decides  which  that  is.  In  case  therefore  of 
necessary  errors  of  judgment  for  the  want  of  light,  or  informaiio]^, 
there  is  no  criminality  :  the  man  has  done  the  best  he  knew.  Evit 
when  the  judgment  is  informed  and  the  man  doth  not  live  up  to  its 
instructions,  it  is  a  selfevident  principle,  as  well  as  scriptural,  thai: 
he  is  guilty.  It  has  been  already  proved  that  he  can  be  under  no 
necessary  or  irresistible  influence  to  do  what  he  knows  is  wrong. 
But  when  a  man  is  governed  by  the  passions,  motives  may  be  pre- 
sented to  the  choice  through  the  intellect  and  judgment,  of  quite  su* 
perior  quality  to  those  winch  the  passions  present,  and  the  si^perior 
be  rejected  and  the  inferior  prefered,'m  the  face  of  judgment  and 
conscience,  by  the  choice  being  determined  in  favor  of  the  passions. 
And  on  this  pivot  turns  man's  accountableness  ;  he  is  here  called 
upon,  to  exercise  his  prerogative  and  determine  the  choice  in  favor 
of  the  superior  motive,  or  his  best  judgment,  and  to  put  that  clioice 
into  practice,  or  if  he  neglect,  to  do  it  at  the  expense  of  liis  ji.isuii- 
Cation.  ^ 

This  is  the  unhappy  condition  of  the  whole  human  race,  to  be  go- 
verned by  the  passions,  and  ever  will  until  the  passions  are  taken 
captive  and  put  under  arrest,  at  least  so  far  as  to  give  every  man  a 
fair  trial  whether  he  will  determine  his  choice  in  favor  of  the  pas-' 
sions  or  the  judgment.  When  man  fell  from  God  he  fell  hito'iim- 
self,  from  the  government  of  the  spirit  to  that  of  the  flesh,  from  the 
government  of  the  judgment  to  that  of  the  passions,  and  there  he  re- 
mainr,  until  arrested  by  the  gospel.  But  in  that  situation  he  calls  in 
the  aid  of  the  judgment  and  other  faculties,to  subserve  the  work  of  the  , 
passions:  and  by  the  passions  and  affections, is  the  Avay  to  arrest  man's 
attefition  and  gain  him  to  give  the  judgment  the  lead;  when  thisis.done 
matters  are  on  a  fair  train  to  be  all  put  right.  I  have  spoken  of  the 
province  and  tlie  prerdgative  of  every  man  to  determine  the  choice  in 
favor  of  the  superior  motive  according  to  his  best  judgment.  I'liis 
implies  that  there  must  be  light  in  the  understanding,  and  the  judg- 
ment be  formed  before  any  thing  decisive  can  be  done.  It  also  agrees 
with  the  doctrine  of  all  motive  being  exterior,  or  out  of  the  man. 
And  every  true  motive  to  good  deeds  is  from  God,  the  Father  of 
lights,  from  whom  cometh  every  good  and  perfect  gift.  But  where 
the  light  and  mformation  arc  but  partial  the  decision  of  tliejudgmelit 
will  be  weak  ;  yet  when  men  follow  their  best  judgment,  and  yield 
to  the  best  light  and  mformation  in  their  reach,  unbiassed  by  selfich 
Bud  inferior  motive^.,  they  .-xre  released  fro\p  condemnation  and  in  the 


46  OF  THE  OFFERS 

fair  way  to  become  perfectly  right,'  And  this  is  free  agency,  unham- 
percd  and  without  a  blemish,  for  a  man  to  determine  his  choice  ac- 
cording to  the  best  of  his  judgment,  and  not  to  be  necessarily  car- 
ried by  inferior  motives  which  are  congenial  to  his  inclinations  and 
passions,  in  violation  of  his  better  judgment.  And  this  is  man's  pro- 
vince, Lord  of  his  fir  of ler  sfihere,  of  which  none  can  spoil  him — thi^ 
is  /lis/ierogative,  of  which  none  can  rob  him:  and  no  man  or  God  can 
do  his  duty  for  him.  Without  this  province  and  this  prerogative, 
man  could  not  be  man,  he  could  not,  be  the  offspring  and  the  ima»e 
cfGod. 


CHAPTER.  VI. 

Of  the  gospel  offers f  and  man's  cafiability   of  comfilying ;  and 
whether  God's  decrees  at  all  intercept  its  free  operation. 

Notwithstanding  that  man  remains  to  be  man,  through  the  fall  and 
all  its  cionsequences,  he  is  a  lost  creature,  ruined  by   sin,  sunl;  into 
darkness   and  death;  the  powers  of  his  mind  are  set  on  wrong  objects 
and  their  true  prdej'  subverted,  so  that  the  passions  rule,  and  the  ui- 
tellectual  powers,  which  accoi'ding  to  their  true  order  ought  to  rule 
and  be  primarily  subservient  to  God  alone,  are  become  subservient  to 
the  passions  and  the  flesh  ;  until  those  noble  powers,  in  the  possession 
of  which,  man  continues  to  be  physically  the  image  and  offspring  of 
God,  are  degraded  to  the  inferior  purposes  of  corruption  and  ruisery, 
and  attliough  the  mind  and  conscience  remain,  both  the  mind  and  conr 
Gcience  are   dcfiIed.(Tit.  1.  15.)     The  gospel  is  the  only  mean  of 
recovery  from  all  this  ;ruin  ;  and  it  is  sent  to  the  human  race  on  the 
most  liberal  terms,  excluding  none  who  are  willing,  or  who  will  be 
prevailed  uj^n  to  receive  salvation  on  God's  terms.     We  are  now  to 
inquire  what  are  these  terms ;  and  whether  they  are  adapted  to  man's 
condition,  or  v\'hcther  it  is  in  the  power  of  man  to  comply  witli  tlif: 
proposals  made  to  him  in  the  gospel.     The  gospel  is  commonly  call- 
ed the  ordinary,  not  to  say,  as  it  feally  is,  the  only,  mean  of  salvation. 
But  ifthe  proposals,  or  provision  in  the  gospel,  be  out  of  man's  reach, 
in  ln§  present,  fallen  state,  it  is  no  mean  of  salvation  to  him  ;  for  that 
which  is  not  adequate  to  the  effect,  is  no  mean  of  any  mattei-  what- 
ever ;  and  if  man  hath  not  power  to  comply  with  tliC  proposals  of  the 
gospel,  there  must  be  some  other  mean  of  salvation,  for  Iiim  or  hQ 
must  go  witliout. 

But  as  we  are  treating  of  the  decrees  of  God  and  tlie  things  relating 
thereto,  and  have  just  been  trcathig  of  man's  free  agency,  we  shall 
make  some  examination,  whether  there  be  any  contrast  between  the 
decrees  of  God  and  man's  free  agency,  or  whether  those  do  in  any 
respect  infringe  on  this,  so  as  to  prevent  its  unrestrained  operation . 
And  here  let  it  he  considered,  that  if  any  irresistible  decree  or  decrees 
of  God,  that  certain  things  shall  unfailingly  come  to  pass,should  conn- 


OF  THE  GOSPEL.  4/ 

teracl  the  free  agency  of  man,  or  prevent  him  from  choosing  accord- 
ing to  his  best  judgment,  such  a  decree  would  carry  him  irresistibly 
and  take  away  his  accountableness,  for  the  same  reason  as  irresistible 
motive  or  mechanical  force  :  and  that  would  be  contrary  to  the  call 
and  doctrines  of  the  gospel,  Avhich  are  n^ost  liberal  and  um-eserved. 
"  Come  unto  me,  all  ye  that  labor  and  are  heavy  laden,  and  I  will  give 
"  you  rest."  "  Whosoever  will  let  him  take  the  water  of  hfe  freely." 
And  again  ;  "  He  that  believetli  on  him  is  not  condemned  ;  but  he  that 
believeth  not  is  condemned  already,  because  he  hath  7iot  believed  on 
"the  name  of  the  only  begotten  Son  of  God  :"  not  because  any  decree 
bf  God  stood  in  the  v/ay  to  pre  vent  him/Mat.  11.28.  Rev.  22  IT.jno., 
3.  1  8.)  Now  to  suppose  any  decree  of  Gcd,  absolute  or  permissive 
to  interpose,  or  at  all  to  be  the  most  remote  acting  cause,  Avhy  any 
man  doth  not  believe,  that  decvee  preventing  him,  or  renderuig  the 
gospel  invitations  abortive,  would  be  to  charge  God  with  duplicity  in 
the  gospel  offer,  and  tarnish  the  immaculate  glory  of  his  character. 
And  those  decrees  of  God,  which  propose  to-  men  their  duty  and  re- 
quire obedience,  a;e  the  ground  work  with  the  necessary,  attending 
motives,  to  induce  men  to  use  their  free  agency  and  make  a  m  ise 
choice.  There  is,  therefore,  no  contrast  between  the  decrees  of  God 
and  man's  free  agency. 

The  gospel  of  Christ  istheme^n  appointed  of  God  for  man's  re- 
covery and  final  redemption.  It  is  the  power  of  God  to  salvation,  to 
every  one  that  believeth,  and  by  it  life  and  immortality  are  brought  to 
light.  By  the  gospel  is  made  known,  who  is  the  salvation  of  God  to 
the  ends  of  the  earth  ;  "  Neither  is  there  salvation  in  any  other :  for 
"  there  is  none  other  name  under  heaven  given  among  men  whereby 
"  we  must  be  saved,"  except  the  name  of  Jesus  Christ.  *'  For  1  dc- 
"  termined"  saith  the  apostle,  "  not  to  know  any  thing  among  you," 
"save  Jesus  Christ  and  \\vca  crucified.  "(Act.  4.  12.  l.Cor.  2.  2.) 
The  Spirit  of  God  also,  (that  is  Christ,  for  the  Lord  is  that  Spirit.  2. 
Coi'.  3-17.)  is  made  known  by  the  gospel ;  and  the  ministers  of  the 
gospel  are  the  ministers  of  Christ,  to  preach  Christ  to  the  people,  to 
minister  Christ,  and  to  m mister  the  Spirit  to  the  people  ;,,  For  we 
"  preach  not  ourselves,  but  Christ  Jesus  tlie  Lord;  and  ourselves 
"  your  servants  for  Jesus'  sake, — But  we  ha,ve  this  treasure  in  earthen 
"  vessels,  that  the  excellency  of  the  power  may  be  of  God  and  not  of 
"  us."  "  Aiid  again ;  "  Not  that  we  are  sufficient  of  ourselves  to 
"  think  any  tiling  as  of  ourselves ;  but  our  sufficiency  is  of  God  ;  who 
"  also  hath  made  us  able  ministers  of  the  new  testament ;  not  of  the 
"  letter,  but  of  the  Spirit-"  "  And  again ;  "  He  therefore,  tliat  mini- 
"  stereth  to  you  the  Spirit,  and  worketh  miracles  anu»ng  you,(do<'.th 
"  he  these  things)by  the  works  of  the  law,  or  by  the  hearing  of  faitlii" 
(2.  Cor.  4.  5, 7.  and  3.  5,  6.  Gal.  3.  5.)  Thus  it  appears,  by  these  and 
a  multitude  of  other  scriptures,  that  in  the  gospel  is  allliecessary  pro- 
vision for  man's  salvation,  being  indeed  the  power  of  God  to  salva- 
tion, because  Christ  the  power  of  Gcd  and  the  salvation  of  God  is. 
therein' ministered  to  men. 

Now  the  que&tion  istobedisgusseel ;  is  tliis  g^ospcl  of  God  suffiei- 


^;  OF  THE  OFFERS 

eiUly  adapted  to  the  recovery  of  men  From  their  present  fallen  coH' 
diticn,  or  is  some  additional  m.eanor  help,  requisite  to  their  recovery 
and  iiiml  salvation  ?  If  the  gospel  is  sufficiently  adapted  to  their  re- 
covery, it  is  so  completely  accommodated  to  their  present  circum- 
stances that  they  are  able  without  additional  aid  to  receive  it  and 
to,  comply  with  its  terms.  And  on  that  principle  they  can  be  charge - 
&.ble  with  their  own  ruin  Vvho  perish  under  the  gospel  sound  and  on 
no  other ;  this  ben^g  the  only  way  ot  salvation  or  hope.  Or  it  a- 
mounts  to  the  same  to  say,  if  Christ  is  a  Savior,  sufficiently  adapted 
to  the  salvation  of  men,  his  terms  and  proposals  must  be  and  are  so 
exquisitely  accommodated  to  their  present  circumstances,  sin,  guilt, 
death  and  all  other  things  considered,  that  they  are  able  to  comply 
with  all  that  which  he  proposes,  and  to  do  what  he  requires,  without 
farther  aid  than  his  offers  include.  For  no  man  can  be  criminal  in  not 
doing  what  he  is  required,  unless  the  requirement  be  fair  and  equal; 
and  no  requisition  can  be  fair  and  equal  which  requires  more  duty 
or  obedience  than  the  man  is  able  to  yield,  unless  when  lie  has  pre- 
viously and  willingly  spent  his  ability.  (Mark  this.)  Accordingly 
God  deals  witli  man  on  reasonable  terms  ;  "Come  now,  let  us  reason 
together,  saith  the  Lord."  (Isa.  1.  19.)  And  all  the  proposals  of  the 
Pospel,  the  calls  and  invitations,  the  waramgs  and  tlireatenings  are 
inadein  the  open  acknowledgement,  that  map  stands  on  equal  ground 
with  his  Maker  and  Redeemer,  nothing  being  requn-ed  of  God,  but 
what  is  m  the  reach  of  man  to  perform.  «  Look  unto  me,  and  be  ye 
«  saved,  all  the  ends  of  the  earth  ;  for  I  am  God,  and  there  is  none 
«cise."  "Ho,  every  one  tliat  thirsteth,  come  ye  to  the  waters,  and 
'■  he  that  hath  no  money  ;  come  ye,  buy  and  cat ;  yea,  cciiie  ;  buy 
«  wine  and  milk,  witliout  money,  and  w ithout  price."  "Jesus  stood 
^'  ?jul  cried,  saying.  If  any  man  thirst,  let  him  come  unto  me  and 
"drink."  "And  he  said  unto  them,  Gove  into  all  the  world  and 
«  preach  the  gospel  to  every  creature.  He  that  believeth,  and  is  bap- 
«'  lized  shallbe  saved;  but  he  ti^.at  believeth  not  shall  be  damned." 
«  And  the  Spirit  and  the  Bride  say.  Come.  And  let  him  that  hcareth 
«s?y,  Come.  And  let  him  that  is  athirst  come.  And  whosoever 
"will,  let  him  take  the  water  of  life  freely."  (Isa.  45.  22.  and  55.  !. 
Jno.  7.  Sr.  Mar.  16.  15  and  16.  Rev.  22.  17.)  Thus  fanly,  equita- 
bly and    unreswvedly  are   tlie  proposals  of  the  gospel   universally 

'  It  is  vain  to  plead,  that  all  these  proposals  are  insufficient  without 
the  help  of  God  to  emible  mankind  to  do  their  duty  :  for  if  the  pro- 
visions of  the  gospel  are  not  equal  to  the  necessities  of  those  to  whom 
it  is  sent,  it  is  an  imperfect  thing,  a  mere  blank  and  a  reproach  to  us 
author.  For  to  propose  salvation  to  any  man  on  such  a  plan  as  is  not 
equal  to  its  accomplishment  without  additional  aid,  and  that  addition- 
al aid  cannot  be  had  unless  on  such  terms  as  the  man  is  not  able  to 
compiv  Avith,  is  only  to  mocWlhc  man's  misery  and  cruelly  to  aggre- 
vate  his  distress.  And  it  is  granted  on  all  hands,  that  he  who  rejects 
{he  rospel  is  the  most  roiserable  of  all  beings,  unspeakably  more 
vr-' 'n'  and  n-ietched  tlian  they  who  never  heard  it.      but  >vith'  what 


OF  THE  GOSPEL.  49 

propriety,  if  the  gospel  comes  with  such  proposals  that  he  cannot 
comply  with  them  Vv'ithout  further  aid  and  that  aid  is  never  given  '( 
"This  is  the  condemnation,  that  light  is  come  into  the  world,  ai:d 
"  men  loved  darkness  i-ather  than  light,  because  their  deeds  v/ere 
*'  evil."  But  whence  this  condemnation,  or  judgment,  if  they  were 
not  capable  of  coming  to  the  light  and  submitting  to  its  requisitiona.. 
But  the  gospel  is  furnished  with  every  necessary  supply  ;  and  tlic 
commission  of  Christ  and  his  ministers  mcludes  every  supply  which 
the  believing  and  obedient  need.  "  He  tliat  beiieveth  is  not  con- 
'' demned."  "And  being  made  perfect  (through  sufTermgs)  he  be- 
"  came  the  author  of  eternal  salvation  to  all  them  that  obey  him." 
(Heb.  5.  6.)  "He  came  to  his  own,  and  his  own  received  him  not. 
"  But  to  as  many  as  received  him,  to  them  gave  he  power  to  becoiue 
"  the  sons  of  God,  even  to  them  who  believed  on  his  name.  And  of 
"  his  fulness  have  all  we  received  aiul  grace  for  grace  [or  accordir.g 
«  to  grace]"  (Jno.  1.  11,-12,  16.)  "The  spirit  of  the  Lord  is  upon 
"  me,  because  he  hath  anointed  me  \o  preach  the  gospel  to  tiie  poor; 
"  he  hath  sent  me  to  heal  the  broken  heaited,  to  preach  deliverance  to 
"the  captives,  and  the  recovering  of  sight  to  the  blind-'to  set  at  liberty 
"  them  that  are  bruised,  to  preach  the  acceptable  year  of  the  Lord, 
"  (Luke  4.  18,  19.")  But  it  is  unnecessary  to  multiply  scriptures  on 
this  point.  It  is  granted  that  the  gospel  opens  a  sufficient  door  and 
treasure  ol  salvation  to  those  who  receive  and  obey  it ;  or  in  other 
words  who  believe,  which  always  implies  obedience,  for  faith  with- 
out works  is  dead,  being  alone.  It  is  also  granted  that  all  may  re- 
ceive v/ho  will  ;  but  it  is  ai^ucd  that  none  arc,  or  can  be  Aviiiii-jg,  un- 
til their  will  is  renewed,  by  the  work  of  God's  spirit,  in  some  opera- 
tion distinct  from  the  preaching  of  the  word,  or  beyond  it.  Thus  that 
gospel  of  Christ,  which  is  the  only  mean  of  salvation  which  Gcdhath 
ever  made  known  to  men,  and  which 'is  the  power  of  God  to  salvation 
to  every  one  who  beiieveth,  is  set  aside  as  being  inefficacious  to  sal- 
vation until  men  are  first  saved,  or  regenerated,  by  a  necessarily 
previous  work  of  God,  which  work  there  is  no  evidence,  way  or  me- 
thod of  obtaining,  unless  God  see  fit  to  do  it,  acting  according  to  his 
sovereign  appointment  or  decree,  accoidirg  to  seme,  ai:id  yet  tlie  man 
must  perish  for  not  receiving  and  obeying  Christ,  v/hen  it  is  impos- 
sible for  him  to  comply.  This  is  indeed  an  absurdity  auda\jvick<:d 
accusation  of  God,  and  suph  it  will  appear  to  those  who  consider 
what  has  been  proved;  that  it  is  every  man's  prerogative,  and  tliat 
pivct  on  which  his  fate  has  finally  to  turn,  to  delcrmine  his  "own 
choice,  and  to  choose  whom  he  will  obey,  and  that  in  this  light  God 
always  treats  with  men.    "Choose  ye  whom  ye  will  serve," 

Besides  ;  it  is  a  v,dld  notion  amongst  men,  that  to  will  the  thin;5- 
v,'hich  is  good,  is  a  spiritual  act,  or  the  act  of  some  nev/  spintnt>1 
power,  wiiereas  the  will  is  entirely  a  physical  power,  among  the  rest 
of  those  which  belorjg  to  the  physical  man,  and  to  will  the  thing 
which  is  good  is  no  more  a  spiritual  act,  than  to  will  tiie  thing  which 
is  evil  :  but- the  will  is  fixed  on  a  better  object.  But  the  act  is  as 
r-iuch  spiritual  in  the  one  case  as  in  the  other,  each  being  the  act  of  the 

G 


so  OF  THE  OFFERS 

iiitcllectual  and  rational  spirit.  Man  is  constitutionally  as  spiritual 
in  his  powerb  of  inind  belbre  he  believes  and  obeys  Christ  as  alter  ;  as 
much  so  as  he  has  any  occasion  to  be  ;  being  possessed  of  that  rati- 
onal spirit  with  which  God  indued  him  as  the  image  of  himself,  in- 
cluding all  these  intellectual  powers  in  their  proper  order,  v,hich  are 
capable  of  contemplating  and  being  exercised,  filled  and  made  happy 
in  divine  and  spiritual  thmgs.  These  are  the  powers, as  before  sta- 
ted, v/hich  capacitate  man  tor  moral,  and  I  may  add,  for  spiritual  a- 
j-;ency;  these  are  tliey  which  make  man  superior  to  the  irrational  ani- 
mals. Were  it  not  for  these,  the  irrational  ajiimals  could  contemplate, 
understand  and  enjoy  God,  in  the  spirit  in  as  superior  a  stile  as  man. 
But  the  work  of  the  gospel  is  to  gain  men  to  the  contemplation  and 
enjoyment  of  their  proper  clement  in  obedience  to  God,  and  when 
tills  work  is  effected  they  are  not  only  physical  but  spiritual.  Ac- 
cordingly a  natural  man,  carnal  and  sold  under  sin,  who  has  not  yet 
found  Christ  in  the  gospel,  may  have  a  will  to  do  good,  but  lack  the 
power  ;  "  To  will  is  present  with  me,  but  how  to  perform  that  which 
"  is  good  I  find  not ;  (Ro.  7.  10.)  but  he  finds  how  to  perform  by  tlic 
gospel,  which  fc»i!OWs  him  what  his  power  and  duty  are. 

\Vhen  people  pray  to  God,  that  he  would  give  them  wills  to  believe 
the  gospel,  or  to  believe  in  Christ,  or  to  keep  lus  commandments,  or 
whatever  is  necessary  or  desirable,  do  they  understand  themselves  ? 
Ye  ask  ye  kno-vj  not  what.  Do  such  people  expect  that  God  will 
give  them  other  Avills  besides  those  Avhich  they  have  ?  Or  Avhen  they 
look  to  God,  or  to  heaven,  as  they  speak,  for  wills,  what  do  they  mean? 
Do  they  expect  that  God  will  create  other  and  better  wills,  and  send 
to  them-  ?  If  the  will  be  a  physical  power  of  the  nund,  or  spirit,  it 
is  certain  that  every  man  is  furnished  with  that  faculty;  but  if  the  will 
be  not  a  physical  faculty  or  power  of  the  mind,  a  man  can,  in  his  best 
condition,  will  nothing,  either  good  or  evil :  What  thea  do  they  mean 
when  they  pray  for  wills  to  be  given  to  them?  Every  man  hath  his 
>vill,  or  faculty  so  called  from  its  appropriate  functions.  The  grand 
desideratum,  or  requisite,  is  the  gaining  cf  the  v/ill  to  the  right  object 
and  there  fixing  it.  To  accomplish  this  all  im]iortani  purpose,  the 
gospel  is  furnished  with  ample  means.  Instead,  therefore,  of  praying 
to  God  to  do  the  work,  true  wisdom  directs  all  who  hear  the  gospel^ 
to  attend  to  its  counsels,  and  hearken  to  God,  praying  and  beseeching 
them  to  give  him  their  hearts  and  wills,  and  be  reconciled  to  him;  or, 
which  is  the  same,  to  his  ministers  who  minister  in  the  beha.lf  of  God 
and  of  his  Son.  ''  Now  then,  we  are  embassadors  for  [on  the  behalf, 
«  or  instead  of]  Christ;  as  though  God  did  beseech  you  bij  us  ;  ive 
"  pray  you.,  hi  Christ'' s  stead.j^ov  on  the  behalf  of  Christ,]  be  yc  recon- 
('  died  to  God"  If  we  desire  God  to  hear  us,  let  us  hear  him  and 
instead  of  asking  him  to  give  us  wills,  hearts  and  dispositions  ;  let  all 
men  submit  to  God's  requests  to  them,  give  their  hearts  and  their 
wills  to  liini,  be  disposed  to  his  service,  be  ready  at  his  call, (all  wliich 
is  their  reasoriable  scr\'icc  and  his  reasonable  aequest,)  and  ail  will  be 
well.  And  the  gospel  is  tlie  repository  of  all  these  privileges,  to  be 
received  and  occupied  by  faith. — ■Thu'5  men  become  renewed  in  the 


OF   THE  GOSPEL.  Si 

i>/iirit  of  their  minds — 'Y/ius  God  giveth  the  new  heart  and  printcth 
his  laws  in  their  inward  flirts.     But  to  return  to  the  point  in  hand. 

It  is  also  granted,  that  faith  is  the  fiii-st  thing  requisite,  and  the  be- 
ginning of  all  the  recei\'ing  and  obeying  of  Christ  in  tlic  .gospel ;  that 
which  lays  the  foundation  of  justification  and  salvation  in  every 
one,  and  through  which  all  are  made  partakers  of  Christ.  It  Aviil 
hardly  be  disputed,  that  faith  in  the  -vvork  of  salvation  is  always  accom- 
panied and  made  perfect  by  v/orks  of  obedience.  "  For  in  Jesus 
"  Christ  neither  circumcission  availeth  any  thing,  nor  uncircumcissi- 
"  on  ;  but  faith  which  worketh  by  love."  "  Cii  ciimcission  is  nothing, 
"  and  uncircumcission  is  nothing,  but  tlie  keepuig  of  the  command - 
"  ments  of  God-"  "  Seest  thou  how  faith  wrought  with  his  v/orks, 
■*  and  by  works  Avas  faith  made  perfect?"  (Gal. 5.  6.  1.  Cor.  7.  19.  Ja. 
2.22.)  And  these  are  the  fair  and  equal  terms  on  wJiich  salvation 
by  the  gospel  is  offered,  these  are  the  proposals  M'ith  which  men  are 
called  and  recjuired  to  comply — IjelicA  ing  and  obeying.  This  is  the 
unalterable  decree  of  God,  that  i/e  that  heiievcth  and  is  bajitized 
shall  he  saved;  and  that,  He  that  belicveth  not  shall  be  damned  :  faith 
worketh  by  love  ;  and  as  many  as  are  baptized  iiito  Christ  have  put  on 
Christ ;  they  are  baptized  into  his  death,  and  are  dead  with  him,  and 
alive  \vith  him  to  God.  But  the  question  is,  arc  men  capable  of  be- 
lieving the  gospel  on  its  own  authority,  without  any  addidonai  aid  or 
-separate  and  previous  work  of  the  spirit  preparatory  to  their  believ- 
ing ?  Or  is  the  testimony  of  God  in  the  gospel  which  his  ministers 
preach  to  men  sufficient  to  beget  or  produce  faith  in  those  who  hear, 
without  such  previous,  preparatory  work? 

To  give  satisfaction  on  this  subject  let  it  be  considered,  that  if  men 
are  not  capable  of  believing  the  gospel  on  its  own  autliority,  orbytJje. 
testimony  of  God  init,  withovit  such  previous  Avork,  tho  gospe!  can  be 
of  no  service  to  men  in  the  state  of  nature,  to  open  their  eyes,  and  !•> 
turn  them  from  darkness  to  light,  and  from  the  povrer  of  satan  to 
God,  the  work  for  which  his  ministers  are  sent.  (Acts  26.  18.)  It  is 
therefore  no  more  the  power  of  God  to  salvation  ;  because  instead  of 
being  saved  by  th.e  gospel  and  through  faith,  they  are  saved  previ- 
eusly  to  the  knowledge  or  influence  of  either.  Or  if  it  be  argued  that 
this  previous  vrork  of  the  spirit  is  not  saving,  but  only  preparatory  to 
believing,  rendering  men  capable  of  believing,  it  still  renders  the  gr  • 
pel  ineffectual  until  that  work  is  done,  consequently,  the  preaching 
of  the  gospel  or  word  of  God,  is  no  longer  the  mean  of  fdith  ;  but 
faith  Cometh  by  hearing,  and  hearing  by  the  word  of  God  ;  if  men 
are  incapable  of  believmg  without  said  previous  work,~  they  are  no 
longer  guilty  by  not  believing  ;  for,  as  already  proved,  no  man  can 
}>e  jnstly  required  to  do  that  which  is  invincibly  out  of  liis  reach,  un- 
less in  the  case  of  wilfully  spending  his  power  by  some  wrong  con- 
duct, v.hich  could  not  be  the  case  here,  because  a  man  cannot  disbe- 
lieve the  gospel  until  he  hear  it  and  have  an  opportunity  of  believ- 
ing, and  there  is  no  promise  of  God  to  do  in  every  man  such  prepar- 
atory work,  or  to  enable  every  man  to  believe  :  and  if  that  work  be  nc- 
e-essaryj  and  yet  be  not  done,  in  every  Tiian,  those  who  never  receive  it 


52  OF  THE  OFFERS 

and  therefore  never  believe  or  obey,  are  clear.  Neither  can  their 
possibly  be  any  method  for  men  to  take,  to'  g-et  that  work  done  in 
them,  for  the  first  thing  is  to  believe,  and  Avhatsocver  is  not  of  fuith  is 
bin.  On  this  plan  therefore  of  a  necessarily  previous  work  of  the 
*«]-)irit,  before  believing,  how  nncandid  and  disingen\ious  is  that  saying 
of  C!ul!;t,  "He  that  bclicveth  not  is  condemned  already  ;  becaufie  he 
"/■a^A  ;'?o?  6r//(?-z;cf<;  in  the  only  begotten  Son  of  God."  But  let  God 
be  true  ;  but  every  man  a  liar  ;  and  so  remain,  ViUtil  he  come  to  the 
acknowledsrment  of  the  truth  of  God. 

I  speak  of  God  as  the  God  of  truth  who  cannot  Ije,  and  of  the  gos- 
pel and  its  proposals,  and  of  the  testimony  of  God  in  it,  as  being  all 
the  most  liberal  and  fair,  without  any  deception.  The  proposals  then 
are  plain  and  intelligible,  addressed  to  men's  understanding  and  rea- 
son, leaving  them  in  the  unmolested  right  and  prerogative,  to  act 
freely,  aiid  setiing  them,  in  that  respect,  on  just  and  equal  footing  with 
God,  because  he  giveth  to  alia  fair  opportunity  to  plead  their  cause. 
And  we  have  seen  clearly  enough,  that  there  is  no  other  plan  on 
which  God  can  be  just,  and  condemn  the  unbeliever. 

I  kiiovf  it  is  s6nnetimes  argued  that  God  can  do  with  men  what  he 
will,  dnd  that  he  hath  a  right  to  do  what  he  will  with  them.  But  in 
such  a  case  as  tliis  it  is  foolish  talking.  We  know  that  God  hatha 
right  to  do  what  he  will  with  his  creatures  ;  but  we  know  also,  that 
it  is  impossible  that  God  should  Avill  to  do  that  which  is  unjust,  un- 
fair, or  unreasonable.  It  is  impossible  that  he  should  propose  to 
raen  a  plan  for  their  salvation,  in  their  own  language,  in  plam  in- 
telligible terms,  consistent  with  the  understanding  and  reason  of  men, 
and  yet  the  pivot  on  which  their  salvation  is  to  turn  be  kept  out  of 
tli'lir  sight  or  reach;  and  then  condemn  them  on  the  principle  of  not 
complying.  God  hath  therefore  no  right  to  do  that  which  is  unjust 
with  his  creatui'es ;  or  to  propose  to  them  salvation  on  terms  appar- 
ently fair  ana  equal,  and  adapted  in  all  things  to  their  condition,  when 
radically,  and  by  some  unknown  prerequisite,  and  unattainable  by 
them,  they  are  out  of  their  reach:  God  who  camiot  lie,  neither  caq 
he  do  unjustly,  '^God  is  not  a  man  that  he  should  lie  ;  neither  the  son 
"  of  man  that  he  should  repent:  hath  he  said  and  shall  he  not  do  it?  or 
"  hath  he  spoken,  and  shall  he  notmsike  it  good."(Num.  23.  19.) 

It  is  probably  time  to  remove  another  shelter  of  the  enemy  in  souls 
who  are  bound  under  sin — agrievous  difficulty.  Alan  is  fallen  and 
corrupted,  his  mind  and  conscience  defiled,  hence  it  is  argued  tiiat 
his  reason  is  unsafe,  and  it  is  dangerous  to  appeal  to  it  in  the  things 
pertaining  to  the  work  cf  God,  or  his  dealiiigs  with  men  for  their  sal- 
vation. And  so  far  is  this  carried  by  some,  that  when  they  are  com- 
pletely run  aground  in  argument,  they  will  ward  "ofF  conviction  by 
}>Iedd(ng  that  men's  reason  is  unsafe,  and  we  may  be  mistaken.  Now 
Ictitbeconsidered  to  what  this  kind  of  reaspning  would  lead.  (For 
such  count  it  good  reasoning.^  If  man's  reason  is  so  subverted  and 
unsafe  that  he  cannot  reason  safely,  Avhat  is  the  use  of  offering  him 
such  an  argument,  for  how  shall  he  knov/  whetlicr  it  is  right  or  wrong, 
jn'ot  or  unjust  ?  Uae  argument  overthrows  itself.     If  man  cannot  rea- 


t)F  THE  GOSPEL.  53 

soti  safely,  what  is  the  use  of  offering  him  any  argument  or  of  u^ing 
means  for  lus  conviction  ?  And  wherein  is  tiie  propriety  of  God's  ad- 
dressing the  reason  and  conscience  of  men  in  all  his  dealings  with 
them  ?  If  there  be  in  man,  no  certain  receptacle  of  evidence,  no  cri- 
terion of  truth,  no  intellectual  powers  capable  of  examining  jmcl  de- 
ciding on  genuine  faith  in  God  or  any  other  truth  ;  for  faith  is  con- 
viction, the  fi'uit  of  eviderice.  On  that  plan  all  elx!ea^'ors  to  convince 
men  of  the  truth,  are  void  ;  and  all  the  pungent  arguments  of  tiic  a- 
postles  and  ministers  of  Christ  are  a  blank,  a  mere  affectation.  How 
do  men  come  to  believe  that  God  is  ?  or  that  Christ  is  ?  or  that  there 
is  such  a  town  in  China  as  Pekin,  who  never  saw  that  place  ?  They 
all  believe  it  by  evidence,  and  there  is  no  uncertainty  or  doubt  in  the 
case.  V^ut  God,  before  whose  eyes  all  thhigs  are  naked  and  bare 
and  who  knows  men  in  every  part, by  his  dealings  with  them  proves  to 
full  evidence,  that  reason  in  man  is  the  very  same  as  iii  himself ;  and, 
that  man  is  capable  of  being  informed  and  convinced  of  what  is  right 
and  what  is  wrong,  by  the  same  reasons  which  appear  just  to  him. 
Witness  Abraham ;  Wil(  thou  also  destroy  the  rightCGzis  with  the 
ivicked  ?  Shall  not  the  Judge  of  all  the  earth  do  right?  (Gen.  20. 
1 1,  &c.)  and  God  agreed  to  his  reasoning.  And  so  it  is  found  'v\  eve- 
ry case,  that  good  reason  to  men  is  good  reason  to  God,  provided  the 
intellectual  and  reasoning  powers  of  men  are  devested  of  prejudice 
and  left  to  their  proper  operations.  Thus  the  reason  of  mun  tells  him 
that  it  is  wrong  topur.ish  a  just  man  ;  that  it  is  duty  to  relieve  the  dis- 
tressed ;  to  render  to  man  his  due,  and  to  wordiip  God.  In  ail 
■which,  and  a  multitude  of  other  cases,  the  sameness  of  reason,  as  it 
exists  in  God  and  in  man,  is  evident. 

All  this  however  is  not  intended  to  argue  that  the  imderstanding, 
knowledge  and  reasoning  powers  of  man  are  equal  to  those  of  God- 
Man  is  limited  to  his  OAvn  sphere  ;  but  as  far  as  man's  reason  is  in- 
formed of  the  nature  of  things,  its  decisions  accord  with  the  mind  of 
God.  And  it  cannot  otherwise  be,  because  the  reasoning  powers*  in 
man  came  from  God,  as  his  ofispring,  and  are  the  patterns  of  his  oA\-n. 
Hence  it  is  that  a  man  feels  guilty  for  doing  those  things  v/hich  God 
hatli  forbidden,  because  he  is  convinced  in  his  heart  that  God's  re- 
quisitions are  fair  and  bis  prohibitions  just  ;  for  until  this  is  his  con- 
viction, he  feels  himself  under  no  burden  of  guilt.  And  many  things 
are  required  by  God,  and  many  disapproved,  of  which  man  has  no 
knowledge  until  informed  ;  but  when  informed,  and  the  reasons 
shown  him,  his  reason  acknowledges  their  propriety  on  the  one  hand 
and  their  impropriety  on  the  other.  It  is  also  according  to  reason 
in  God  and  in  man,  that  man  should  submit  to  what  God  requires  in 
those  things  which  he  cannot  wholly  comprehend,  because  he  be- 
lieves God  is  the  gi,;catest,  best  and  wisest  judge.  On  the  whole,  it 
is  evidently  safe  t(T4ddres3  the  reason  of  men  for  their  information 
and  conviction  in  the  things  partaining  to  God  and  salvation,  and  im- 
proper to  reject  reason  \\\  maintaining  any  sentiment  or  practice. 

But  the  ground  en  which  men's  reasonings  are  unsafe  and  pre- 
posterous, is  their  reasoning  from  their  feelings  and  passions,  accord- 


i?4  OF  THE  OFFERS 

ing  to  fallen  nature  in  its  corrupt  state,  beijig  governed  by  these 
themselves,  and  I'cquiring  God's  works  and  judgments  to  be  subject 
to  the  same,  that  their  own  will  may  be  done  mstead  of  the  will  of 
God.  But  to  submit  to  right  reason,  as  it  obtains  m  the  true  order 
of  man's  mind,  addressed  by  the  revelation  of  God,  is  no  other  than 
to  submit  to  the  will  of  God. 

IMany  indeed  speak  scornfully  of  appealing  to  the  rationality  of 
men,  and  especially  in  the  unregenerate  and  unbelieving,  fen-  the  con- 
sistency and  propiicty  of  the  gospel  testimony.  But  it  might  be  ask- 
ed, with  what  propriety  would  the  gospel  be  preached  to  the  world 
of  unbelievers,  if  that  opinion  were  patronised  by  its  advocates,  that 
it  is  inconsistent  with  reason  ?  Could  that  which  is  unreasonable  be 
recommended  to  mankind  for  their  acceptance  ?  Although  tlie  gos- 
pel could  not  have  been  contrived  by  the  i-eason  of  men,  but  bv  the 
revelation  of  God,  and  is  not  to  be  taught  in  the  wisdom  of  men,  nor 
in  the  words  of  their  wisdom,  but  in  the  wisdom  and  words  of  the  Ho-- 
ly  Spirit,  yet  when  taught,  it  is  congenial  with  the  reason  of  men,  and 
calculated  to  gain  their  consent  to  its  truth.  Ajid  this  agreement  of 
the  gospel  testimony  vviththe  rationality  in  man,  shows  the  source  of 
that  rationality,  and  that  it  is  the  same  in  men  as  in  God,  consequent- 
ly, that  men  arc  not  deceived  in  receiving  that  for  the  true  gospel 
v/hich  is  according  to  right  reason-  It  also  shows  that  we  are  not 
wrong  in  appealinp;  to  the  rationality  of  man  in  conjunction  with  tlie 
revelation  of  God  for  the  trial  of  sentiments,  and  expecting  to  demon- 
strate the  true  judgment  of  God  in  so  doing.  God  doth  not  require 
men  to  worship  him  in  uncertainty,  or  without  reason,  but  with  the 
spirit  and  with  the  understanding.  (Cbr.  14.  15.) 

Now  to  pursue  the  inquiry.  Whether  men  are  ca/iable  of  believing 
the  gospel  on  its  oivn  authority^  or  the  authority  of  the  testimony  of 
God  therein^  without  additional  aid,  or  any  previous  internal  and  di- 
rect operation  of  the  spirit,  preparatory  to  believing,  the  position  may 
be  renewed,  Thatifth.ey  are  not^  they  cannot  be  guilty  for  not  be- 
lieving. For  the  only  foundation  of  guilt  in  man  is  his  transgressing 
against  knoAvleoge  and  pov/cr.  The  man  who  has  done  wrong  and 
knows  he  ought  and  could  have  done  better,  is  subject  to  guilt,  and 
none  else.  Who  feels  guilty  in  doing  the  best  he  knows  and  has  powr 
er  to  do  ?  And  who  can  viob.te  knowledge  and  power,  and  feel  in- 
nocent ? 

I  will  not  deny,  that  people  may  feel  in  great  disti'css  on  account 
of  failing  in  their  duty,  when  they  know  not  how  to  perform  it,  neither 
believe  they  are  able,  through  the  teaching  of  false  guides.  '  The 
opinion  may  also  be  palmed  upon  them,  that  they  are  guilty  ;  but  the 
conscientious  feeling  of  guilt  is  out  of  the  question,  any  father  than 
the  mind  is  convinced  of  the  propriety  of  the  duty,  and  of  its  practica- 
bility. Thus  many  public  preachers  urge  the  necessity  and  duty  of 
believing  in  Christ  for  salvation,  as  the  nine  qua  non,  or  one  thing 
needful,  of  every  man's  acceptance  ;  and  at  the  same  time  maintain 
that  no  man  can  believe  as  the  gospel  requircth,  until  God  lend  his 
aid  and  do  thst  work  iii  him  which  none  else  can  do  ;  and,  prcpostcr- 


OF  THE  GOSPEL.  55 

ously  enough  to  be  sure,  presume  to  charge  the  guilty  culprit  with 
the  enormous  crime  of  rejecting  Christ,  crucifying  the  Son  of  God, 
tramplmg  him  under  his  feet,  counting  the  blood  of  the  covenant, 
wherewith  he  was  sanctified  an  unholy  thiiig,  and  doing  despite  to  the 
Spirit  of  grace.  And  all  this  atrocious  crimii:iality  is  for  not  comply- 
ing with  an  impossibility  ;  for  God  hath  not  yet  Avrought  in  them  the 
indispensible,  preparatory  work.  Thus  have  multitudes  been  bcateu 
and  ground,  as  it  were,  between  tv/o  milstoncs,  surrounded  with  the 
terrors  of  death  and  the  forebodings  of  eternal  vengeanc,  by  those 
who  pretend  to  be  preachers  of  the  true  gospel,  sent  of  God,  to  turn 
sinners  from  darknss  to  light,  and  none  of  thcni  could  tell  one  soul 
the  wav,  so  that  he  could  surelv  find  it.  Blind  guides  leading  the 
blind.  ' 

But  such  will  object,  that  this  statement  is  ungenerous  ;  that  they 
do  not  teach  that  men  are  criminated  or  condemned  for  not  complying 
with  an  impossibility,  but  for  not  complying  with  tlicir  ob\  ious  duty  ; 
which,  is  in  the  first  place,  to  believe  in  Jesus  Christ  as  he  is  ofiered 
ill  the  gospel,  and  then  God  would  set  them  on  safe  ground,  and  sup- 
ply them  M'ith  every  needful  aid  to  perform  all  the  rest.  But  even 
after  men  are  convinced  of  the  truth  of  the  gospel  and  the  propriety 
and  duty  of  believing  in  Christ,  can  they  comply  with  this  duty,  until 
God  do  that  acTditional,  previous  work?  No  matter  v/hattliat  work  is 
called.  Some  call  it  irgejiei-at ion,  some  itht?iih!alion,  and  some,  t/ie 
g/c'/?;_§-  q/'a  new  princijile  of  sjiifitiud  life.  But  is  it  possibl-e  for  them 
to  comply  without  it,  or  before  it  is  wrought?  The  answer  is  nega- 
tive. How  then  are  they  guilty,  if  they  would  call  on  him  and  suljmit 
to  his  liand?  "  For  Avhosoever  shall  call  on  the  name  of  the  Lord  shall 
"  be  saved.  But  how  shall  they  call  on  him  in  whom  tl\cy  have  not 
"  believed?"  or  how  shall  they  submit  to  him  in  whom  they  have  no 
faith  ?  "  And  without  faith  it  is  impossible  to  please  him,  for  he  that 
"  Cometh  to  God  must  believe  that  he  is,  and  that  he  is  the  rcvrardcr 
"of  them  that  diligently  seek  him."  (Heb.  1 1 .  6.)So  that  faith,  accord- 
ing to  the  scriptures,  and  according  to  the  acknowledgement  of  those 
preachers,  is  the  first  point  to  be  gained  towards  acceptance ;  for 
whatsoever  is  not  of  faith  is  sin,  and  if  faith  is  out  of  man's  reach,  be- 
fore such  additional,  or  previous  work,  men  are  left  where  they  were, 
to  be  condemned  for  not  complying  with  an  impossibility.  It  is  vanity 
to  plead,  it  is  not  an  impossibility,  because  the  things  which  are  not 
possible  with  men  are  possible  with  God  ;  and  that  although  men  can- 
not believe  of  themselves,  (as  t'hey  term  it,)  that  therefore  believing  is 
not  their  reasonable  duty,  for  there  is  possibility  and  power  in  God  for 
them  to  believe,  and  they  ought  to  come  to  God,  and  he  would  afford 
them  help  :  he  hath  given  full  authority.  But  he  that  cometh  to  God 
must  believe.  The  good  and  gracious  physician  has  infallible  me- 
dccine  in  plenty,  and  li,e  will  give  it  to  the  sick  man,  if  he  will  only 
just  get  Tjell^  take  it.,  and  use  it!!.  "But  he  that  belicveth  not  is  con- 
"  demned  already  ;  because  he  hath  not  believed  iii  the  name  of  the 
•'Son  of  God."  Why  condemned  for  not  beleving  ?  Because  it  is 
his  privilege  to  believe  ;  not  of  liimselfj  as  the  blind  object,  who  can- 


5S  OF  THE  OFFERS 

not  discern  the  difference  between  a  man^s  believing  of  himself,  or  oa 
his  own  authority,  and  his  believing  on  the  authority  of  God,  proclaim- 
ed in  the  gospel. 

But  if  the  testimony  of  God,  promulgated  m  the  gospel,  be  not 
sufficient  authority  for  men  to  believe,  or  if  they  cannot  believe,  with- 
out some  additional  authority  or  poAver,  hoAV  are  they  condemned  for 
not  believing  ?  Would  it  not  be  unjust  in  ,God,  to  make  such  pro- 
posals of  eternal  life  to  men,  so  encouraging  and  unreserved,  on  the 
reasonable  terras  of  believing  and  obeying,  if  these  te'ms  are  out  of 
the  reach  of  those  to  whom  these  offers  are  made  ?  Arfe  not  ail 
these  offers  a  specious  parade,  unworthy  of  the  character  of  the  Cre- 
ator and  Judge  of  all  inen  ?  Would  it  not  be  cruel  and  unjust  in  a 
j>hysician  to  offer  a  sick  man  relief,  and  hold  out  the  most  flattering 
encouragements  of  life,  but  have  the  matter  covertly  depending  on 
such  conditions  that  a  compliance  would  be  impracticable  ?  Would 
not  every  one  cry  out  against  him,  as  being  ungenerous  and 
wicked  ?  How  ungenerously  then,  must  such  a  representation  of 
God's  dealings  with  men,  tarnish  the  glory  of  his  character  ?  What  ? 
is  God  more  unjust  than  man?  Or  shall  that  be  fabricated  on  God, 
with  impunity,  which  would  ruin  the  character  of  a  man  ?  But  God, 
say  they,  hath  a  right  to  do  what  he  will  with  bis  creatures,  and  to 
treat  them  as  seemeth  good  to  him.  I  have  already  proved  that  no- 
tion to  be  falsely  applied  in  such  matters  as  these  :  it  is  an  evasion  of 
the  devil,to  injure  the  souls  of  men.  God  hath  no  right,neither  doth  he 
claim  any,  to  make  specious  proposals  of  mercy  to  his  creatures, 
under  the  mask  of  their  being  true,  and  then  not  verify  his  sayings  : 
"  Hath  he  spoken,  and  shall  he  not  make  it  good  ? 

Yea,  but  say  some,  God  is  just  arid  his  character  unstained,  tloe  fair 
offers  of  tii.e  gospel  and  man's  inability  to  bel'eve,  notvfithstandingj 
because,  although  they  have  now  no  power  to  believe,  or  at  all  to 
comply  with  the  terms  of  the  gospel,  they  once  had  power  when  God 
first  created  them,  which  power  they  have  now  lost  by  the  fall  and 
the  consequent  sins ;  it  is,  therefore,  just  in  God,  to  offer  them  salva- 
tion on  such  terms  as  are  out  of  their  reach,  and  require  them  to 
comply,  with  the  awful  sanction  of  more  aggravated  guilt  than  if 
they  liad  never  heard,  and  so  leave  them  without  excuse,  because 
thcj^have  wasted  the  power  which  they  had.  He  is  therefore  at  full 
liberty  to  select  whom  he  will  as  the  election  of  his  grace,  and  mi- 
nister to  them,  as  the  special  objects  of  Ins  favor,  all  needed  aid,  and 
leave  the  rest  without  that  aid,  to  perish  in  their  unbelief,  adding  to 
ail  their  other  sins  the  sin  of  rejecting  and  dcspisuig  Christ.  Many 
are  the  subterfuges  of  the  carnal  niind,  to  escape  the  force  of  truth, 
and  many  the  ungenerous  charges  which  are  palmed  on  the  charac- 
ter of  the  righteous  God,  but  none  more  heinous  than  this.  It  is 
common  for  those  who  love  their  own  ease  and  disobedience,  to  roll 
over  their  own  sin  and  that  of  others,  on  God.  The  subject  however 
is  worthy  of  a  fair  examinat,icn. 

And  in  the  first  place,  let  it  be  enquired  to  whom  is  the  gospCl 
^nt?     Toman,  it  will  be  granted  J  Go  rcac/!fi/^  nations.      In  wha.t 


OF  THE  GOSPEL.  57 

state?  as  being  sinners  or  as  being  holy  as  they  were  before  the  fall? 
Not  as  holy,  but  sinnei-s  who  were  ruined  by  the  fall  before  the  gos- 
pel was  sent.  '•^They  that  are  tvliole  need  not  a  fi/njsiciaji;  diet  tiiey 
"  that  are  sick.  I  came  not  to  call  the  righteous^  but  isinncrs^  to  refien- 
"to«c(?."(Luk.  5,  3i,  32.)  "For  the  love  of  Christ  constrainetli  us, 
^'because  we  thus  judge,  that  if  one  died  for  all,  then  were  all  dead.'* 
(2.  Cor.  5.  14.)  "  But  God  hath  commended  his  love  towards  us,  in 
"  that  while  we  weie  yet  sinners,  Christ  died  for  us."  The  gospel 
therefore  in  its iirst  proposals,  its  first  mission  into  the  world,  in  th.c 
whole  commission  of  Christ  and  his  ministers,  hath  respect  to  men  ui 
their  fallen  state,  to  open  their  eyes,  and  to  turn  them  from  darkness 
to  light,  and  from  the  power  ofsata.n  to  God,  tliat  they  may  receive 
forgivenessof  sins,  and  inheritance  among  them  that  are  sanctified  bv 
faith  towards  God.  The  gospel  then  is  professedly  for  the  purpG:,u 
of  recovering-  and  saving  men  to  whoin  it  is  sent,  from  all  the  effceL^. 
of  the  fall.  As  said  the  angel,  "  And  thou  shalt  call  his  name  Ji;3i>s, 
"  for  he  shall  save  his  people  from  their  sins."  (Matt.  1.  21.)  and 
John  the  baptist,  "Behold  the  I-amb  of  God  which  taketh  away 
"  the  sin  of  the  world."  Jno.  1.  20.)  *'For  when  we  were  ycc  witu- 
''  out  strength  in  due  time  Christ  died  for  the  rnigodly.  For  scarcely 
"  for  a  righteous  man  will  one  die  ;  yet  peradventure  for  a  good  man 
"  some  would  even  dure  to  die.  But  God  commendeth  his  love  to- 
"  ward  us,  in  that  xvhile  we  were  yet  siimers  Christ  died  for  us."  (Ko. 
5.  6.  Sec.)  But  it  is  needless  to  multiply  scriptui'cs  ;  it  is  sufficiently 
plain  that  the  gospel  is  sent  on  purpose  for  the  recovery  and  salva- 
tion of  those  who  have  suffered  the  effects  of  the  fall,  and  it  comes  to 
them  with  most  unreserved  and  flattering  proposals,  that  vj/iasoever 
will  may  be  saved.  It  is  therefore  impossible  in  the  nature  of  things, 
that  any  man  can  have  lost  any  power  or  capability  of  believing  and 
obeying  the  gospel,  or  any  qualification  for  being  saved  by  it,  which 
he  had  when  it  was  sent  to  him,  until  he  hath  heard  it  and  proved  its 
influence  on  him.  And  as  long  as  the  gospel  is  in  his  offer  with  the 
same  proposals,  it  will  remain  m  the  same  unreserved  liberaiitv,  and 
his  access  to  its  salvation  be  as  free  as  to  the  streams  of  water,  unless 
he  waste  his  own  power  and  day  of  his  vi.sitation  by  disobedience  :  ha 
%vill  then  be  self-condemned  and  know  for  wliat. 

But  to  suppose  or  plead  that  the  truth  and  justice  of  God  are  vin- 
dicated, in  proposing  such  equitable  and  apparently  practicable 
terms  in  the  gospel,  Avhile  secretly  depending  on  a  power  out  of 
man's  reach  or  disposal,- by  urging  or  intimating  that  man  lost  his 
power  to  believe  and  obey,  or  forfeited  his  right  to  divine  aid  by  the 
fall,  and  that  therefore  God  hath  a  right  to  deliver  whom  he  will  and 
to  leave  the  rest  to  perish,  chargeable  with  the  sin  of  unbelief  and 
disobedience,  is  so  far  from  exculpating  the  character  of  God,  that 
it  accuses  and  criminates  him  before  the  bar  of  reason  and  common 
sense,  which  he  himself  hath  created  in  every  man's  breast.  As  if  a 
physician  should  come  to  a  sick  man,  who  had  gone  into  the  water 
after  being  warned  against  it,  and  brought  on  himself  an  attack  of  the 
pleurisy,  and  propose  on  veiy  flattering  terms  to  cure  hiui  of  b.iz  dis- 

H 


■ri  OF  THE  OITERS 

fa.se,  by  '^vhicli  lie  had  Leen  seized  ihrcii.fjh  his  intemperance  ;  {crm.'J 
i-pparcntly  easy  to  be  qomplied  ^vith,  but  on  account  of  somet])ing  co- 
vcve«f  under  an  occult  resbrve  in  his  mind,  or  Avithheld  in  time  of 
need,  the  man  is  unable  to  receive  the  cuie,  but  rendered  more  mi- 
Eerable  by  hearing  the  news,  while  doing  the  best  he  can.  The  phy- 
sician then  replies,  in  person  or  by  his  abettors,  that  it  is  just  he  should 
die  of  his  disease^  because  he  destroyed  his  health  by  going  into  the 
loater  ;  and  yet  the  doctor  knew  all  this  before,  and  proposedly  un- 
dertook to  recover  him  Irorn  the  efteets  oi  his  transgression.  Would 
this  argument  exculpate  the  doctor  in  tlic  judgment  of  charity,  rea- 
son or  comnion  sense  ?  Would  not  rather  ev  ery  man  condemn  him 
as  a  traitor,  unv/iiling  or  unable  to  cure  the  man,  but  taking  pleasure 
in  his  misery  ?  Thus  God  is  unjustly  charged  with  mocking  the  mi- 
scries  of  men,  by  offering  tliem  salvation  on  equal  terms,  suited  to 
their  condition,  and  then  withholding  the  necessary  aid  to  complete 
the  pjan,  after  having  declared  it  already  sufficient. 

There  seems  to  have  been  a  proverb  in  Israel,  that  The  father.? 
have  eaten  soar  grajies  and  the  c/iildren's  teeth  are  set  on  crt'^-"*?,  indi- 
cating their  belief,  that  the  children  were  suffering  fcr  their  fathers' 
deeds,  '^ut  this  Avas  an  unjust  proverb,  and  the  Loim  reproved  it 
saying ;  "What  mean  ye  that  ye  use  this  proverb  concerning  tlie  land 
"  orisracl  ?  Behold,  all  souls  are  mine  ;  as  the  soul  of  the  father,  so 
«  also  the  soul  of  the  son  is  mine  :  the  soul  that  sinneth  it  shall  die." 
Audit  was  ordained  by  the  law  of  Moses  ;  "The  fathers  shall  not  be 
'^  put  to  death  for  the  children,  neither  shall  the  children  be  put  to 
"  death  for  the  fathers  :  every  man  shall  be  put  to  death  for  his  own 
"  sin."  (Ezek.  18.  2.  &c.  Deut.  24.  16.)  And  if  under  the  law,  sure- 
ly no  less  under  the  gcspel,  the  soul  that  sinneth  shall  die,  each  one 
for  his  ov/n  sin,  and  not  the  sin  of  his  father  ;  and  the  just  shall  live  by 
his  faith  and  in  his  obedience.  We  need  not  deny  that  by  one  man 
sin  entered  into  the  world  and  death  by  sin  ;  and  so  death  passed  up^on 
ail  men, for  that  all  have  sinned.  But  I  am  no  more  personally  guilty 
by  Adam'stransgression,withoutmy  own  acls,  than  by  his  being  cre- 
ated innocent.  If  death  has  passed  upon  alt  men,  it  is  plain  enough 
hov/  it  co.me  so  to  do  ;  becaitse  all  have  sinned.  Neither  is  it  rny  more 
positive  sin  in  me  to  have  been  born  in  a  corrupt  and  fallen  nature,  and 
thereby  in  a  state  of  the  deepest  depravity,  than  to  have  been  born 
in  a  state  of  purity.  My  sin,  and  tlie  sin  of  every  other  man  av.d  wo- 
man, is  yielding  to  temptation. 

Mankind,  it  is  true,  are  by  the  fall  corrupted  as  coming  from  a 
corrupt  source,  and  therefore  more  easily  incliued  to  evil  than  to 
good  ;  the  current  of  their  nature  is  evil  ;  so  manifestly  do  the  effects 
of  the  fall  appear  in  them  according  to  what  is  written,  that  '■'■By  one 
"  7nan  .-lin  en-tered  mto  the  nvorld  aa<l  death  by  sir.  and  so  death  passed 
"  upon^all  men,  for  that  all  have  sinned,"  aixl  that".9y  onejnan's  diso- 
'■^hi'dicncc  many  were  made  sinners'*  For  '■'■IV/io  can  bring  a  clean 
"  thing  out  of  an  tmclean?  XBehold,  I  wasshapcn  in  iniquity  ;  and  in 
"  sill  did  my  mother  conceive  inc"  [in  lust  of  coition.  Heb.  by  a 
work  in  wliich  God  is  not  known,  and  iinvliich  he   hatfe  no  place  or 


OF  THE  GOSPEL.  :~y 

•i 

part, having  been  cxcludecHVom  the. bcginintj.  Ro.  5.  12,  19.  Job. 
i  4.  4.  Psms.  51.  5.]  But  ali  these  things  prove  no  actual  or  posiiivc 
sin  without  the  actions  which  are  the  fruits  of  this  fallen  nature,  ''Then 
"  when  lust  hath  conceived,  it  biingcth  forth  sin,  and  sin,  when  it  H 
"  finished  briugeth  forth  death."  (Ja.  1.  15.)  A  man  therefore  dies 
for  his  own  sins.  Every  man  has  to  give  an  account  of  hiniscif,  but 
none  of  his  father;  it  is  therefore  impossible  that  God  should  chaige 
a  man  with  the  sin  of  his  father  Adam,  so  as  to  withhold  f;  oni  him 
the  benefits  of  the  gospel  or  an}'  thing  belonging  thereto,  or  to  distin.- 
guisli  one  from  another  M'ithout  j-espect  to  their  works. 

The  very  popular  argunient  of  long  standing,  that  Adam  vras  the 
head  and  representative  of  the  human  race,  whether  it  be  said  nAtu- 
ral,  legal  or  federal,  and  that  by  his  representation  or  headship,  tliey 
became  criminated,  is  too  absurd  and  preposterous  to  obtain  in  the 
mind  of  any  reflecting  and  consistent  man.  As  ^#^.11  might  the  citi- 
zens of  America  be  criminated  Avith  the  legislative  acts  of  their  repre- 
sentatives v/ho  guaranty  the  practice  of  negro  slavery.  But  eveiy 
man  who  from  a  real  principle  of  equity  towards  God  and  his  feliov/ 
men,  keeps  his  hands  clean  fi'om  the  execrated  practice,  and  his 
heart  and  tongue  free,  by  holding  no  fellowship  with  It,  but  rather 
reproving  it,  is  personally  innocent  from  the  criminality  of  those  ini- 
quitous acts.  Notv.-ithstanding  ;  being  a  member  of  the  community 
he  may  for  a  time  be  subjected,  though, guiltless,  to  many  of  th'e  in- 
conveniencies  and  distresses  wb.ich  result  from  those  laws.  And 
many  who  are  by  nature,  or  from  infancy,  as  it  were  imbued  in  the, 
principles  and  spirit  of  slavery,  naturally  run  mto  the  same  unright- 
eous practice,  and  so,  especially  after  being  tatight  better  things,  be- 
come more  or  less  guilty  of  the  deeds  of  their  fathers  or  representa- 
tives, by  doing  the  same  things.  So  Adam,  being  the  natural  head 
of  Ms  posterity,  by  ordinary  generation,  hath  imbued  and  iniiiatcd 
them  all  into  the  nature  of  iniquity,  and  they  by  doing  the  same  deeds 
and  otiicrs  of  the  same  nature,  aitti-^io  taking  part  with  their  father's 
iniquity,  and  especially  after  being  informed  that  these  things  are 
wrong,  became  guilty  with  him  ;  ylnd  so  death  passed  upon  all  men. 
for  that,  all  have  sinned.  Truly  ye  bear  ivitness  that  yc  allotv  the 
deeds  of  ijoHjV fathers.  But  as  they  who  keep  themselves  clear  of  the 
practice  and  positive  iniquity  of  slavery,  being  of  the  community 
W'here  the  evil  obtains,  may  suffer  many  temporary  evils  Avbich  re- 
sult from  it,  so  the  posterity  of  Adam  v^ho  never  committed  actual 
ein,  and  are  therefore  not  guilty,  suffer  some  of  the  evil  cflccts  cf  his 
in.  "  For  until  the  law  sin  was  in  the  world  :  but  sin  is  not  impu- 
'•  ted  where  there  is  no  law.  JVcverthelcss,  death  rergnedfrom  jldam 
"  to  Moses.,  even  over  them  that  had  not  sinned  after  the  similitude  of 
"  Adaiii's  traiisgi-essinn."  (Ro.  5.  13,  14.) 

But  this  is  not  to  prevent  them  from  salvation  by  the  gospel,  fojL- 
il  is  sent  to  save  from  the  sin  of  Adam  and  all  its  branches,  all  thosf( 
^^^ho  believe  and  obey.  "  For  as  by  one  man'.s  disobedience  many 
*' were  made  pinners,  (disobeying  in  his  nat tire  and  after  his  exam- 
]ple  ]f'jr  that  all  have  sinned,)  so  by  the  obedience  of  one  s>ha!l  many 


60  OF  THE  OFFERS 

"  be  made  rigliteous."  (Even  all  those  v/ho  obey  as  he  did  after  his 
example  and  in  his  sph'it ;  For  if  any  wan  have  not  the  sfiirit  of 
Christ  he  is  none  of  his  ;  and  He  that  doeth  righteousness  is  rig-ht- 
cous  e-uen  as  he  is  righteous  :  on  the  very  same  principle.) 

As  for  the  more  modern  argument  that  as  Levi  paid  tithes  in  Abra- 
ham, so  Adam's  posterity  sinned  in  him,  it  utterly  disannulls  all  charge 
of  guilt  against  Aaain's  posterity  ;  (otherwise  than  as  stated  above  ;) 
neither  does  it  even  p/ove  or  exemplify  the  nature  of  sin  communi- 
cated from  Adam  to  his  posterity,  much  less  any  personal  or  real 
jjuilt.  For  it  ia  evident  that  Levi  did  not  actually  or  really  pay  ^^ithes 
in  Abraham,  neither  did  Abraham's  paying  of  tithes  communicate 
any  disposition  to  Levi  to  do  the  same,  as  Adam's  transgression  did, 
by  giving  inifjuity  the  prevalence  in  nature,  to  his  children.  The 
apcstlc  in  showing  tlie  superiority  of  the  priesthood  of  Christ,  who 
was  made  priest  a-ttr  the  order  of  Melchizedec,  over  that  of  Livi  of 
the  seed  of  Abraham,  hath  this  language,  which  is  evidently  metapho- 
rical. "  And,  OS  I  may  so  say,  Levi  also  who  rcceiveth  tithes,  paid 
•'  tithes  in  Abraham.  For  he  M'asyet  in  the  loins  of  his  father  when 
*' Melchizedec  met  him."  (Heb.  7.9,  10.)  If  therefore  it  be  asked, 
'•'•  Must  I  believe  that  Levi  paid  tithes  in  the  loins  of  Abraham,  and 
*'  yet  deny,  that  mankind  rendered  disoljcdience  unto  God  in  Adam 
when  he  violated  the  law  of  God  ?"  It  is  easy  to  reply.  Thou  art 
not  obliged  to  believe  either  the  one  or  the  other,  because  revelation 
iuth  taught  neither:  unless  by  mankind  be  meant  the  first  parents 
only,  or  by  disobedience  l)e  mc^nt  the  I'eceiving  of  a  sinful  disposition 
in  nature,  as  stated  above. 

It  is  nevertheless  true,  that  as  certainly  as  Adam's  seed,  had  he 
kept  covenant  with  God,  as  their  proper  father  and  head,  would  ,have 
inhciited  the  blessing  as  their  legal  and  proper  inheritance,  legally 
descending  to  them  by  their  keeping  the  covenant  of  God  with  him, 
(for  if  the  heirs  violate  the  law  or  covenant  of  their  father  they  for- 
feit their  right  of  inheritance,)  so  eertainly  and  ecjuitably,  %vhen  he 
broke  the  covenaiit,  they  lost  the  whole,  together  with  him.  For 
when  the  father,  or  representative  in  covenant,  forfeitstheright  of  in- 
heritance, or  barters  it  away,  in  his  lifetime,  the  heirs  are  disinherit* 
ed  of  course.  Yet  they  are  not  guilty  of  their  fathers  deeds,  unless 
they  m.ake  them  theirs  by  approving  or  doing  the  same.  And  when 
Adam  fell,  his  posterity,  in  that  character  and  standing,  were  put 
past  recovery.  No  hope  i-emained  of  their  ever  coming  to  the  tree 
of  life,  unless  by  becoming  the  heirs  of  another  covenant  head,  the  chil- 
dren of  another  parentage.  This  parentage  with  the  right  of  inhe- 
ritance is  found  in  good  order  and  safe  standmg  in  Christ  ;  to  whom 
lost  men  become  united  by  faith,  and  keep  covenant  together  with 
him,  and  by  liis  grace,  who  hath  kept  it  safely  on  their  behalf.  For 
as  he  hath  kept  the  covenant  witliout  a  flaw,  the  inheritance  is  se- 
cured to  those  who  by  faith  enter  into  the  same  perfect  law  of  liberty 
and  continue  therein  ;  and  they  become  joint  lieirs  with  him,  who  are 
not  ef  those  who  draw  back  to  perdition,  but  of  those  who  believe  to 
the  saving  of  the  soul.     For  the  just  shall  live   by  faith  j   but  if  he 


Olf"  THE  GOSPEL.  61 

^raw  loack  my  soul^saithGod,  shall  have  r.o  pleasure  in  him.  Tlic 
gospel  therefore  remains  in  its  full  authority  according  to  its  propo- 
sals ;  which  are  to  recover  man  from,  the  ruin  and  evils  of  the  fall  ; 
and  these  proposals  are  sanctioned  by  the  authority  of  God,  witli  full 
privilege  for  every  one  to  believe  and  obey. 

If  then  this  privilege  is  sanctioned  by  the  authority  of  God  and  the 
calls  and  invitations  are  given  to  evciy  olie,  -why  may  not,  or  Avhy 
cannot  any  one  believe  ?  Can  any  good  reason  be  given  why  any 
Tnan  shall  not,  or  cannot,  believe  tlie  testimony  of  the  God  of  ti:uth  ? 
Men  can  believe  a  man,  if  he  come  to  tliem  with  a  reasonable  rcpoit» 
iind  wliy  not  believe  God  ?  Or  rather  how  shall  they  disbelieve, 
ivjio  iiave  already  the  persuasion,  or  faith,  that  God  is  a  God  of  truth, 
and  that  the  scri]?tures  are  true  ?  No  doubt,  one  principal  source  of 
difficulty  on  this  subject,  is  the  notion  that  faith  is  a  direct  and  special 
gift  or  operation  of  God,  whereby  the  soul  is  renovated  and  moulded 
into  tlie  divine  nature,  previously  to  the  workings  of  faith  or  the 
man's  obedience.  Thus  men  look  for  the  fruits  of  faith  or  the  ^-oh- 
pcl,  before  they  put  it  into  operation  by  living  according  to  Christ  the 
true  example,  author  and  finisher  of  faith.  \Vhereas  it  is  the  duty 
of  every  one  v/ho  receives  the  knowledge  of  the  truth,  or  testimony 
of  God  in  the  gos{>el,  to  put  it  into  practice,  according  to  the  measiire 
of  his  faith,  and  then  expect  the  fruits  Avith  an  increase  of  faith.  But 
faith  without  obedience  can  neither  sanctify  nor  justify,  as  sho\\Ti  in 
its  place.  "  If  we  receive  the  witness  [or  Greek,  testimony]  of  men 
*' the  testimony  of  God  is  greater  :  for  this  is  the  testimony  of  God 
f  which  he  hath  testified  concerning  his  Son.  He  who  believeth 
''  hath  the  testimony  in  himself;(it  hath  entered  into  him  by  the  report 
of  the  gospel,  and  he  hath  laid  it  up  and  put  it  to  its  proper  use,) 
"  he  who  believeth  not  God  hath  made  him  a  liar,  because  he  hath 
f  not  believed  the  testimony  which  God  hath  testified  concerning  his. 
*' Son."  And  very  justly  should  he  be  charged  with  thissin'vvho 
■will  not  believe  on  the  authority  of  God.  "And  this  Is  the  tcstimonv 
(^of  God  concerning  his  Son,  to  "be  believed  and  which  whosoever 
doth  not  believe  makcth  God  a  liar,)  that  God  hath  given  to  us 
■'^  eternal  life  :  and  this  fife  is  in  his  Son."  (  1.  John  5.  9. 8cc  )  Thus 
fully  is  the  authority  of  God  declared  ff>r  the  faith  and  acceptance  of 
every  man,  that  he  who  disbelieveth  it  maketh  God  a  liar.  No  p-ood 
reason  therefore  can  be  given,  why  men  may  not  believe,  and 
believing  walk  in  obedience  and  receive  eternal  life,  wherever  the 
gospel  is  to  bear  out  this  testimony. 

But  the  stumbling  blocks  are  to  be  removed.  Another  of  which 
is,  that  to  believe  is  a  spiritual  act,  and  therefore,  men  cannot  believe 
to  acceptance  until  they  become  in  some  measure  spiritual.  But  if 
we  attend  to  the  apostle's  language,  and  the  place  which  faith  fills  m 
the  work  of  salvation,  this  argument  Avill  be  found  to  be  improper. 
"  Now  faith  is  the  substance  [or  confidence,]  of  things  hoped  for,  the 
«  evidence  [or  Greek,  conviction,  that  is,  the  fruit  of  the  evideijcej 
"  of  things  not  seen.  For  by  it  the  elders  obtahied  a  good  re])ort. 
"  Through  faith  we  understand  that  the  worlds  v.^ei  c  framed  by  tlie 


63  OF  THE  OFFERS 

<'  -porcl  of  God;  so  that  things  which  are  seen  were  not  made  of  things 
"  wliich  do  appear.  By  faith  Abel  olfered  to  God  a  more  excellent 
"  sacrafice  than  Cain  ;by  which  he  obtained  witness  tliat  he  was  righ- 
*'  teous,  God  tcstifyinc^-  of  his  gifts :  and  by  it  he,  being  dead,  yet 
"  speaketh.  [Greek,  XtysT'at,  is  spoken  of'Heb.  11.  !■ — 4-jNow  itis 
observable,  that  it  is  the  same  faith  by  which  we  believe  that  God  cre- 
ated the  worlds  by  his  word,  and  by  which  Abel  offered  to  God  an 
acceptable  sacrafice,  and  obtained  witness  that  he  waa  righteous. 
And  the  same  is  to  be  said  of  all  the  rest  of  the  champions  of  mighty 
and  vighteous  works,  whom  the  apostle  enumerates:  it  was  the  sanie 
faith  he  first  described,  u^Ae  confidence  of  filings  hoped  for^  the  conxic- 
tton  of  things  not  seen.  Now,  if  that  act  of  the  mind  by  which  wc 
br.lcve,  that  the  worlds  were  framed  by  the  word  of  God,  can  be  the 
act  of  the  natural  raan"s  mind,  or  if  he  can  believe  that  God  created 
the  worlds  by  the  word  of  his  power,  and  yet  be  in  a  state  of  natiu'e, 
it  is  tlien  proved,  that  a  natural  man  is  capable  of  that  faith  which  has 
Christ  and  his  salvation  as  its  object.  Or  if  a  imtural  man  can  believe 
that  Abel  oifered  a  more  excellent  sacrafice  than  Cain,  and  obtained 
the  testimony  of  God  in  his  favor,  so  that  he  is  spoken  of  after  he  is 
dead,  (for  by  the  Faith  of  those  who  speak  of  him  he  is  spoken  of  and 
not  by  his  own  faith  only,)  then  also  a  natural  man  can  believe,  that 
is,  be  convinced,  of  the  truth,  that  God  i/t  and  is  the  reioarder  of 
them  that  diligently  seek  //»??,  and  that  God  is  revealed  in  Chri,st,  and 
Christ  in  the  gospel,  for  every  man  who  will  recei%  e  him.  Faitli, 
therefore,  is  no  move  a  spintual  act  than  any  other  act  of  the  mind  ; 
but  is  properly  a  physical  act,  or  rather  the  effect  of  evidence  on  the 
mind,  and  \\X{h.  nothing  spiritual  in  it,  farther  than  as  its  objects  are 
spiritual  ;  and  the  evidence  of  the  truth  of  such  spiritual  objects  is 
rational,  adapted  to  the  rational  pov/ers  of  the  physical  man,  m  his 
iinrencwed  state.  Unless  this  statement  be  admitted,  it  is  folly  in  the 
extreme,  to  preach  the  gospel  to  the  world  of  mankind,  v/ho  are 
v/hoily^lying  ia  the  wicked  one,  and  in  nature,  and  rerjuire  them  to 
bcilevc,  and  then  charge  v/itli  the  sin  of  unbelief  and  of  making  God 
a  iyav,  those  who  do  not  believe;  for  the  poor  wretches  have  no  other 
anthority  on  v.iiich  to  believe,  having  nothing  in  them  whichis  spiritu- 
al, nor  ever  ,ca.n  have  until  they  actually  believe  and  obey:  they 
may   then  begin  to  know  the  truth  and  be  made  free.  ("Jno.  8.  30. 

But  the  principle  is  abundantly  justified  m  the  scriptures ;  that  the 
evidil^'ice  of  the  gospel  isadapted  to  the  mind  and  capacity  of  the  phy- 
sical man  to  beget  or  produce  faith  in  inm,  and  therefoi*e,  tliat  the 
Tinregenerate  man  is  capable  of  believing  in  order  to  his  justification 
and  the  i-eceiving  of  the  Spirit  of  Christ.  "  That  he  might  be  just  and 
the  justifier  of  him  that  believeth  in  Jesus."  Here  is  faith  before 
j'lKtlfjcatioiK  "  But  to  him  that  workcth  not,  but  believeth  on  him 
'' that  justifieth  the  ungodly,  his  faith  is  counted  for  righteousness." 
Here  the  ungodly  is  justifiedt  through  faith  ;  the  ungodly,  therefore, 
can  and  may  beli'^ve,  ajid  thus  be  saved  from  his  ungodliness.  ''There- 
"  fore,  being  justified  hy  faith,  we  have  peace  with  God  through  our 
**  Loi'd  Jesus  Ciaist;  by  whonfi  also  we  have  access  by  faith  iiuo  thi:j 


OF  THE  GOSPEL.  63 

grace  wherein  we  star.d."  (Ro,  3.  26.  4.  5.  and  5.  1,  2.)  Tlras  faith 
ivery  where  precedes  justification,  and  also  our  access  to  the  spruce 
of  God  wherein  we  stand  ; "  For  he  that  cometh  to  God  must  (first) 
''  believe  that  he  is."  Again  ;  "He  that  believeth  on  me,  as  the  scrip- 
"•  tuve  hath  said,  out  of  his  belly  shall  How  rivei's  of  living-  water.  (But 
"  this  spake  he  of  the  Spirit  \yhich  they  that  believed  on  him  should 
"  receive.")  "In  whom  ye  alpo  trusted>  afut  that  ys heard  the  %vord 
«  of  triitk^  the  goopcl  of  your  sal  station:  in  Avhom  also,  after  ihat  ye 
"  believed^  ye  were  sealed  with  that  Hoi)  Spirit  of  promise."  (.Tno.  7. 
38.39.  Eph-  1.  13.)  Thus  fuilh  is  explicitly  placed  before  rcceivintj 
che  Spirit  of  pronnise,  or  that  Spirit  which  is  promised  in  Christ  to  his 
people,  and  is  the  medium  through  which  th.at  Spirit  is  received  ; 
"  That  we  might  receive  the  promise  of  tiie  Spirit  through  faitJi." 
(Gal.  3.  14.)  Faith  therefore,  or  bchevJug,  is  no  spiritual  act ;  neither 
is  there  any  thing  in  it  which  requires  a  man  to  be  spiritual  before  he 
can  believe:  but  it  is  the  unquostionable  piivilegc  of  all  men  who  hear 
^le  gospel  to  believe  and  obey,  tliat  they  may  be  !aH\  ed. 

People  often  object  to  the  notion  of  men's  beiievuig  of  Themselves; 
when  they  please,  and  the  like.  But  such  objections  only  show  the 
ignorance  and  wilfulness  of  those  who  make  them.  We  ar«  not 
pleading  for  men  to  believe  o/ i/ie/wsf/i'i'A-,  though  it  be  true  that 
each  one  must  believe  for  himself:  another  cannot  believe  for 
him.  Neither  are  Ave  pleadhig  for  any  to  believe  out  of  due  time  j 
we  only  insist  on  the  propriety,  and  necessity  of  their  believing  the 
gospel  on  the  authority  of  God,  when  they  hear  it.  I  have,  before 
stated  that  motive  comes  to  the  man  from  without  him,  and  I  now 
state  that  evidence  and  authority  for  a  man  to  believe  the  gospel  are 
not  of  himself,  they  are  from  God,  and  sent  to  him  by  that  gospel 
which  is  of  God,  that  he  may  believe  and  be  saved.  "So  then,  feitli 
"  cometh  by  hearing,  and  hearing  by  the  word  of  God,"  (R.?.  10.  17.) 
"  And  this  is  the  v/crd  which  by  the  gospel  is  preached  to  you,"  [l. 
Pet.  I.  25.]  Thus  men  are  required  to  believe,  not  on  their  own 
authority,  but  on  the  authority  of  the  word  of  God,  cr  the  pr«:acLing 
of  the  gospel  to  them  for  their  salvation.  "For  after  thiat  in  the 
"  Avisdom  of  God  the  world  by  Avisdom  knew  not  God,  it  pleased  God 
"  by  the  foolishness  of  preaching  to  sr.ve  them  that  believe."  ["LCor. 

Men  car.pot  believe  Avithout  evidence  ;  tl«)se  therefore  Avho  1  aVe 
not  heard  the  gospel,  neither  had  any  opportunity  cf  hearing  it,  are 
not  expected  to  believe  it :  people  are  only  r.'-quired  to  obserArfi  and 
do  the  duties  in  the  compass  of  their  knowledge  and  poAver.  "For  to 
"  Avhom  much  is  given,  of  the  same  shtil!  much  be  required  ;  and  to 
••-  whom  little  is  given,  of  him  shall  little  be  required. "[Luke  12.  28j 
And  if  the  servant  Avho  knew  not  his  Lprd's  A\ill  and  did  not  perform, 
Avas  beaten,  it  was  only  Avith  fcAV  stripes,  for  his  correction,  that  he 
might  be  stirred  up  to  knoAv  Iiisdiiiy  and  to  do  it ;  for  nothuig  short  of 
knowing  the  Avill  of  God  and  doing  it  can  CA^er  amount  to  salvation. 
But  Avheie  the  gospel  is  preached  nien  have  no  such  excuse  to  plead, 
OS  not  tearing- :  they  may  all  hear,  for  the  sound  harjgone  fsrth  ;  and 


64  OF  THE  OFFERS 

it  comes  with  such  evidence  as  can  be  resisted  by  perverseness  or  ki- 
attention  only,  and  such  authority  as  authorises  ail  and  every  one  to 
know  and  believe. 

But  amidst  the  rlearest  mimStrations  people  may  remam  in  a  cri- 
ftiinal  degree  of  unbelief,  as  was  the  case  with  the  Jews.  They  did 
not  believe  and  yet  were  guilty  in  rejecting  Christ,  Whcjji  nmth  tvick- 
ed  hands  thexj  crucified  and  slew.  They  resisted  the  evidence  which 
"R  as  spread  before  their  senses  ;  fm'  it  came  accompanied  by  a  doc- 
trine in  many  things  different  from  their  law  ;  and  especially  contra- 
ry to  their  traditions  ;  but  m.ost  of  all  contrary  to  their  carnal  r.aturc, 
their  pride  and  their  hists  ;  tliisdoctrme  wasof  the  necessity  of  deny- 
ing self  and  bearing  the  cross,  at  which  they  stumbled.  And  their 
prejudices  and  perverse  will  ran  so  high,  that  they  would  not  giVe 
the  subject  a  fair  trial.  When  Jesus  had  raised  Lazarus,  they  per- 
versely rolled  the  evidence  away,  saying,  "  What  do  we  ?  for  this 
■"  man  doeth  many  miracles.  If  we  let  him  thus  alone  all  men  will 
'•  believe  on  bim"-^"  Then  from  that  day  forth  they  took  counsel 
"  together  to  put  him  to  death."  [John  11.  47.  Sec]  And  soon  after, 
"  Tacy  consuked  that  they  might  put  Lazai-Us  also  to  death  ;  because 
'"  that  by  reason  of  him  many  of  the  Jews  went  away  and  believed." 
["Jno.  12.  1G,1 1 .]  And  after  Peter  with  John  had  healed  the  lame  man 
at  the  temple  gate,  and  the  Jews  had  been  the  effects  of  the  faith 
of  Christ  in  that  instant,  so  clearly  that  they  had  no  m^ithod  to 
x:onccal  it,  they  wilfully  took  methods  to  prevent  the  knowledge  of 
it  among  the  people,  for,  "They  conferred  among  themselves,  say- 
"  ing,  W^hat  shall  we  do  to  these  men  ?  for  that  indeed  a  notable 
"  miracle  hath  been  done  by  them  is  manifest  to  all  them  that 
*' dwell  in  Jerusalem  ;  and  we  cannot  deny.it.  But,  that  it  spread 
*'  no  further  among  the  people,  let  us  straitly  threaten  them,  that  they 
'^'  speak  henceforth  to  no  man  in  this  name.  And  they  called  them, 
"  and  commanded  them  not  to  speak  at  all,  nor  teach  in  the  name  of 
^'  Jesus."  [Act.  4.  15.  &c.]  By  such  ungenerous  methods  do  men 
violate  their  ov/n  j\idgr«ent,  and  evade  the  force  of  evidence.  Many 
when  they  hear  the  gospel,  are  eagle-eyed  enough  to  perceive  the 
cross  very  soon,  and  keep  out  of  the  way,  or  wai-d  off  the  coua  iction, 
or  violate  their  own  faith,  just  because  the  gospel  leads  to  a  life  of 
self-denial  and  obedience  to  God,  and  affect  to  be  uncertain  Avhether 
it  is  the  true  gospel  or  not,  when  the  real  difficulty  is  tl  fir  own  un- 
•\viliing-ncss  to  bear  the  cross  of  Christ,  against  their  own  w  ills. 

The  gospel  carries  its  own  evidence  Avith  it ;  its  terms  and  exhibi- 
tions being  so  open  and  manifest,  the  tidiiigs  arc  generous  and  fair, 
with  sufficient  authority  for  every  ^jnan's  faith.  When  I  say,  the 
gospel,  I  do  not  mean  any  thing  and  every  thing  v/hich  is  called  gbs- 
pci  among  m^en.  Nothing-  is  worthy  of  that  name  except  that  which 
is  c\  idently  built  on  the  I'evclation  of  God  in  Christ,  Avho  is  the  chief 
corner-stone — secures  the  unshaken  confidence  of  eternal  life  to  all 
without  exception,  who  kee^  their  union  to  ii; — and  manifests  in  them 
all,  the  cross  of  Christ  and  his  righteousness,  visibly,  to  all  men,  so 
that  all  men  can  knov/  tbcm  to  be  his  disciples.    That  which  presents 


OF  THE  GOSPEL,  65 

no  cross  against  the  carnal  nature,  leaving  men  to  pursue  their  sensu- 
al appetites,  without  bemg  plagued  with  the  self-denying  life  of  Jesus 
Christ,  can  readily  be  received  as  the  gospel  of  Christ,  with  liberal 
faith,  although  it  affords  its  subjects  no  additional  certainty  of  eter- 
nal life.  "  I  am  come  in  my  Father's  name,  and  ye  receive  me 
"not:  if  another  shall  come  in  Ms  own  name,  him  ye  will  receive." 
(Jno.  5.  43.) 

No  doubt  the  term  faith  or  believing  is  frequently  used  in  the 
scriptures  in  a  more  extensive  sense  than  here  stated,  as  meaning  the 
whole  dispensation  of  the  gospel,  some  special  miraculous  gift,  (1  Cor. 
12.  9.)  the  christian  temper  and  power,  or  even  the  whole  of  the 
christian  life.  (I.  Jno.  5.  1.)  Faith  also  is  a  law,  the  law  and  rule  of 
a  christian's  life.  (Ro.  3.  27.  and  Cor.  9.  21.)  And  most  of  these 
senses  and  perhaps  more,  are  included  in  that  faith  by  which  a  man 
is  finally  justified,  of  which  we  will  take  some  notice  hereafter.  But 
at  present  I  have  been  speaking  particularly  of  faith,  as  that  operation 
by  which  a  man  first  consents  to  the  truth  of  the  tjospel,  and  closes 
in  wil'ii  the  proposals  on  the  authority  of  God.  Tiiis  may  be  weak 
at  first  and  somewhat  wavering  ;  but  still  sufficient,  though  like  a 
grain  of  mustard  seed,  to  unite  the  man  to  the  work  of  God  and  to  his 
people,  that  he  may  increase  and  grow  up  into  all  things  in  Christ. 
Him  that  in  weak  in  the  faith  receive  xje. 

This  is  faith  in  the  strict  and  peculiar  sense  of  the  term.  Convic- 
tion ;  or  the  consent  of  the  mind  to  the  truth  of  the  gospel  on  proper 
evidence-  This  is  that  faith  which  embraces  the  calls  and  offers  of 
God,  to  men  for  their  salvation,  by  the  gospel  of  Jesus  Christ,  and 
thereby  opens  the  way  for  them  to  enter  on  the  path  of  obedience 
and  begui  to  receive  all  the  graces  of  the  spirit.  This  is  that  faith  of 
which  every  man  is  capable  who  hears  the  testimony  of  the  gospel 
opened,  and  will  surely  receive  unless  he  neglect  or  repel  the  cA'i- 
dence.  For  every  man  hath  power  to  believe,  that  is,  he  is  capable 
of  being  convinced  of  the  truth  of  the  gospel,  and  of  the  method  of 
salvation  in  Christ,  en  the  testimony  of  God,  contained  in  the  gospel. 
But  it  will  be  objected  that  simply  this  consent  of  the  mind  to  gos- 
pel truth  is  not  sufficient  for  justification  and  salvation,  for  many  are 
established  in  this  truth  in  their  mind  who  know  nothing  of  justifica- 
tion, regeneration  or  salvation.  True  enough  ;  nc'Hher  any  are 
justified,  regenerated  or  saved  simply  by  faith  ;  obedience  or  a  con- 
tinuance in  the  w^ord  of  God  which  they  have  heard  and  believed, 
are  necessary.  "  Blessed  are  they  who  hear  the  word  of  God  and 
"  keep  it."  (Luk.  11.28.)  "  Then  said  Jesus  to  those  Jews  who 
«  believed  on  him.  If  ye  continue  in  my  word  then  are  ye  my  disci- 
"  pies  indeed  ;  and  ye  shall  know  the  truth,  and  the  truth  shall  make 
*'  you  free."  (Jno.  8.  31,  32.)  They  were  not  yet  free,  although  tliey 
believed  on  him ;  neither  did  he  intimate  any  need  to  receive  any 
other  kind  of  faith,  or  to  hear  any  other  word,  all  they  needed  wa'- 
to  continue  in  the  vise  of  what  they  had  received,  and  they  shoi" 
know  the  truth  by  ejcperimental  acquaintance,  and  be  made  free. 


6S  OF  JUSTIFICATION 

CHAPTER  VII. 

Of  justification  bij  faith  and  obedience  :  and  of  imputation. 

AS  \vc  are  advancing  into  the  discussion  of  the  doctrine  of  jus- 
tification ;  it  is  expedient  to  advei'tise  the  reader,  of  the  order  and 
Icadingpi'inciples  which  are  stated  and  supported  ;  that  he  may  have 
his  mind  prepared  for  the  reception  of  what  is  written,  and  may  un- 
derstand it  with  more  ease.  Justification  is  a  subject  of  the  utmost 
consequence  in  the  life  of  a  christian,  and  ought  to  be  correctly  un- 
derstood. Justification  is  found  in  Christ  alone  ;  the  author  [or 
first  leader]  and  finisher  [or  perfecter]  of  faith  ;  who  first  introduced 
the  faith  of  the  gospel,  first  put  it  into  practice,  and  first  received  the 
end  of  faith;  the  crown  of  righteousness.  The  foundation  work  of 
justification  is  from  God  alone,  in  the  gift  of  his  Son.  This  is  a 
workof  the  grace  of  God,  absolutely  free,  an  emination  of  his  own 
eminently  free  love  ;  unmoved  by  any  goodness  or  worthiness,  any  re- 
quest or  desire  in  miankind  towards  God,  or  any  thing  exterior  to  him- 
self, only  that  he  fixed  it  on  the  fallen  race  who  were  in  need.  Ac- 
cordingly as  God  freely  gave  his  Son  to  be  our  Redeemer,  and  the 
foundation  of  our  justification,  he  also  gave  with  him,  the  gospel  of 
salvation,  to  be  preached  to  all  nations  for  their  faith  and  obedience. 
*'  By  whom  nve  have  received gro.ce  and  afiostleship^for  the  obedience 
"  of faithj  among  all  nations^in  the  behalf  of  hia  name."  "  He  that 
"  spared  not  his  own  Son,  but  delivered  him  up  for  us  all,  how  shall 
"  he  not  with  him  also  freely  give  us  all  things  ?"  (Ro.  1 .  5 .  Greek, 
and  8.  32.) 

The  first  and  radical  ground,  therefore,  is  Jesus  Christ  the  cruci- 
fied man,  as  he  is  exhibited  in  the  gospel :  He  is  the  foundation 
which  God  hath  laid  in  Zion.  ♦' AVherefore  r.lso  it  is  contained  in 
<'  the  scripture.  Behold,  I  lay  in  Zion  a  chief  ■  'jrner-stone,  elect,  pre- 
*'  cious ;  and  he  that  believeth  on  him  shal  not  be  confounded." 
*'  For  I  determined  not  to  know  any  thing  long  you,  save  Jesus 
"  Christ  and  him  crucified,"  as  the  proper  udation  of  their  faith, 
who  were  to  be  crucified  with  him.  And  again;  "Who  hath  be- 
witched you,  that  ye  should  not  obey  the  truth,  before  whose  eyes  Jesus 
Christ  hath  been  evidently  set  forth  crucified  among  you  ?"  ( 1  Pet.  2. 
6.  1.  Cor.  2.  2  Gal.  4.  1.)  The  second  or  mediate  ground  of  justi- 
fication is  faith  in  Christ,  or  in  God  and  in  his  Son.  "  Being  there- 
"  fore  justified  by  faith,  we  have  peace  with  God,  through  our  Lord 
"  Jesus  Christ."  "  But  without  faith  it  is  impossible  to  please  him  ; 
"  for  he  that  cometh  to  God  must  believe  that  he  is^  and  that  he  is  the 
"  rewarder  of  them  that  diligently  seek  him."  Therefore  thirdly. 
The  proximate  and  finishing  ground,  or  cause,  of  justification,  as. 
the  fruit  of  the  two  former,  in  perfe  ttion,  is  obedience.  Obedience  is 
the  croAvning  point  in  justification,  and  in  the  whole  of  salvation.  And 
the  faith  of  Christians  is  that  which  worketh  by  love,  and  by  ^Yorku 


AND  IMPUTATION-  67 

is  made  perfect.  "  JV/io  hath  bcjoitcked  you^  that  ye  should  not  obey 
i^  the  truth  ?''  And  the  intention  of  the  gospel,  from  first  to  last,  is' 
to  bring  mankind  to  obedience,  even  the  obedieiiLS  of  faith  ;  as  will  be 
opened  in  the  sequel. 

Thus  the  work  of  the  gospel  for  our  salvation  is  built  in  the  free 
grace  of  God  which  runs  through  the  whole  plan  from  first  to  last, 
and  is  the  grand  foundation,  and  support  of  the  whole  building.' 
Had  he  not  given  his  son,  we  could  never  have  believed  on  him,  and 
had  we  not  believed  we  could  never  have  obeyed.  Accordbgly,  the 
ground  of  our  justification  is  threefold.  •  First;  Christ  the  gift  of 
God  ;  secondly  ;  our  o"v\ni  faith,  or  believing  in  him  ;  and  thirdly  ; 
our  ovvTi  correct  obedience  to  that  faith.  For  notwithstanding  all- 
that  God  hath  done  for  our  salvation,  our  benefit  depends  finally  on 
the  reception  we  give  the  Saviour  whom  he  hatli  provided  and  the 
obedience  which  we  yield  to  him.  To  the  obedient  and  none  else  ; 
to  them  who  by  patient  continuance  in  well-doing,  seek  for  glory 
and  honor  and  immortality,  God  will  reader  etei  tial  life.  Therefore, 
*'  Let  us  lay  aside  every  weight,  and  the  sin  which  doth  so  easily  be- 
«  set  us,  and  let  us  run  with  patience  the  race  that  is  set  before  usy 
"looking  to  Jesus  \jtov  tr-^  ?(iff«j  apar^^yov  ,tai  rcAhwr?j)'J  the  first 
"  leader   and  perfecter  of  faith;"   both  his  and  ours. 

THAT  JUSTIFICATION  and  final  salvation  are  attained  by  the 
faith  of  the  gospel  of  Christ,- is  acknowledged  by  those  who  bear  the 
name  of  Christ.  Accordingly  we  read  of  being  justified  by  faith  and 
through  faith.  "  Seeing  it  is  one  God  Avho  shall  justify  the  circum- 
"  cission  by  faith,  and  the  uncircumcission  through  faith."  (Ro.  3. 
30.)  But  it  is  also  as  certain  that  justification  and  salvation  are  not 
attained  simply  by  believing,  or  by  faith  only.  For  although  faith  is 
a  sine  qua  non  in  the  teniis  of  our  acceptance  with  God,  for  "  With- 
■"  out  faith  it  is  impossible  to  please  Inm  ;'*  yet  it  is  certain  that  with- 
out obedience  also,  it  is  impossible  to  please  him,  accordingly  we 
may  see  the  grounds  of  our  justification  in  the  words  of  inspiration 
frotn  God.  "  Who  v/ill  render  to  every  man  according  to  his  deeds  ; 
*'  to  them  who  by  patient  continuing  in  well-doing,  seek  for  glory  and 
"  honor  and  imraortalit}',  eternai  life  ;  but  to  them  that  are  conten- 
"  tious,  and  do  not  obey  the  truth  but  obey  unrighteousness,  indig- 
"  nation  and  wrath,  tribulation  and  anguish,  upon  every  soul  of  man 
"  that  doeth  evil ;  of  the  Jew  first,  and  also' of  the  Gentile :  but  glory, 
"  honor  and  peace  to  every  man  that  worketh  good .;.  1  o  the  Jew  first 
*'  and  also  to  the  Gentile  :  for  there  is  lio  respect  of  persons  with 
"  God."  [Ro.  2.  6,  II.]  "But  to  do  good  and  to  communicate  for- 
"  get  not;  for  with  such  sacrifices  God  is  well  pleased."  [Heb.  13.16.] 
"  Not  every  one  who  saith  unto  me.  Lord,  Lord  shall  enter  into  the 
«  kingdom  of  heaven  ;  but  he  that  doeth  the  will  of  my  Father  Who 
"  is  in  heaven."  [Matt.  7.  21.]  "  And  being  made  perfect,  he  be- 
"  came  the  author  of  eternal  salvation  to  all  them  that  obey  him." 
[Heb.  5.  9.]  "  If  ye  know  these  things  happy  are  ye  if  ye  do  them." 
''  If  ye  keep  my  commandments  ye  shall  abide  in  my  love  ;  even  as 
'.' I  have  kept  my  Father^  commandments  and  abide  in  his  love.'*. 


68  OF  JUSTIFICATION, 

[Jno.  13.  17.  and  15.  10.]  «  And  whatsoever  we  ask  we  receive  of 
*'  him,  because  we  keep  his  commandments,  and  do  those  things 
«  which  are  pleasing  in  his  sight."  [1.  Jno.  3.  22.]  "Blessed  are 
"  they  that  do  his  commandments,  that  they  may  have  right  to  the 
« tree  of  life,  and  may  enter  in  through  the  gates  into  the  city." 
[Rev.  22.  14.] 

These  are  a  few  out  of  many  passages  of  scriptures  which  show 
in  plain  terms  that  our  acceptance  with  God  depends  as  much  on 
obedience  as  faith,  not  to  say  much  more,  because  there  may  be  faith 
v.ithout obedience,  but  not  obedi«ice  without  faith.  Therefore  all 
who  have  obedience  are  justified  ;  but  notiany  who  have  faith  with- 
out obedience.  And  after  all  which  the  apostle  hath  written  of  the 
necessity  of  faith,  and  of  being  justified  by  faith,  it  is  remarkable  that 
he  hath  never  said  By  faith  alone.  But  the  apostle  James  hath 
brought  the  matter  outm  plain  terms  ;  that  justification  6 v^azVA  ivith' 
out  luorks  is  altogether  a  false  notion,  and  countsjaith  nvitfwut  ivorka 
no  more  towards  justification  than  the  body  without  the  spirit  towards 
a  living  man.  As  therefore  the  spirit  is  the  substance  and  source  of 
life  to  the  man,  so  is  obedience,  or  works,  the  true  source  and  ground 
of  justification.  The  apostle's  words  are  so  clear  and  argumentative 
that  they  appear  sufficient  to  satisfy  and  convince  any  unbiased  mind, 
«  What  doth  it  profit,  my  brethren,  though  a  man  say  he  hath  faith, 
"  and  have  not  works  ?  can  faith  save  him  ?  If  a  brother  or  sister  be 
*'  naked  and  destitute  of  daily  food,  and  one  of  you  say  unto  them, 
"  Depart  in  peace,  be  ye  warmed  and  filled  ;  notwithstanding  ye  give 
"  thera  not  those  things  which  are  needful  to  the  body,  what  doth  it 
"profit?  Even  so  faith,  if  it  hath  not  works,  is  dead,  being  alone. 
"  Yea  a  man  may  say,  Thou  hast  faith  and  I  have  works  :  shov,'  me 
"thy  faith  witkout  thy  rjorks"  If  thou  canst ;  or  as  the  generality  of 
Greek  copies  read.  "  Show  me  thy  faith  iy  M?/ wo;-/!:*,"  if  tl-ou 
hast  anv,  fcr  no  evidence  short  of  this  will  do  "  and  I  will  show  thee 
"  my  faith  by  my  works.  Thou  believest  that  there  is  one  God;  thou 
"dost  well:  the  devils  also  believe  and  tremble.  Butv/ilt  thou  know, 
"  O  vain  man  !  that  faith  (if  thou  hast  it,)  wilh.cut  uciks  is  dead? 
"  Was  not  Abraham  our  ^?t.ihtr  jtistijied  by  vj07-k,s;  when  he  had  o  f- 
«  fered  Isaac  his  son  upon  the  altar  ?  Seest  thou  how  faith  lorought 
*'  with  his  workf>^  and  by  works  wan  faith  made  fierfect  ?  And  the 
"  scripture  was  fulfilled,  which  saith,  Abraham  believed  God,  and  it 
"  was  imputed  to  .Vm  for  righteousness  :  and  he  was  called  the 
"  friend  of  God.  Ye  see  then  how  that  by  works  a  man  is  justified, 
"  and  not  by  faith  only.  Likewise  also  ;  was  not  Rahab  the  harlot 
«  justified  by  works,  when  she  had  received  the  messengers,  and  had 
"  sent  th.em  out  another  way  ?  For  as  the  body  without  the  spirit  is 
«  dead.,  so  faith  without  works  is  dead  also." 

It  has  been  argued  that  the  justification  of  which  James  speaks,  is 
only  the  evidence,  Or  justification  of  a  man's  faith.  But  the  Spirit 
by  the  apostle  saith,  it  is  the  man  who  is  justified  ;  and  that  is  more 
to  those  who  are  governed  by  revelation,  than  the  sayings  of  a  thou- 
sand to  the  contrary.  And  however  true,  wiiich  is  not  to  be  disputed, 


AND  IMPUTATION.  69 

that  Abraham  was  justified  by  faith  ;  it  is  so  far  from  being;  by  faith 
alone,  that  all  things  pertaining-  to  the  whole  matter,  as  well  as  the 
apostle's  testimony,  show,  that  without  obedience  he  had  not  receiv- 
ed a  particle  of  justification.  Touching  the  oftering  of  his  son  Isaac, 
it  is  plain  enough,  that  his  justification  before  God,  and  his  securing 
the  blessing  to  himself  and  his  posterity,  rested  in  his  obedirnce  ;  as 
it  is  written ;  "  For  now  I  know  that  thou  fearest  God,  seeing  thou 
"  hast  not  withheld  thy  son,  thine  only  son,  from  me."  "  By  myself 
*'  have  I  sworn,  saith  the  Lord,  that  because  thou  hast  done  this  thing 
«  and  hast  not  withhe  Id  thy  son,  thine  only  son  ;  that  in  blessing  I 
"  will  bless  thee,  and  in  multiplying  I  will  multiply  thy  seed  as  the 
"  stars  of  heaven,  and  as  the  sand  which  is  \ipon  the  sea  shore  ;  and 
«  thy  seed  shall  possess  the  gate  of  his  enemies  :  and  in  thy  seed 
"  shall  all  the  nations  of  the  earth  be  blessed;  because  thou  hast 
i^  obeyed  my  -voice."  (Gen.  22.  12,  Sec.)  And  in  this  act  of  obedi- 
ence according  to  the  words  of  James  as  quoted  above,  "  The  scrip- 
**  ture  was  fulfilled  which  saith,  ^(!'ra/;aw.i^<°//d-y<?rf  God  and  it  nvas 
ii  imfiuted  to  hhn  for  righteoiis7iess,  a.nd  he  was  called  the  friend  of 
"  God."  But  all  this  will  not  disannul  or  pervert  the  doctrine  that 
Abraham  was  jvistified  by  faith,  for  his  faith  was  the  source  and 
spring  of  his  obedience,  and  without  believing  he  had  not  obeyed. 
As  it  is  again  wa-itten  ;  "  By  faith  Abraliam,  when  he  was  tried,  of- 
«'  fered  up  Isaac  ;  and  he  that  had  received  the  promises  offered  up 
*'  his  only  begotten  son,  of  whom  it  was  said.  That  in  Isaac  shall  thy 
"  seed  be  called  :  accounting  that  God  was  able  to  raise  him  up, 
"even  from  the  dead."  (Heb.  11.  17,  Sec.)  But  Abraham  was  not 
justified  by  faith  xvithuut  obedience  ;  for  he  was  justified  by  works, 
•while  his  faitli^Avrought  by  works,  and  by  works  was  faith  made  per- 
fect. Obedience  therefore,  even  the  obedience  of  faith,  is  the  prox- 
imate, finishing  and  perfecting  cause  of  every  man's  justification. 

And  with  respect  to  the  promise  of  a  seed  by  Sarah,  of  which  it  is 
said,  "  Abraham  believed  God  and  it  was  counted  to  him  tor  righl- 
"  eousness,"  (Ro.  4.  3.)  it  is  to  be  observed  he  did  all  that  was  for 
him  to  do  in  the  case,  and  when  he  was  told  to  do  mova  he  obeyed. 
He  in  the  first  instance  offered  a  variety  of  animals  in  sacrifice,  as 
God  bade  him,  and  afterwards  when  the  promise  was  renewed,  at 
the  commandment  of  God,  he  circumcised  himself  and  all  the  males 
in  his  house.  And  that  was  the  time  of  which  the  apostle  speaks 
Avith  so  much  energy  of  Abraham's  faith,  tliat  '*  Being  not  weak  in 
"  faith,  he  considered  not  his  own  body  now  dead,  when  he  was  about 
"  an  hundred  years  old,  [for  at  the  time  of  the  first  promise  he  was 
<'  not  of  that  age]  neither  yet  the  deadness  of  Sarahs  womb:  he  stag- 
*'  gerednot  at  the  promise  of  God,  through  unbelief;  but  was  strong 
*'  in  the  faitli,  giving  glory  to  God  ;  and  being  fully  persuaded  that 
*'  what  he  had  promised  he  was  able  also  to  perform.  And  there- 
«  fore  it  was  imputed  to  him  for  righteousness."  [v.  19.  22.]  This 
was  that  faith  which  was  accompanied  with  such  manifest  fruits  of 
obedience  as  stated  above.  To  believe  God  is  to  do  well,  and  im- 
^uestionably  a  righteous  matter,  and  justly  imputed  for  righteous- 


70  OF  JUSTIFICATION 

ness,  when  the  spirit  of  obedience  is  included,  as  shown  in  its  place* 
but  without  obedience  justification  can  never  be  perfected  in  any 
one.  The  known  truth  is  that  Abraham  was  a  righteous  man  in  his 
day  and  time,  before  any  of  these  tilings  were  said  of  him.  He  be- 
lieved God  and  obeyed  liim  from  the  time  that  God  called  him  say- 
ing, "  Get  thee  out  of  thy  country,  and  from  thy  kindred,  and  from 
"  thy  father's  house  ;  for  by  faith  Abraham,  when  he  was  called  to  go 
*'  out  into  a  place  which  he  should  after  receive  for  an  inheritance, 
"  obeyed  ;  and  he  went  out  not  knowing  whether  he  went,"  [Gen. 
12.  1.  Heb,  11.  8.J  Thus  Abraham  obeyed  and  forsook  his  father's 
house,  for  the  promise  of  God  which  was  far  off  :  a  work  which  few 
in  our  days  are  willing  to  do  for  the  substance  when  it  has  actually 
come.  No  wonder  then  that  such  a  man's  faith  was  imputed  to  him 
for  righteousness,  when  it  was  so  firm  and  always  accompanied  with 
obedience.  It  was  therefore  imputed  to  liim  for  righteousness,  to 
serve  the  purpose  in  his  day,  until  the  day  of  perfect  righteousness 
should  come. 

"  But  if  Abraham  were  justified  by  works  he  hath  whereof  to  glo- 
**  ry,  but  not  before  God."  And  though  he  hath  not  whereof  to 
glory  before  God,  that  is  not  to  prevent  him  from  having  the  justifi- 
cation and  approbation  of  his  own  conscience,  and  that  too,  on  such 
terms  as  God  acknowledges  and  approves.  For  if  our  heart  con- 
demn us  not,  then  have  we  confidence  towards  God;  even  though 
we  have  no  cause  of  boasting  before  him,  wc  may  be  justified  and  ac- 
cepted. Or  will  God  reject  a  man  and  condemn  him  for  doing  his 
duty  ?  "Now  to  him  that  Avorketh  is  the  rew;;rd  not  reckoned  of  grace, 
"but  of  debt."  This  is  the  common  order  ofwork?  and  rewards  among 
men.  Besides  ;  no  work  of  men,  either  prcrer.scd  or  performed,  en- 
gaged God  to  shew  mercy  to  the  fallen  race  of  men,  either  to  Abra- 
ham as  the  father  of  the  faithful,  or  to  any  of  his  children.  All  this 
is  of  his  free  grace,  according  to  his  own  nature  of  love.  "  Not  by 
*'  works  of  lighteousness  which  we  have  done,  but  according  to  his 
«  mercy  he  saved  us,  by  the  washing  of  regeneration,  and  renewing 
"  of  the  Holy  Ghost."  [Tit.  3.  5.]  But  query  ;  Is  the  apostle  to  be 
understood  that  the  Jews  and  others  before  them,  who  did  the  works 
which  God  commanded  them,  earned  a  reward  of  debt,  or  that  God 
owed  them  any  thing  for  their  services  ?  Or  did  they  not,  under  the 
whole  dispensation  of  the  law,  receive  every  blesging  by  promise  ? 
For  if  God  gave  the  inheritance  to  Abraham  by  promise,  as  the  apos- 
tle asserts,  [Gal. 3.  18.]  his  family  must  have  received  it  by  the  same, 
as  far  as  they  had  it  at  all.  Accordingly  they  pleaded  from  time  to 
time,  the  promise  of  God  made  to  their  father  Abraham.  "  But  to 
"  him  that  worketh  not,  but  believeth  on  him  that  justifieth  the  un- 
"  godly,  his  faith  is  counted  for  righteousness."  To  him  that  work- 
ctli  not.  Query  :  Is  it  to  him  who  yields  not  obedience  to  the  truths 
which  he  believes,  that  his  faith  is  counted  for  righteousness  ?  or  to 
him  who  has  the  faith  of  his  father  Abraham  and  walks  in  the  steps 
of  that  faith,  whicii  always  led  him  to  the  most  punctual  obedience  ? 
Qfinotlier  words,  as  itjiow  pertgiijis  to  the  gospel,  who  has  thp  faith 


AND  IMPUTATION.  71 

of  Jesus  Christ,  who  always  did  the  things  Avhich  pleased  the  Father? 
For  "  It  was  not  written  for  his  sake  alone,  that  it  was  imputed  to 
"  l.im  ;  but  for  vis  also,  to  whom  it  shall  be  imputed,  if  we  believe 
"  on  him  that  raised  up  Jesus  our  Lord  from  the  dead." 

What  works  then  were  these  winch  are  excluded  from  justifica- 
tion ?  The  ceremonial  works  of  the  Mtsaic  law,  and  all  such ;  whicli 
arc  dead  works,  beg-garly  elements,  and  have  no  tendency  to  justif}^ 
the  spirit  or  to  purify  the  conscience.  "  For  it  is  not  possible  that 
"  the  blood  of  bulls  and  of  goats  should  take  away  sins."(Heb.  10.4.) 
But  when  David  also  describeth  the  blessedness  of  the  man  to  whom 
the  Lord  will  not  impute  sin,  he  includes  the  real  character  of  the 
man,  saying,  "  Blessed  is  the  man  to  whom  the  Lord  imputeth  not 
"  iniquity,  and  in  whose  spirit  there  is  no  guile."  (Psa.  32.  2.)  It  i;j 
therefore  evident  that  David  knew  nothing  of  justification  without 
obedience,  as  all  his  writings  show  ;  and  it  is  also  certain  that  Paul 
was  too  well  acquainted  with  the  spirit  of  David  to  apprehend  that 
he  expected  any  such  matter  ;  but  when  he  would  cut  off  the  Jewish 
christians  at  Rome,  and  elsewhere,  from  their  rooted  attachment  to 
their  legal  works,  he  wisely  omitted  the  honesty  of  the  man's  spirit, 
or  his  obedient  character,  which  in  David's  day  was  founded  in  cere- 
monial obseiwations,  and  only  mentions  his  sins  being  covered  and 
not  imputed.  "  Even  as  David  also  discribeth  the  blessedness  of  the 
"  man  to  whom  God  imputeth  righteousness  Avrthout  Avorks,  saying., 
"  Blessed  are  they  whose  iniquities  are  forgiven,  and  whose  sins  are 
"  covered.  Blessed  is  the  man  to  whom  the  Lord  will  not  impi-^vC 
*'  sin."  Now  David  had  not  named  works  as  a  part  of  the  character 
which  he  discribed,  but  the  integrity  of  the  spirit.  The  man  then 
to  whom  iniquity  is  not  imputed,  when  viewed  in  his  whole  character, 
is  he  who  has  none  ;  the  sins  which  he  has  heretofore  com.mitted  be- 
ing forgiven  when  covered  according  to  the  order  of  the  dispensa^ 
tion  in  wliich  he  lives  ;  wliich  was  done  under  the  law  by  confessing 
and  making  a  sin-oft'ering  in  the  appointed  order,  and  in  the  gospel 
by  confessing,  forsaking  and  presenting  the  whole  man  a  living  sa- 
crifice to  God,  being  baptized  into  the  death  of  Christ,  to  die  to  sin 
and  live  to  God  after  his  example. 

And  whenever  the  apostle  excludes  works  fi-om  any  part  in  justifi- 
cation, or  the  works  of  the  law,  as  expressly  named  in  different  places, 
it  is  sufficiently  clear  that  he  has  respect  to  those  ceremonial  observ- 
ances, and  not  to  any  moral  duty,  or  any  act  of  obedience  required 
in  the  gopel  dispensation  ;  for  as  before  shown,  these  have  their  full 
weight  in  our  acceptance  with  God.  But  there  is  no  principle  on 
which  the  spirit  and  practice  of  obedience  to  the  law  of  God,  can  be 
excluded  from  our  justification,  without  overturning  the  doctrine  of 
Christ  and  his  apostles.  For  Christ  came  not  to  distroy  the  law  or 
the  prophets,  but  to  fulfil ;  and  the  true  righteousness  of  every 
christian,  is  the  righteousness  of  the  law  fulfilled  in  hira,  in  obedi- 
ence to  the  faith,  or  law  of  Christ.  So  that,  although,  as  Christ 
Jesus  fulfilled  the  ceremonial  observances  of  the  law,  he  disannulled 
them,  as  that  which  is  old  sind  ready  to  vanish  away^  he  kept  the  Ia«,' 


73  OF  JUSTIFICATION 

in  the  spirit  and  substance,  in  a  manner  whiqh  could  not  have  been 
effected  by  the  old  dispensation,  and  thus  became,  in  truth,  the  end 
of  the  law  for  righteousness  to  those  who  believe  in  him.  "  There 
"  is  therefore  now  no  condemnation  to  them  who  are  in  Christ  Jesus, 
"  who  walk  not  after  the  flesh  but  after  the  Spirit.  For  the  law  of 
"  the  Spirit  of  life  in  Chrij*  Jesus  hath  made  me  free  from  the  law 
"  of  sin  and  death :  for  God,  sending  his  own  Son  in  the  likeness  of 
"  sinful  flesh,  and  on  account  of  sin  [to  do  it  away,  or  as  a  sin-offer- 
ing;, if  any  prefer  that  reading ;  for  in  that  also  he  was  our  example, 
?::d  so  condemned  sin  in  the  flesh?  that  which  was  impossible  for  the 
"  law  [to  do,]  in  that  it  was  weak  through  the  flesh,  that  the  right- 
"  eousness  of  the  laiv  might  befuljilled  in  us  'who  ivalk  jiot  after  the 
<'^fiefih  but  after  the  spirit."  (Ro.  8.  1,5.)  Notwithstanding  therefore, 
that  the  external  form  of  the  administration  of  the  law  may  be 
changed,  as  divine.  Avisdom  hath  seen  it  best,  the  true  spirit  of  the  laiv 
and  its  fulfilment  remain  for  christians  as  much  as  for  any  people, 
and  never  were  truely  kept  by  any  until  Christ  came.  «  Do  we 
"  then  make  void  the  law  through  faith  ?  God  forbid  :  yea,  v/e  es- 
"  tablish  the  law."  (Ro.  3.  31.)  And  how  is  the  law  established, 
but  by  maintaining  and  doing  the  things  contained  in  it,  with  unsha- 
ken faith  in  them  and  obedience  to  them  ?  or  by  finding  and  keeping 
that  substance  of  which  the  old  law  was  a  shadow  ? 

"  Thou  shalt  love  the  Lr^rd  thy  God  with  all  thy  heart,  and  with 
«  all  thy  soul,  and  Vith  all  thy  mind.  This  is  the  first  and  great 
"commandment.  And  the  second  is  like  unto '  it,  Thou  shalt  love 
"  thy  neighbour  as  thy  self  On  these  two  commandments  hang  all 
«  the  law  and  the  prophets."  [Matt.  22.  27.,  40.]  «  For  he  that'lov- 
■"  eth  another  hath  fulfilled  the  laiv.  For  this,  Thou  shalt  not  com- 
"  mit  adultery,  Thou  shalt  not  kill.  Thou  shalt  not  steal.  Thou  shalt 
"  not  bear  false  v/itness.  Thou  shalt  not  covet ;  and  if  there  be  any 
"  other  commandment  it  is  briefly  comprehended  in  this  saying, 
"  namely,  Thou  shalt  love  thy  neighbour  as  thy  self.  Love  worketh 
"  no  ill  to  his  neighbour  :  therefore  love  is  the  fulfilling  of  the  law,'* 
[Ro.  13.  8.  Sec.  ]  «  For  all  the  law  is  fulfilled  in  one  word,  even  in 
*'  this.  Thou  shalt  love  thy  neighbour  as  tliy  self"  [Gal.  p.  15.]  Now 
"  the  end  of  the  commandment  is  charity,  out  of  a  pure  heart,  and  of 
"  a  good  conscience,  and  of  faith  unfeigned,"  [Tim.  1.  5.]  "And 
"  whatsoever  we  ask  we  receive  of  him,  because  we  keep  his  com- 
*'  mandments,  and  do  those  things  which  are  pleasing  in  his  sight. 
"  And  this  is  his  commandment,  That  we  should  believe  on  the  name 
"  of  his  Son  Jesus  Christ,  and  love  one  another  as  he  gave  us  com- 
"  mandments."  [l.  Jno.  3.  22,  23.]  These  scriptures  are  sufficient 
to  show  that  the  true  spirit  and  obedience  of  the  law  remain  unalter- 
able, and  that  when  the  apostle  excluded  the  law  and  the  works  of  the 
law  from  any  part  in  our  justification  and  salvation  ;  he  intends  the 
external,  or  cerimonial  law,  of  meats  and  drinks  and  divers  washings 
and  carnal  ordinances  [or  justifications  of  the  flesh.]  "  Therefore  by 
«  the  deeds  of  the  law  there  shall  no  flesh  be  justified  in  his  sight  ; 
*<  for  by  the  law  is  the  knoM'ledge  of  sin,"  and  again,  "^  Therefore  ve 


AND  IMPUTATION.  7d 

<^  conclude  that  a  man  is  justified  by  faith  without  the  deeds  of  the 
"  law."  And,  as  if  to  show  that  he  intended  precisely  that  law  which 
was  a  separating  wall  between  the  Jews  and  Gentiles,  he  adds  ;  "  Is 
"  he  the  God  of  the  Jews  only  ?  is  he  not  also  of  the  Gentiles  ?  Yes, 
"  of  the  Gentiles  also  :  seeing  it  is  one  God  who  shall  jv.stify  the  cir- 
"  cumcission  by  faith  and  the  uncircumcission  through  faith.  Do 
"  we  then  make  void  the  law  through  faith  ?  God  forbid  ;  Yea,  we 
"  establish  the  law."  Those  ceremonies  indeed  could  not  take  away 
SU1,  "  Which  were  a  shadow  of  things  to  come  ;  but  the  body  [or 
"  substance,]  is  of  Christ."  (see  Ro.  3.  20j  28,  to  31.  Col.  2.  17.) 

But  after  all  the  great  change  which  was  made,  which  was  indeed 
great,  from  the  shadow  to  the  eubstance,  christians  are  hot  left  with- 
out law,  even  the  sarrie  eternal  law  of  love  ;  "  Being  not  without  law 
"  to  God  but  under  the  law  to  Christ.  ( 1 .  Cor.  9.  21.)  "  Now  w  here 
"  no  law  is  there  is  no  transgression  ;  for  sin  is  the  transgression  of  the 
"  law  ;"  if  therefore,  the  law  doth  not  remain  in  full  force,  after  the 
abolishing  of  the  Jewish  ritual,  no  sin  could  be  committed.  But  it 
is  true  of  those  who  have  received  the  christian  faith  as  well  as  others 
that,  "  Whosoever  cbmmitteth  sin  transgresseth  also  the  law  ;  for 
"  sin  is  the  transgression  of  the  law."  (Jno.  3.  4.)  But  the  necessity 
of  a  change  from  the  shadow  to  the  substance  was  indispensable  ; 
for  as  it  then  Avas  in  the  hands  of  the  Levitical  priesthood,  it  made  no- 
thing perfect,  there  was  by  it  no  salvation,  and  the  best  they  could  do 
was  to  look  forward  to  something  to  come,  depending  on  the  pre- 
mises. For  had  not  this  been  the  case  there  had  been  no  need  for 
Clii'ist  to  have  come  in  another  order  of  priesthood  ;  as  feaith  the  apos- 
tle, "  If  therefore  perfection  were  by  the  Levitical  priesthood  (for 
"  under  it  the  people  received  the  law,)  what  further  need  M'as  there. 
"  that  another  priest  should  arise  after  the  order  of  Melchisedec,  and 
"  not  be  called  after  the  order  of  Aaron  ?  For  the  priesthood  being 
"  changed  \^fiifati9(,usir]i,  transposed]  there  is  made  of  necessity  a 
"  change  [,u3rar;6>r3i4,  transposition]  also  in  [of]  the  law."  (Heb.  7. 
11,12.)  Thus  the  law  v/as  trajisfered  from  Aaron  to  Jesus  Christ; 
and  in  him  the  substance  appears,  the  law  is  perfectly  kept  aisid  the 
promises  are  fulfilled,  and  they  who  were  excluded  from  salvation 
and  the  inherittlnce  of  the  promise  for  the  time  being,  may  come  for- 
ward and  receive  the  promise.  For  the  law  gave  no  uiherilance  ; 
although  it  bore  witness  to  the  promise  which  v^^as  made  long  bM^ore, 
and  the  righteousness  of  God  for  justification,  and  served  as  a  sha- 
dow of  good  things  until  the  substance  should  come,  even  Christ  in 
whom  the  promise  is  fulfilled  to  all  who  believe  in  him  with  obedi- 
ence, v/ho  walk  not  after  the  flesh  but  after  the  Spirit.  "  For  if  the 
"  inheritance  be  of  the  law,  it  is  no  more  of  premise  :  but  God  gave 
"  it  to  Abraham  by  promise.  Wherefore  then  serveth  the  law  r  it 
"  was  added  because  of  transgressions,  till  the  seed  r>hould  come  to 
"  whom  the  promise  v/as  made  ;  and  it  was  ordained  by  angels  in  the 
"  hand  of  a  Mediator.  Nov,' a  Mediator  is  not  a  Mediator  of  one; 
"  but  God  is  one.  Is  the  law  then  against  the  promises  of  God. 
"  God  forbid  :  for  if  there  had  been  a  law  given  which  could  have 
''  given  life,   verily  righteousness  should  have  been  by  the  lav/.     But 

K 


74  OF  JUSTIFICATION 

"  tiie  scripture  hath  concluded  all  under  sin,  that  the  promise  by  faith 
"  of  Jesus  Christ  might  be  given  to  them  that  believed.  But  before 
^'  faith  came  we  were  kept  under  the  law,  shut  up  to  the  faith  which 
«  should  afterwards  be  revealed.  Wherefore  the  law  was  our  school- 
"  master  pointii;ig  to  Christ,  that  wc  might  be  justified  by  faith. 
"  But  after  that  faith  is  come  we  arc  no  loi^ger  under  a  schcol-mas- 
"  tor.  For  ye  are  all  the  children  of  God  by  faith  in  Christ  Jesus." 
"  But  now  without  the  law,  the  righteousness  of  God  is  manifested, 
"  being  witnessed  by  the  law  and  the  prophets ;  even  the  righteousness 
"  of  God  through  the  faith  of  Jesus  Christ,  unto  all  and  upon  all 
♦'  them  that  believe."  (Gal.  3.  18,  26.  Ro.  3.  21,  22.) 

If  therefore  we  find  the  apostle  speaking  of"  Knowing  that  a  man 
"  is  not  justified  by  the  woi'ks  of  the  law,  but  by  [or  Greek,  except 
"  through]  the  faith  of  Jesus  Christ;"  (Gal.  2.  16.)  wc  may  readily 
understand  v/hat  those  rejected  works  are,  and  what  is  that  faith  of 
Christ  through  which  a  man  is  justified;  that  v;hich  acknowledges 
Christ  Jesus  as  an  example  and  a  leader,  and  follows  him,  yielding 
punctual  obedience  to  him  in  all  things,  and  finds  justification  to  the 
soul  in  so  doing  ;  not  in  yielding  obedience  to  a  law  of  ceremonial 
and  carnal  commandments  which  have  no  part  in  Christ,  but  the  law 
of  faiti),  the  law  of  the  spirit  of  life  in  Christ  Jesus,  and  in  walking 
not  after  the  flesh,  but  after  the  spirit. 

From  this  view  of  matters  we  may  learn  what  is  to  become  of  the 
doctrine  of  imputation,  or  the  justification  of  one  by  the  righteous- 
ness of  another.  It  is  indeed  remarkable  that  such  a  multitude  of 
people  should  so  strenuously  adhere  to  such  a  doctrine  as  that  of  the 
rigliteousness  of  Christ  being  imputed  to  them  for  their  justification, 
■when  no  such  fact  is  proved,  or  even  once  named,  in  the  scriptures 
which  they  claim  as  the  rule  of  their  faith  and  practice.  And  though 
ir  is  never  oriCe  named,  in  the  revelation  of  God,  they  maintain  that 
the  oriy  ground  of  any  man's  justification  and  acceptance  with  God, 
is  the  ligliteousncss  of  Christ  imputed  to  him.  But  they  say  it  is  a 
fair  and  necessary  consequence  of  what  the  scriptures  plainly  teach. 
Although  the  phrase,  rigktecusne&s  of  Christy  is  not  found  at  all  in 
the  scriptures,  I  have  ncJ-objcction  against  the  phrase,  provided  it  be 
understood  and  used  according  to  the  law  of  the  faith  of  Christ.  But 
it  must  appear  very  remarkable  that  God  should  build,  or  rather 
be  said  to  build  so  great  a  work  as  the  justification  of  all  his  people, 
on  a  ground  which  he  hath  never  once  explicitly  taught,  or  even 
named. 

But  it  is  said  the  righteousness  of  God  is  named,  that  Christ  is 
God,  and  that  which  is  imputed  to  those  who  believe,  for  their  jus- 
tification, is  the  right  cousncus  of  God  by  faith  in  Jesus  Christ.  I  have 
no  objection  to  offer  against  the  righteousness  of  God  being  the 
righteousness  of  Christ,  and  also  being  the  righteousness  of  his  peo- 
ple, by  wh.ich  they  are  justified.  But  unhappily  for  that  cause,  the 
righteousness  of  God  is  never  in  revelation,  said  to  be  imputed  to  any 
manor  any  order  of  people,  for  their  justification,  or  for  any  thing 
else.     And  on  what  principle  can  any  man  be  benefited  by  the  right- 


.  AND  IMPUTATION-  rs 

eousneSs  of  Christ,  Unless  he  possess  it  in  reality  and  not  by  impu- 
tation, and  then  the  character  will  appear  in  proper  colors  accord- 
ing to  the  teaching  of  the  beloved  apostle  John,  (l.Epist.  3.7.)  «  He 
"  that  doeth  righteousness  is  righteous,  even  as  he  is  righteous  :"  on 
the  very  san\e  principle.  And  v/hen  Paul  speaks  of  the  righteous- 
ness of  God  without  the  law,  being  manifested,  which  was  witnessed 
by  the  law  and  the  prophets,  even  the  righteousness  of  God  by  faith 
in  Jesus  Christ,  it  is  to,  and  upon  all  them  that  believe ;  (Ro,  3.  2 1, 
22.)  it  is  shcvm  or  manifested  to  them  and  seen  upon  them.  Now 
waat  righteousness  can  be  seen  or  manifested  upon  believei's  ?  the 
imputed  righteousness  of  Christ,  or  their  own  obedience  ?  Some 
may  say  it  is  their  own  obedience  as  a  proof  of  the  imputed  right- 
eousness of  Christ.  But  how  is  this  to  be  proved  ?  the  apostle  saith 
ii  is  the  righteousness  of  God,  through  the  faith  of  Jesus  Cnrist,  the 
very  same  righteousness  manifested  to  them  and  upon  them  all. 
The  natural  construction  is,  that  having  received  the  faith  of  Christ 
they  obeyed  as  he  did.  And  what  is  the  righteousness  which  was 
witnessed  by  the  law  and  the  prophets  ?  It  is  said  to  be  by  faith  ; 
and  no  doubt ;  as  one  of  the  prophets  hath  it,  that  "The  just  shall  live 
"  by  faith,"  and  he  is  truly  a  just  man  v/ho  hath  a  good  faith  and 
obeyeth  it.  He  shall  live.  But  the  righteousness  witnessed  by  the 
law  and  the  prophets  was  also  by  obedience,  and  abundantly  more  so, 
as  those  may  see  who  consult  them. 

For  the  solitary  text  to  be  found  in  the  prophets  so  emphatically 
used  by  the  apostle,  cannot  support  the  doctrine  of  life  or  justification 
by  faith  without  obedience,  or  by  the  righteousness  of  Christ  imputed. 
It  is  the  just  man  who  lives  by  his  faith  ;  not  the  unjust,  he  disobeys 
and  makes  shipv/reck.  But  the  just  man  lives  by  his  faith,  not  hold- 
ing it  as  an  accult  principle,  but  as  the  rnoving  spring  to  his  obedi- 
ence, as  the  farmer  or  mechanic  lives  by  his  art,  by  occupying  it. 
He  is  faithful,  stable  and  true.  This  is  all  contained  in  the  Hebrew 
word  [utJIOn]  used  by  the  prophet  and  not  excluded  from  tiaat  of 
the  apostle,  and  is  all  of  the  nature  of  the  chiistian  faith. 

But  the  doctrine  of  justification  by  tho  righteousness  of  Christ  im- 
puted to  believers  is  maintained,  on  principles  which  are  counted 
sufficient  to  support  it.  Such  as.  That  he  is  our  surety  to  God.  That 
in  that  character  he  paid  to  God  for  us  the  debt  which  we  owed — -sa- 
tisfied divine  justice  for  our  offences — suffered  the  penalty  oi  the  law 
wluch  we  had  incurred,  in  his  own  peri5on  and  in  our  room,  and  the 
like.  ■         • 

This  subject  has  been  so  abundantly  treated  on  for  ages,  in  its  dif- 
ferent branches,  that  it  v/ould  not  comport  with  the  design  or  limits 
of  the  present  v/ork  to  notice  the  half  of  what  hath  been  said,  or  of 
the  arguments  used  on  each  side  of  the  question.  I  intend  to  pay 
some  attention  to  the  principal  grounds  on  which  the  doctrine  is  sup- 
ported, to  show  in  as  plain  language  as  possible  that  they  will  not 
stand.  That  Christ  sustains  the  glorious  character  of  Redeemer  and 
Mediator  between  God  and  man  is  not  to  be  disputed,  and  that  he  is 
the  true  and  onlv  medium  of  access  to  the  Father  is  also  true.     But 


76  OF  JUSTIFICATION 

that  he  was  our  surety  to  God,  to  pay  in  our  room  that  debt  in  which 
we  had  failed,  so  as  to  release  us  from  the  payment,  is  quite  another 
matter,  unsupported  in  the  scriptures. 

Jesus  is  once  called  the  surety  of  a  better  testament  (Heb.  7.  22.) 
and  this  he  was  in  the  character  of  Mediator.  Now  let  us  in- 
quire, in  a  covenant,  testament  or  any  instrument  of  promise  or  obliga- 
tion, wherein  a  surety  is  advisable:  Who  gives  the  surety  and  for  whose 
satisfaction  and  safety  is  he  given  ?  Doth  the  obligor  give  the  surety 
to  the  obligee,  for  his  safety  aiid  satisfaction  ?  or  doth  the  obUgee  to 
the  obligor  I  Not  the  obligee  to  the  obligor,  but  the  obligor  to  the 
objigce,  or  the  testator  to  the  legatee.  'Ihus  a  man  who  executes 
a  bond  furnishes  security  that  he  v.ill  perform  the  obligation,  or  ccn- 
teiits  of  that  bond.  Now  the  question  is.  Who  is  the  author  of  tbat 
better  testam-ent,  or  covenant  ?  God  or  man  (  If  man  be  the  author 
and  Jesus  the  Mediator  or  security,  between  the  two,  no  doubt 
but  he  isrnan's  surety  to  God,  a  sponsor  to  God  on  man's  behalf,  tl  at 
man  will  perform  what  he  hath  therein  promised.  But  the  new  and 
better  covenant  did  not  originate  in  man,  God  is  the  author,  pi  his  own 
free  grace  ;  not  of  works  lest  any  man  should  boast.  If  then  Gcd 
is  the  author  of  that  better  covenant  or  testament ;  and  he  hath 
therein  made  promise  to  do  certain  things  for  man,  God  is  the  obli- 
gor ;  consequently  he  gave  the  security,  and  Jesus  in  the  character 
of  Mediator,  is  God's  surety  to  man,  that  God  will  perform  what  hq 
hath  promised.  And  to  this  agree  th^  words  of  the  apostIe,(Ro.  15. 
8.)  "Now  I  say,  that  Jesus  Christ  was  a  minister  of  the  civcumcis-- 
sion  for  the  truth  of  God,  to,  confirm  the  promises  made  to  the  fa- 
thers." And  in  every  other  character  which  he  sustains,  pertaining 
to  the  office  qf  Mediator,  he  is  given  of  God  to  the  people.  Thus 
"  Behold,  I  have  given  him  a  witness  to  the  people,  a  leader  and  a 
"  cosTtmander  to  the  people."  (49,  8.)  "  Whom  God  hath  set  forth 
^'  a  mercy  seat,  through  faith  in  his  blood,  to  declare  his  righteous- 
"  ness."  (Ro.  3.  25.)  Thus  by  this  plain  and  faniiiiar  statement,  it  is 
evident,,  that  .Tcsus  Christ  hath  not  at  all  done  what  is  so  often  ascii- 
bcd  to  him  in  the  character  of  surety  of  ihe  better  testament.  And  if 
v/e  consider  Christ  as  the  advocate  with  the  Father;  whether  we 
iise  the  word  advocate,  from  the  latin  word  advoco,  to  call  to,  or  re- 
tain the  greek  v.'ord  paraclete, from  ;iapftxa\tu  [paracaleo]  to  ex- 
hort, or  comfort,  it  amounts  to  the  same  thing,  he  is  given  of  God  to 
the  people  to  exhort,  call  and  encourage  them  to  come  to  God,  in 
full  confidence  of  his  being  as  good  as  he  hath  promised.  Thus  he 
is  a  mediator  between  Gcd  and  man,  an  advocate  v>  ith  the  Father, 
calling  tliem  to  come  to  God,  and  an  exhorter  and  comforter  with  the 
people,  encouraging  them  to  come,  and  .showing  thcrn  that  the  way 
is  open,  and  making  intercession  for  them.  "  Now  tl  e  Lord  is  that 
';'  spirit ;  and  where  the  spirit  of  the  Lord  is  there  is,  liberty."  "  Like- 
"  wise  the  spirit  also  helpeth  our  infirmities  ;  for  we  know  not  what 
"  we  should  pray  for  as  y/e  ought ;  but  the  spirit  itself  makethinter- 
"  cession  for  us  -with  groanings  which  cannot  be  uttered.  And  he 
«•  that  searcheth  the  hearts  knowcth  what  is  the  mind  of  the  spiritj 


AND  IMPUTATION.  77 

(*  because  hemaketh  intercession  for  the  saints  according  to  God," 
(2Cor.  3.  17.  Ro.  8  25,  27.)  and  answerable  to  the  order  of  hisM'ork. 

For  Christ  to  have  paid  to  God  in  our  room  the  dc'jt  which  we 
owed  to  him,  or  to  his  law,  so  as  to  release  us  from  paying  the  same, 
would  have  been  a  poor  business  for  us,  as  v/ell  as  a  poor  errand  in- 
to the  world,  for  him.  To  have  released  us  from  the  obligation  and 
duty,  and  consequently  to  have  deprived  us  of  the  privilege  of  loviiig 
God  and  serving  him.  For  we  have  before  proved  that  love  is  the 
fulfilling  of  the  whole  law. 

As  for  satisfying  divine  justice  for  our  offences  and  paying  the 
penalty  of  the  divine  law,  we  read  of  no  such  matters  in  tlie  holy 
scriptures,  we  are  therefore  under  no  obligalion  from  that  quarter 
to  believe  them.  We  read  of  satisfaction  in  one  part  of  those  scrip- 
tures which  speak  of  Christ  and  his  sufferings  and  vvorks  ;  but  it  is 
not  relating  to  any  satisfaction  made  by  him  to  God  in  our  room,  but 
to  the  satisfaction  which  he  v/ould  take  in  seeing  the  fruit  of  his  own 
labors.  "  He  shall  see  of  the  travail  of  his  soul  and  shall  be  satis- 
fied" (Isa.  53.  10.)  What  Jesus  Christ  did  for  us,  on  our  behalf, 
and  for  our  salvation,  he  did  on  quite  another  principle  than  to  pay 
our  debt,  or  to  suffer  the  penalty  of  divine  law,  or  to  satisfy  divine 
justice  in  our  room,  or  to  appease  an  angry  God  or  offended  justice, 
or  the  like,  (for  these  all  mean  one  thing,)  to  release  us  from  any 
obligation,  by  vicarious  sufferings  or  proxy  payment. 

J^or  what  fiurfiose  then  did  Christ  come  into  the  iuo7-ldf  and  do  and 
aujff'.r  all  that  he  did  ?  This  is  an  important  question,  and  worthy  of 
3.  sober  reply.  It  coirsprehends  the  whole  of  that  relation  which 
Christ  bears  to  God  oxid  to  men  as  Mediator  between  them  both. 
The  following  particulars  are  proposed  to  give  satisfactory  informa- 
don  on  this  subject 

He  came  to  reveal  the  Father  to  men.  "  No  man  hath  seen  God 
"  at  any  time  ;  the  only  begotten  Son,  who  is  in  the  bosom  of  the 
"  Father,  he  hath  revealed  him."  (Jno.  I.  18.)  "  He  that  hath  seen 
me  hath  seen  the  Father."  (14.  9.)  The  true  knowledge  of  God 
was  not  with  men,  but  he  is  revealed  in  Christ,  W^ho  is  the  bright- 
ness of  his  glory  and  the  character  [the  express  image]  of  his  exist- 
ence.  (Heb.  1.  2.)  By  this  revelation,  men  are  taught  what  God  is, 
p,nd  how  far  they  are  fallen  from  their  original  rectitude  ;  for  as  man 
was  created  in  the  image  of  God  and  to  be  the  glory  of  God,  and 
had  fallen  by  sin,  God  sent  another,  a  second  or  a  new  man,  in  his 
own  image  77iore  decphj  expressed^  to  be  the  beginning  of  a  new 
creation,  in  whom  to  recover  man  from  his  fall  and  restore  him  to 
favor  and  fellowship  in  a  more  happy  condition  than  at  the  fii-st. 

He  came  to  open  the  new  and  living  way  ;  a  way  before  un- 
known, and  containing  in  it  true  and  eternal  life,  being  infinitely  pre- 
ferable to  the  ministration  of  death  and  condemnation  which  was  be- 
fore. "  But  if  the  ministration  of  death,  written  and  engraven  in 
«  stones,  was  glorious,  so  that  the  children  of  Israel  could  not  sted- 
"  fastly  behold  the  face  of  Moses  for  the  glory  of  his  countenance ; 
«'  which  glory  was  to  be  done  away  ;  how  shall  not  the  ministratiom 


rg  oF  JUSTIFICATION 

*'  of  the  Spirit  be  rather  glorious  ?  for  if  the  ministration  of  condem- 
"  nation  be  glory,  much  more  doth  the  ministration  of  righteousness 
"  exceed  in  glory."  (2  Cor.  3,  7,  8,  9.)  "  Having  therefore,  breth- 
ren, boldness  to  enter  into  the  holiest  by  the  blood  of  Jesus,  by  a  new 
and  living  way,  which  he  hath  consecrated  for  us  through  the  vail, 
that  is  to  say,  his  flesh,  and  having  an  high  priest  over  tiie  house  of 
Ciod,  let  us  draw  near  with  a  true  heart,  in  full  assurance  of  faith." 
(Heb.  10.  19,  Sec.) 

And  as  he  came  to  open  the  new  and  living  way,  he  also  came  to 
be  our  example,  tliat  avc  should  walk  m  his  steps."  «  But  if,  when 
"  ye  do  well,  and  suffer  for  it,  ye  take  it  patiently,  this  is  acceptable 
"  v/ith  God.  For  even  hereunto  were  ye  called :  because  Christ 
"  also  suffered  for  us,  leaving  us  an  example  that  ye  should  follow 
*'  his  steps."  (I  Pet.  2,  20,  21.)  "  If  any  man  wnl  come  after  me, 
'»  let  him  dciiy  himself,  and  take  up  his  cross  daily,  and  follow  me." 
♦'  And  he  that  doth  not  take  up  his  cross  and  follow  after  me,  is  not 
*'  worthy  of  me."  (Luk.  9.  23.  Matt.  10.  38.)  Thus  he  is  our  fore- 
runner, the  author  and  finisher  of  our  faith,  the  first  who  introduced 
it  into  the  world,  and  the  first  who  perfected  it  by  obedience.  For 
as  the  faith  of  Abraham  was  made  perfect  by  works,  so  is  also  the 
faith  of  Jesus  Christ  made  perlect  in  obedience ;  as  well  as  that  of 
all  christians,  who  are  called  to  "  Lay  aside  every  weight,  and  the 
"  sin  vvhich  doth  so  easily  beset  us,  and  run  with  patience  the  race 
"  which  is  set  before  us.  locking  to  Jesus  the  author  and  finisher  of 
"  faith ;  who  for  the  joy  that  was  set  before  him,  endured  tliC  cross, 
"  despising  the  shame,  and  is  set  dov/n  at  the  right  hand  of  the 
"  throne  of  Gcd."  (Hcb.  12.12.)  Thus  for  our  benefit  became 
to  set  us  the  example  cf  denying  self  and  doing  tne  will  of  God. 
*'  Him  that  cometh  to  me  I  will  in  no  wise  cast  out.  For  I  came 
"  down  from  heaven,  not  to  do  mine  own  will,  but  the  will  of  him 
*'  that  sent  me."  (Jno  6.  37,  38.) 

He  came  into  the  world  that  men  might  be  saved  and  have  eter- 
nal life  through  him.  "  For  the  Son  of  man  is  come  to  seek  and  to 
"  save  that  v/hich  is  lost."  "  For  God  so  loved  the  world,  that  he 
"  gave  his  only  begotten  Son,  that  whosoever  believeth  in  him  should 
"  not  perish,  but  have  everlasting  life.  For  God  sent  not  his  Son  into 
"  the  v/orld  to  condemn  the  world ;  but  that  the  world  through  him 
^'  might  be  saved."  (Luk.  19.  10.  Jno.  3.  16,  17.) 

He  came  to  reconcile  the  world  to  God,  by  revealing  God  to  men 
and  showing  them  the  terms  of  reconciliation,  to  wit,  "  That  God 
"  was  in  Christ  reconciling  the  world  to  himself,  not  imputing 
"^  their  trespasses  unto  them."  (2  Cor.  5.  19.)  This  is  the  subject 
in  relation  to  which  thei-e  has  been  so  much  darkness  in  the  'world  of 
professors,  so  much  error,  and  much  contention,  supposing  that  God 
in  Christ,  or  through  him,  was  reconciled  to  the  world,  contrary  to 
the  language  of  the  scripture,  instead  of  the  v.orld  being  reconciled 
to  him  ;  which  v/ould  mean,  if  any  thing,  either  tliat  God  had  through 
Christ  become  an  approver  of  man's  ways,  corrupt  and  sinful  as  they 
■gie,  liT  else,  that  God  had  b»en  so  angry  at  sin  and  siiiners  as  to  put 


AND  IMPUTATION.  79 

hirn  out  of  his  proper  element,  and  make  him  unwilling  to  receive 
the  returning  sinner  until  he  had  spent  his  vengeance  on  the  siniier 
cr  his  substitute ;  which  having  done  on  Jesus  Christ,  he  beccmes 
calm  and  can  be  approached  by  a  returnipg  penitent,  v/hom  he  now 
receives  with  the  utmost  complacency.  But  these  tilings  are  incom- 
patible with  the  perfections  of  God,  and  not  worthy  to  be  imputed 
to  him.  The  scripture  is  plain  enough  that  men  through  Clirist  are 
reconciled  to  God,  aiid  are  then  at  peace  with  him ;  and  that  esta- 
blishes peace  between  the  God  of  peace  and  men  of  peace. 

The  same  is  true  of  the  word  atovepient,.  v.'hich  has  commonly 
been  understood  as  applied  to  God,  the  effect  of  a  pacifying  satisfac- 
tion, to  appease  his  anger,  when  the  scripture  so  expressly  declares 
that  ive  have  received  it,  and  also  shows  that  atonement  is  the  same 
as  reconciliation.  "  For  if,  when  we  wei-e  enemies,  we  were  recon- 
*'  cilcd  to  God  by  the  death  of  his  Son;  much  more,  being  reconciled^ 
"  we  shall  be  saved  by  liis  life.  And  not  only  so,  but  v/e  also  joy  in 
"  God  through  our  Lord  Jesus  Christ,  by  whom  we  have  notv  re- 
"  ceived  the  atonement  or  reconciliaCio7i/'  (R.o.  5.  10,  11.)  This 
connection  is  a  testimony  for  the  English  reader,  that  the  atonement 
here  said  to  be  received  is  the  same  as  reconciciation,  that  is,  the  ef- 
fect or  fruit  of  the  death  of  Christ,  or  being  reconciled  to  God,  as 
mentioned  in  the  former  clauses.  The  Greek  word  also  here  r^ri- 
dered  atonement  is  'pi-oj>ev\y  rendered  hy  rcconcUiation.  (Ro.  5.  Jo 
11.)  And  by  whichever  word  it  be  rendered,  it  is  evidently  that 
which  must  take  place  in  the  creature,  for  God  is  imchangeably  the 
same.  And  that  change,  or  reconciliation,  must  also  he  in  reality  ; 
not  by  imputing  the  righteousness  of  another  ;  the  scriptures  mak<' 
no  mention  of  any  such  thing  in  the  case.  (Sec  B.  W.  Stone's  Let- 
ters on  Atonement.) 

He  came  to  be  the  end  of  the  law  for  riglrteousness  to  those  who 
believe  in  him.    That  is,  to  put  an  end  to  the  Mosaic  law,  by  fuifiiiing 
it  in  himself  and  showing  the  people  how  to  be  righteous  without  iti 
by  believing  in  him,  confessing  him,  and  doing  the  will  of  *God  as  he 
did,  and  thus  becoming  their  sacrifice  and  thcii'  righteousness,  as  it  is 
■written,  «  And  this  is  the   name  whereby  he   shall  be  called  The 
«  Lord  our  righteousness."    (Jer.  23.  6.)     «  For  Christ  is  the 
"  end  of  the  law  for  righteousness  to  every  one  that  believeth.     For 
"  Moses  describeth  the  righteousness  which  is  of  the  law,  that  the 
"  man  who  doeth  those  things  shall  live  by  them.     But  the  riehteous- 
«  ness  which  is  of  faith  speak eth  on  this  wise—That  if  thou  shalt  con- 
"  fess  with  thy  mouth  the  Lord  Jesus,  and  shalt  believe  in  thine  heart 
«  that  God  hath  raised  him  fi-om  the  dead,  thou  shalt  be  saved."  (Ro. 
10.  4.  5,  9.)     Thus  Christ  is  the  end  of  the  law  for  righteousness  to 
those  who  believe  in  him  and  confess  him,   "  But  now  without  the  law 
«  (according  to  the  order  of  the  Greek  text,)  the  righteousness  of 
«  God  is  manifested,  being  witnessed  [or  more  properly  testified]  by 
«  the  law  ijnd  the  prophets ;  even  the  righteousness  of  God   by  the 
<'  faith  of  Jesus  Christ,  unto  all  and  upon  all  them  that  believe."  (Ro. 
3.  21,  22.)     And  that  he  is  the  end  of  the  law  for  righteousness  io 


80  0?  ^US^riinCATIOK 

those  who  believe,  not  merely  by  offering  himself  a  sacrince,  or  sin- 
offering  to  God  in  their  rooni,  but  by  doing  the  will  of  God  as  it 
ought  CO  be  done  and  so  becoming  an  example  and  establishing  that 
which  should  supersede  the   law,  is  evident  from  very  pointed  lan- 
guage of  the  apostle,  where  he  speaks  particularly  on  that  subject, 
and  quotes  the  words  of  David  in  the  fortieth  psalm,  with  literal 
application  to  Christ  as  doing  the  thing  here  contended  for.     "  For 
"  it  is  not  possible  that  the  blood  of  bulls  and  of  goats  should  take 
♦'  away  sins.     Wherefore,  v/hen  he  cometh  into  the  world  he  saith, 
"  Sacrifice  and  offering  thou  wouldest  not,  but  a  body  hast  thou  pre- 
"  pared  me  :  in  burnt  offerings  and  sacrifices  for  sin  thou  hast  had 
"  no  pleasure  :  then  said  I,  Le,  I  come  (in  the  volume  of  the  book 
*'  it  is  written  of  me)  to  do  thy  will,  O  God.     Above,  when  he  said, 
"  Sacrifice,  and  offering  and  burnt  offerings,  and  offeiing  for  sin,  thou 
"  wouldest  not,  neither  hadst  pleasure  therein  ;  (which  are  offered  by 
"  the  law;)  then  said  he,  Lo,  I  come  to  do  thy  will,  O  God.     He 
"  taketh  away  the   first,  that  he  may  establish  the  second.     By  the 
"  which  will  we  are  sanctified,  through  the  offering  of  the  body  of 
"  Jesus  Christ   once."  (Heb.  10.  4,  to    10.)     Thus   expressly  it  is 
stated  what  he  established  as  the  second,  to  succeed  the  law  of  sacri- 
fices which  was  first,  that  is,  doing  the  will  of  God.     And  then  the 
whole  plan  is  according  to  the  words  of  Christ  before.  (Matt.  7.  21.) 
"  Not  every  one  that  saith  unto  me.  Lord,  Lord,  shall  enter  into  the 
"  kingdom  of  heaven ;  but  he  that  doeth  the  nvill  of  my  Father  who 
"  is  in  heaven."     If  then  Jesus  and  his  apostle  preached  the  true 
gospel,  if  they  understood  what  it  is,  and  are  safe  guides  to  eternal 
life,  this  is  the  way — To  do  the  will  of  God  after  his  example,  and 
influenced  by  the  faith  that  is  in  him:,  the  first,  as  well  as  principal 
leader  and  pei'fecter  of  faith.     And  though  it  is   also  said   that  he 
offered  a  sacrifice  for  sins,  the  connection  and  effect  show,  that  this 
is  not  contrary  to  Avhat  is  here  contended  for,  but  that  he  offered  him- 
self as  a  sin-offering  to  the  people,  and  to  God  as  their  example  and 
leader,  and 'thus  the  effect  was  produced  in  the  people,  while  he,  as 
their  forerunner,  gave  himself  an  offering  and  a  sacrifice  of  a  sweet 
smelling  savor  to  God.     "  And  every  priest  standeth  daily  rninister- 
"  ing,  and  offering  oftentimes  the  same   sacrifices,  which  can  never 
"  take  away  sins  ;  but  this  man,  after  he  had  offered  one  sacrifice  for 
"  iiins,  forever  sat  down  on  the  right  hand  of  God  ;  from  henceforth 
"  expecting  till  his  enemies  be  made  his  footstool.     For  by  one  offer- 
♦'•  ing  ho  hath  perfected  forever  them  that  are  sanctified."  (v.  1 1  to 
14.)     Instead  of  the  various  and  repeated  offerings  of  the  levitica! 
priesthood,  one  offering,  in  the  true  head  and  leader  of  his  people, 
was  sufficient,  for  the  perfecting  of  himself  and  of  all  those  who  are 
finally  sanctified,  who  are  all  those  who  perseveringly  walk  in  the 
same  narrow,  new  and  living  way  which  he  bath  consecrated.  Hence 
the  apostle  exhorts  ;  "  Having  therefore,  brethren,  boldness  to  enter 
«'  into  the  holiest  by  the  blcod  of  Jesus,  by  a  new  and  living  way, 
*  v/hich  he  hath  consecrated  for  us  through  the  vail,  that  is  to  say> 
*'  his  flesh  ;  and  having  an  high  priest  over  the  house  of  God,  let  ue 


AND  IMPUTATION.  81 

«  draw  near  with  a  true  heart,  m  full  assurance  of  faith,  havinsj  our 
"  hearts  sprinkled  from  an  evil  conscience,  and  our  bodies  washed 
"  with  pure  water."  Then  after  some  awful  admoriilious  and  warn- 
ings to  those  who  had  believed,  not  to  violate  their  faith,  but  to  main- 
tain their  conhdence  with  perseverance,  he  concludes ;  "  Now  the 
"  just  shall  live  by  faith  :  (not  the  unjust,  or  sinful ;  )  but  if  he  [the 
*' just;  for  the  words  any  vian^  arc  not  in  the  Greek  text;  if  he]  dravj 
"  back^  my  soul  shall  have  no  pleasure  in  him.  But  we,"  he  couli- 
nueth,  "  are  not  of  those  who  draw  back  to  perdition;  But  of  them 
"  that  believe  to  the  saving  of  the  soul."  Why  so  ?  because  we  have 
any  exclusive  gift  of  faith,  or  peculiar  privilege  ?  By  no  means  ;  but 
because  we  persevere  in  faith  and  the  righteous  use  of  it,  continuhig 
to  be  just  men,  having  gamed  that  power  by  the  gospel,  as  we  also 
exhort  others  to  do.  Let  these  things  suffice  at  present,  to  show 
how  Christ  is  the  end  of  the  law  to  believers ;  not  by  olfcring  up 
himself  a  sacrifice  as  our  surety  or  substitute,  but  by  consecrating 
for  us,  through  his  flesh,  and  by  his  own  example,  a  nev.^  and-  living 
way,  to  do  the  will  of  God  as  the  second,  the  sicbstance,  to  supersede 
the  first,  the  unprofitable  shadows  of  the  law.  "  For  such  an  high 
"  priest  became  us,  who  is  holy,  harmless,  uudefiled,  separate  from 
"  sinners,  and  made  higher  than  the  heavens  ;  who  needeth  not  daily, 
"  as  those  high  priests,  to  offer  up  sacrifice,  first  for  his  own  sins,  and 
"  then  for  the  people's ;  for  this  he  did  once,  when  he  offered  up 
"  himself"  [Heb.  7.  26,  27.]  In  this  the  pre-eminence  and  perfection 
of  his  sacrifice  are  clearly  manifest,  because  one  ofiering  Avas  suffici- 
ent, instead  of  the  continual  offerings'of  otiier  priests. 

Jesus  Cnrist  came  into  the  world  to  give  his  life  a  ransom  for  many, 
even  for  all  who  will  receive  and  obey  him,  as  it  is  written  ;  ,"  Even 
"  as  the  Son  of  man  came  not  to  be  ministered  unto,  but  to  miriister, 
"  and  to  give  his  life  a  ransom  for  many."  "  Who  gave  himself  a 
"  ransom  for  all,  to  be  testified  in  due  season."  "  That  he  by  the 
"  grace  of  God  should  taste  death  for  every  man."  [Matt.  20.  28. 
1  Tim.  2.  6.  Heb.  2.  9.] 

He  came  into  the  world,  lived  and  died,  to  be  the  leader  and  cap- 
tain of  salvation  to  his  people,  to  lead  them  through  the  Vi arfajc 
against  sin,  to  final  victory.  "  Behold,  I  have  given  thee  for  a  witness 
"  to  the  people,  for  a  leader  and  commander  to  the  people."  <'  But 
*'  we  see  Jesus  who  was  made  a  little  lower  than  the  angels  foi  *ic 
"  suffering  of  death,  crowned  with  glory  and  honor ;  tlmt  he  by  the" 
*'  grace  of  God  should  taste  death  for  every  man.  For  it  became 
"  him,  for  whom  are  all  things,  and  by  v/hom  are  all  things,  in  bring- 
"  ing  many  sons  to  glory,  to  make  the  captain  of  their  salvation  per- 
"  feet  through  sufierings.  For  both  he  that  sanctificth,  and  they  who 
"  are  sanctified  are  all  of  one  :  for  which  cause  he  is  not  ashamed 
*'  to  call  them  brethren  ;  saying,  I  will  declare  thy  name  among  my 
"brethren;  in  the  midst  of  the  church  will  I  sing  praise  unto  thee. 
«  And  again  I  will  put  my  trust  in  him."  [Isa.  55.  4.  Heb.  2.  9.  &c.] 
A  leader,  worthy  to  be  trusted  ;  because  he  would  never  lead  in  any 
wrong  or  forbidden  path,  and  would  never  give  ground  to  hi'^'  ene^- 

I. 


82  OF  JUSTIFICATION 

mies,  but  endured  all  things  for  the  sal;e  of  those  who  ^^  ould  follow 
him.  "  FoY  Christ  also  hath  once  suffered  for  sins,  the  just  for  [or 
"  by]  the  unjust  that  he  niig;ht  lead  us  to  God  [so  in  the  Greek,]  be- 
*'  ingput  to  death  in  the  ilesh,  but  quickened  lu  the  spirit."  [l  Pet. 
3.  18.J  In  pcrfcct  agreement  also  with  his  character  as  a  leader  of 
the  people,  and  given  to  them  of  God,  for  that  purpose,  to  lead  them 
to  him,  he  is  the  Mediator  of  the  new  testament,  the  surety  of  a  bet- 
ter testament  on  God's  behalf,  and  for  the  benefit  and  satisfaction  of 
the  people,  as  already  shown.  Thus  he  came  to  be  in  all  things  th.e 
salvation  of  God  to  the  ends  of  the  earth,  a  light  to  lighten  the  Gen- 
tiles and  the  glory  of  his  people  Israel. 

Other  particulars  might  be  named,  as  his  taking  away,  or  bearing 
the  sin  of  the  world,  but  all  these  are  either  included  in  thof  e  already 
stated,  or  will  be  in  those  subjects  yet  to  be  considered  in  connection 
with  this.  But  in  all  these  things,  which  comprehend  the  purposes 
of  his  coming  into  the  world,  there  is  not  a  word  of  his  righteous- 
ness, or  what  he  lias  done  and  suffered,  being  imputed  to  believers 
for  their  justification.  Neither  is  there  any  prospect  of  any  man's 
being  a  partaker  with  Christ  in  his  salvation  and  his  glory,  vmless  he 
first  partake  with  him  in  his  sufferings  and  death,  unless  he  embrace 
tlie  same  faith  of  Christ,  ^to  do  the  will  of  God,  Avalking  as  he 
walked.  "  For  in  that  he  died,  he  died  unto  sin  once  ;  but  in  that 
"  he  liveth,  he  livethunto  God.  Likewise  reckon  ye  also  yourselves 
"  to  be  dead  indeed  to  sin,  but  alive  to  God  through  Jesus  Christ 
"  our  Lord."  "  For  if  we  be  dead  Avith  him,  we  shall  also  live  with 
"  him  :  If  we  sufler  we  shall  also  reign  with  him  :  if  we  deny  him, 
«  he  also  will  deny  us."  [Ro.  6.  10,    1 1.     2  Tim.  2.  1 1,  15.] 


CHAPTER  VIII. 

T/ie  sjihject  continued^  by  inquiring  inio  the  nature  mid  design  of  the 
death  of   Christ,  and  whether  it  is  im/ittfcd  to  ns  for  jnstif  cation. 

BUT  it  will  be  alledged  that  if  we  inquire  directly  into  the  pur- 
poses and  effects  of  his  death,  we  will  find  the  doctrine  of  justifica- 
tion by  the  imputed  righteousness  of  Christ,  well  supported.  We 
shall  therefore  inquire  into  his  death  in  relation  to  those  poiiits,  or 
Avhy  it  v.as  necessary  for  him  to  die.  And  seeing  he  became  man, 
and  was  subject  to  the  ordinary  infirmities  of  humanity,  it  was  neces- 
sary in  the  order  of  things  that  he  should  ^experience  the  dissolution 
of  the  animal  life,  by  putting  off  the  earthly  man,  and  should  pass 
into  glory  as  the  proper  forerunner  of  his  people,  an.d  that  his  victory 
and  triumph  should  be  proclaimed  for  the  encouragement  of  others 
to  come  forth  in  his  name  to  the  same  reward.  "  Ought  not  Christ 
"  to  have  suffered  these  things  and  to  enter  into  his  glory  ?"  "  Thus 
"  it  is  written,  and  thus  it  behoved  Christ  to  suiTer,  and  to  rise  from 
"  the  dead  tlie  third  day  ;  and  that  repentance  and  remission  of  sins 


AND  IMPUTATION.  ;;S 

■<'  should  be  preached  in  his  name   among  all   nations."  (Luke   24-, 
26,  46,  47.) 

It  was  necessary  he  should  die  to  confirm  the  new  covenant,  that 
is,  the  testament  or  will,  and  secure  the  inheritance,  according  to  or- 
der, to  the  heirs  of  the  promise.  Thus  it  was  necessar)^,  not  only 
that  he  should  live  a  minister  of  the  circumcission  to  confirm  the  pro- 
mises made  to  the  fathers,  but  also,  as  no  testament  or  will  is  con- 
firmed until  after  the  death  of  the  legator,  and  as  it  was  impossible 
for  God  to  die,  but  possible  for  his  surety  of  the  better  testament, 
who  was  made  a  little  lower  than  the  angels  for  the  suffering  of 
death,  it  was  necessary  that  he  should  die,  that  by  his  death  he 
might  confirm  the  legatees  in  the  possession  of  the  inheritance  ; 
:iaving  faithfully  kept  the  covenant  himself,  and  never  forfeited  the 
right  of  inheritance  to  his  seed.  "  And  for  this  cause  he  is  the  medi- 
•<  ator  of  the  new  testament,  that  by  means  of  death,  for  the  rcdemp- 
"  tion  of  the  transgressions  under  the  first  testament,  they  who  are 
'•  called  might  receive  the  promise  of  eternal  inheritance.  For 
"  where  a  testament  is,  there  must  of  necessity  be  the  death  of  the 
"  testator.  For  a  testament  is  of  force  after  men  are  dead :  other- 
"  wise  it  is  of  no  strength  at  all  while  the  testator  liveth.  ^Vhere- 
''  upon  neither  the  first  testament  v/as  dedicated  without  blood." 
(Hcb.  9.  1 5,  to  18.)  But  this  was  only  a  shadow  or  sign  for  the  time 
then  present.  Foi'  the  first  testament  was  imperfect,  so  that  tlic 
transgressions  which  were  under  it  could  not  be  redeemed,  that  is, 
done  away,  and  the  people  redeemed  from  them.  For  in  that  testa- 
ment there  was  no  real  death  of  the  testator,  all  things  Ijeing  in  sha- 
dows ;  no  real  testator  had  ever  appeared,  capable  of  the  suffering 
of  death  ;  neither  had  any  been  found  to  condemn  sin  in  the  true 
seat  of  it,  the  flesh,  and  set  the  example  of  dying  to  sin  and  living  to 
God,  as  Jesus  did,  putting  his  people  on  the  true  line,  accoi'ding  to 
the  law  of  the  spirit  of  life,  to  come  into  the  possession  of  the  pro- 
mised inheritance.  But  when  Christ  thus  appeared  as  the  mediator 
of  the  new  and  better  testament,  he  consecrated  the  new  and  living 
way  through  the  vail,  that  is  to  say,  his  flesh,  and  put  the  heirs  on  the 
safe  way  to  the  inheritance,  redeeming  them  from  all  their  trans- 
•gressions,  and  then  confirmed  the  whole  by  his  death. 

It  was  necessary  that  he  should  die,  and  \isit  the  dark  abodes  of 
departed  spirits,  and  return  again  amongst  the  living,  that  his  trium- 
phant victory  over  death  and  sin  might  be  made  knoMU  to  all,  his  sal- 
vation proclaimed,  and  his  government  established  as  head  over  all 
things  to  the  church.  "  For  to  this  end  Christ  both  died,  and  rose, 
*■<■  and  revived,  that  he  might  be  Lord  both  of  the  dead  and  living." 
"  For,  for  this  cause  was  the  gospel  preached  to  the  dead  also,  that 
"  they  might  be  judged  accorcUng  to  men  in  the  flesh,  but  live  ac- 
"  cording  to  [the  purpose  and  work  of]  God  in  the  Spirit;"  accord- 
ingly the  quick  and  the  dead  shall  all  be  judged  by  one  judge  and 
on  the  sanie  principles. 

The  learned  Macknight,  of  Scotland,  seems  to  have  been  com- 
]-)elled,  by  the  irresistible  force  of  literal  truth,  to  translate  j'sxpotj-, 
£necrois]  correctly,  the  dead,  which,  as  it  would  seem,  to  avoid  giv- 


S4  OF  JUSTIFICATION 

ing'  support  to  the  Roman  catholic  doctrine  of  pjui-gatory,  or  any  otlier 
prospect  of  the  s^ospel's  being  a  remedy  for  sonls  out  of  the  earthly 
tabernacle,  (Avhich  last  idea  the  simple  and  natural  translation  con- 
firms,) he  has  given  a  very  unnatural  and  forced  translation,  or  rather 
construction  of  the  v/hole  together,  to  compel  the  phrase,  the  dead^ 
to  mean  in  sin,  notwithstanding  the  evident  contrast  stated  by  the 
words  of  the  apostle,  between  the  dead  and  those  in  the  flesh,  which 
by  such  a  construction  is  lost.  For  it  is  remarkable  that  the  apostle 
in  the  whole  of  this  discourse  hath  used  the  term  fiesh^  in  one  uni- 
form sense,  meaning  the  animal  body.  And  as  though  he  proposedly 
avoided  the  confusion  of  ideas  which  would  arise  by  using  the  same 
Vv^ords  in  different  meanings,  he  hath  used  these  two  phrases,  lusts  of 
vien^  and  vydl  of  the  Gentiles,  to  express  the  evils  commonly  ascrib- 
ed to  the  flesh. 

But  the  words  of  the  apostle  Paul  are  not  to  be  omitted,  which 
sei've  as  a  farther  elucidation  of  this  subject.  For  concerning  Christ 
he  ;^aith  ;  "  And,  being  found  in  fashion  as  a  man,  he  humbled  liim- 
"  self,  and  bccan\e  obedient  rmto  death,  even  the  death  of  the  cross  : 
"  wherefore  God  also  hath  highly  exalted  him,  and  given  him  a  name 
''  which  is  above  every  name  ;  that  in  the  name  of  Jc^us  Christ  cve- 
"  ly  knee  should  bow,  of  those  in  heaven  and  those  on  earth  and  those 
"  under  the  earth ;  and  evciy  tongue  confess  that  Jesus  Christ  is 
"  Lord,  to  the  glory  of  God  the  Father."  (Phil.  2.  8  to  11.)  The 
Greek  word  translated  things,  in  our  English  Bibles,  is  so  translated 
without  reason ;  which  may  easily  be  perceived  by  the  common 
reader,  because  inanimate  and  unconscious  beings  are  not  expected 
to  bow  the  knee  in  the  name  of  Jesus.  This  is  only  expected  of 
those  Mdio  are  capable  subjects  of  his  salvation,  or  of  the  contempla- 
tion of  his  character  and  works.  This  text  therefore,  irresistibly  re- 
lates to  the  worship  paid  to  him  and  to  God  in  his  name  by  the  inha- 
bitants of  heaven  and  of  earth  and  of  those  under  the  earth,  that  is, 
of  those  who  have  departed  from  the  material  body,  which  they  have 
loft  in  the  earth,  but  have  not  ascended  to  heaven,  having  not  yet 
been  saved. 

He  died  to  set  forth  and  recommend  the  love  of  God  to  a  dying 
"\^'orld  of  men  for  their  salvation,  and  to  engage  them  to  follow  him 
and  live  to  him  who  died  for  them.  "  But  God  hath  commended 
''  his  love  towards  us,  in  that  while  we  were  yet  sinners,  Christ 
"  died  for  us.  Much  more  then,  being  now  justified  by  his  blocd, 
"  we  lyhall  be  saved  from  wrath  through  him.  For,  if  when  we  were 
<'  enemies,  we  were  rccoriciled  to  God  by  the  death  of  his  Son; 
•'  much  more  being  reconciled  we  shall  be  saved  by  his  life;"  if  we 
■make  it  cur  otvn  by  living  as  he  lived.  <'  For  the  love  of  Christ 
"  constraineth  tin  ;  because  we  thus  jiidge,  that  if  one  died  for  all, 
"  then  were  all  dead ;  and  that  he  died  for  all,  that  they  wlio  live 
•'  should  not  henceforth  live  to  themselves,  but  to  him  who  died  for 
*•  tlicmand  rose  again."  (Ro.  5.  8,9.  2.  Cor.  .'5.  14,  15.) 

'I'hesc  things  comprehend  the  purposes  and  effects  of  the  death  of 
Cliristin  general  terms.     They  might  be  stated  in  a  number  of  dif- 


AND  IMPUTATION-  S5 

ferent  manners  according  to  the  variety  of  language  need  iu  the 
scriptures,  to  express,  by  various  piirases,  one  and  the  same  tliiug. 
But  to  notice  all  these  expressions  distinctly  would  be  uimtcessaiy. 
JNIy  purpose  is  to  satisfy  and  convince  those  Avho  are  in  reach  of  the 
truth,  that  there  is  no  such  doctrine,  as  that  of  justification  by  the 
imputed  righteousness  of  Christ,  contained  or  supported  in  the  scrip- 
ture account  of  the  purposes  and  effects  of  his  coming  into  the  world 
and  dying.  But  it  may  be  alied^^ed  that  although  the  point  cannot  be 
proved  by  considering  the  subject  in  general  terms,  it  can,  by  de- 
scending to  particulars,  and  that  there  are  a  number  of  concise  and 
well  expressed  arguments  contained  in  plain  scriptures,  which  have 
liot  been  introduced,  by  which  it  can  be  confirmed.  We  shall  now 
have  recourse  to  these,  after  once  more  reminding  the  reader  of  the 
iinaccountableness,  not  to  say  the  injustice  of  the  notion,  that  Gcd 
should  fix  the  justification  or  final  salvation  of  men,  on  that  ground, 
which  is  not  once  named  in  all  the  revelations  which  he  hath  made 
on  those  subjects  :  that  is,  justification  by  the  imputed  righteousness, 
of  Christ  as  their  surety,  to  pay  their  debt  to  law  and  justice  in  their 
room.  We  have  seen  that  no  such  character  belongs  to  Christ,  con- 
sequently the  fabric  which  is  built  on  it  must  fail.  But  let  us  pro- 
ceed ; 

"  Christ  died  for  the  ungodly,"  and  "  While  we  were  yet  sinners 
Christ  died  for  us."  (Ro.  5.  6,'8.)  "  Chiist  hath  suffered  for  us  in 
the  flesh."  (1  Pet.  4.  1.)  Hence  it  is  concluded,  that  he  died  as  a 
surety  or  substitute  in  our  room  and  stead.  And  it  is  fiirther  argued, 
that  the  preposition  "  for"  [t^ttp]  signifies  "  in  the  room  arid  stead  of" 
If  that  be  true,  then  Christ  diecT  [t;Tf p]  in  the  room  and  stead  of  our 
"  sins  that  they  might  not  die  but  be  saved  ;  for  it  is  written,  "  That 
Christ  died  for  [v.-trp]  our  sins."  (1  Cor.  15.  3.)  But  this  conse- 
quence is  not  only  false,  but  too  absurd  to  be  admitted.  The  argu- 
ment therefore,  from  which  it  is  fairly  drawn,  that  is,  that  "  for," 
[v/tfp]  necessarily  signifies  "  in  the  room  and  stead  of,"  is  false.  But 
the  apostle  hath  stated  the  nature  and  design  of  Christ's  suffering  for 
us,  for  our  sakes,  on  our  account,  or  in  our  cause,  that  Ave  might  fol- 
low his  example ;  "  For  even  hereunto  Mere  ye  called :  because 
"  Christ  also  suficred  for  us,  leaving  us  an  example,  that  ye  should 
"  follow  his  steps."  (1  Pet.  2.  21.)  Thus  while  believers  are  engag- 
ed in  the  cause  of  Christ  as  he  suffered  for  them,  they  also  suffer  for 
him.  "  For  to  you  it  is  given  in  the  behalf  of  Christ,  [v^vp  Xptj'«] 
"  not  only  to  believe  on  him,  but  also  to  suffer  for  his  sake.  Lr.-tfp 
"  avts']  Phil.  1.  29.)  So  in  another  place,  the  apostle,  speaking  of 
the  gospel,  saith,  "  Whereof  I,  Paul,  am  made  a  mmister,  who  nov/ 
«*  rejoice  in  my  sufferings  for  [vrtfp]  you,  and  fill  up  tliat  which  is 
^  beliind  of  the  affilctions  of  Christ  in  my  fiesh  for  his  body's  sake, 
"  [vTiip  TfS  oco^aros-  avtii']  which  is  the  church."  (Col.  1.  24.)  And 
John;  "  In  him  we  have  known  love,  because  he  laid  down  his  life 
"  for  [DJtsp]  us:  and  we  ought  to  lay  down  our  lives  for  [aTtfp]  the 
"  brethren."  (Jno.  .".  IC.)  These  authorities  arc  sufiicient  to  show 
'r>  and  all  candid  men,  that  the  doctn-ine  of  Christ's  dying  for  us  and 


S6  OF  JUSTIFICATION 

for  our  sins,  contains  in  it  no  Ibuncktion  for  that  of  his  dj'ing-  in  our 
room  and  stead,  or  of  vicarious  obedience  or  sufferings,  proxy  pay- 
ment, or  surety  righteousness,  or  the  righteousness  of  Christ  in  any 
other  character  imputed  to  believers,  on  any  account  imless  by  doing 
as  he  did  and  being  righteous  on  tlic  same  principle  with  liim.  "  He 
that  doetli  righteousness  is  righteous  even  as  he  is  righteous." 

But  another  argument  for  justification  by  the  imputed  righteous- 
ness of  Christ,  is  that  righteousness  is  imputed  to  them  that  believe. 
Hence  it  is  concluded,  that  this  righteousness  vi'hich  is  imputed  must 
be  the  surety  righteousness  of  Christ.  But  we  have  before  seen  that 
whatever  righteousness  is  imputed,  or  whatever  was  imputed  for 
righteousness,  was  that  which  existed  in  the  man,  his  own  faith  ac- 
companied by  obedience  to  the  extent  of  what  was  required  in  every 
case.  Although  faith  alone  will  never  save  any  man,  or  establish 
any  man  in  an  abiding  state  of  justification,  it  may  introduce  him  into 
the  path.  For  he  who  believes  the  truth  on  sufficient  evidence  and 
agrees  to  it  in  his  heart,  Avith  determination  to  obey,  has  done  all  he 
can  do  until  something  farther  offers,  he  is  therefore  justified.  Thus 
Abraham's  faith  was  counted,  reckoned,  or  imputed  to  him  for  right- 
eousness. But  in  v/hat  spirit  or  practice  was  it  imputed  to  him  ?  of 
obedience  or  disobedience  ?  Not  of  disobedience  but  of  obedience. 
For  v/hcn  God  commanded  him  to  circumcise  all  the  males  in  his 
house,  had  he  refused,  or  had  he  not  from  the  time  of  believing 
stood  in  the  spirit  of  obedience  to  God  as  far  as  his  duty  was  made 
known,  his  justification  had  been  null,  and  that  which  was  imputed 
to  him  for  righteousness  would  not  have  been  thus  imputed.  And  on 
the  same  principle  of  obedience  was  righteousness  to  be  im])utcd  to 
Abraham's  family,  whether  Gentiles  or  Jews.  "  For  in  Jesus  Christ 
'■'  neither  circumcission  availeth  any  thing,  nor  uncircumcission  ;  but 
"  faith  which  workcth  by  love."  And  again ;  "  Circumcission  is 
"  nothing,  and  uncircumcission  is  nothing,  but  the  keeping  of  the 
"  commandments  of  God."  (Gal.  5.  6.  1  Cor.  7.  8.)  "  For  wc  say 
'•'■  that  faith  was  reckoned  to  Abraham  for  righteousness,  and  he  re- 
"  ccived  the  sign  of  circumcission,  a  seal  of  the  righteousness  of  the 
«  faith  T.-hich  he  had,  being  yet  uncircumcised ;  that  he  might  be  the 
*'  father  of  all  them  that  believe,  though  they  be  not  circumcised  ; 
"  tliat  righteousness  might  be  imputed  to  them  also  ;  and  the  father 
*'  of  the  circumcission,  to  them  who  are  not  of  the  circumcission  only, 
"  but  Avho  also  walk  in  the  steps  of  that  faith  of  our  father  Abrahami 
"  which  he  had  yet  being  uncircumcised."  (Ro.  4.  9,  11,  Sec.)  And 
•what  were  the  steps  of  that  faith  of  Abraham  ?  Obedience  ;  w^hich 
appears  in  every  case,  arid  bij  ivorks  vjas  faith  made  perfect.  Deny 
it  if  ye  can.  But  "  tic  staggered  not  at  the  promise  of  God  through 
*'  unbelief;  but  was  strong  in  faith,  giving  glory  to  God.  And  being 
"  fullv  persuaded,  that  what  he  had  promised  he  was  able  to  perform. 
*'  And  therefore  it  was  imputed  to  him  for  righteousness.  Now  it 
*'  was  not  written  for  his  sake  alone,  that  it  was  imputed  to  him  ;  but 
*'  for  us  also,  to  whom  it  shall  be  imputed,  if  wc  believe  on  him  that 
"  raised  up  Jesus  our  Lord  froi;«  t!ic  dead  ;  who  was  delivered  for 


AND  IMPUTATION.  Sf 

«  our  offences  and  raised  again  for  our  justification."  (Ro.  4,  9,  Sec.) 
But  in  all  this,  where  is  there  a  word  or  a  hint  of  any  righteousness 
of  Christ  imputed  to  any  christian,  of  the  Jews  or  Gentiles,  to  Abra- 
liam  or  to  us,  or  any  thing  else  except  the  faith  of  each  one,  includ- 
ing his  obedience  ?  For  who  will  venture  to  separate  them  ?  Or  if 
obedience  be  denied  to  have  any  connection  or  availablcness  in  the 
point  of  justification,  after  the  apostle  Paul  hath  said  so  pointedly 
that  the  faith  which  availeth  in  Jesus  Christ,  is  that  which  worketli 
by  love,  and  James,  that  by  works  a  man  is  justified  and  not  by  faith 
only,  there  is  still  nothing  said  of  the  righteousness  of  Christ  being 
imputed  to  any  ;  the  nighest  the  whole  account  comes  to  it  is,  eacli 
one's  own  faith,  and  not  the  faith,  the  obedience  or  righteousness, 
of  another.  Now  my  faith  is  not  the  obedience  or  righteousness  of 
Jesus  Christ,  as  my  substitute  or  surety,  neither  was  Abraham's. 

But  for  what  purpose,  and  on  what  principle,  was  he  delivered  for 
our  offences,  and  raised  again  for  our  justification?  Not  on  the 
principle  of  imputation,  by  transferring  our  offences  to  him  I  or  his 
righteousness  to  us  ?  for  the  revelation  of  God  speaks  of  no  snch 
matter,  either  here,  or  any  where  else.  But  he  v/as  delivered  for  our 
offences  to  rem.ove  them  and  prevent  or  put  a  stop  to  them,  by  bring- 
ing in  everlasting  righteousness,  and  making  an  end  of  sin  ;  and  he  ' 
was  raised  agam  for  our  justification,  that  he  might  be  our  confi- 
dence and  our  support  in  God,  "  /  ivill  Jiut  mij  trust  in  him  ;"  that 
our  faith  and  hope  in  God,  and  the  execution  of  cur  redemption  in 
Christ,  might  not  fail,  but  have  an  inexhaustible  treasure  of  evi- 
dence and  support ;  "  I  foresaw  the  Lord  always  before  my  face  ; 
"  for  he  is  on  my  right  hand  that  I  should  not  be  moved  :  therefore 
"  did  my  heart  rejoice,  and  my  tongue  was  glad  :  moreover  also  my 
"  flesh  shall  rest  in  hope,  because  thou  wilt  not  leave  my  soul  in  hell, 
"  neither  wilt  thou  suffer  thine  holy  One  to  see  corruption."  And 
all  these  things  take  effect  on  the  principle,  and  according  to  the 
plan  of  God's  free  grace,  as  stated  by  the  apostle  Paul.  "  But  now, 
"  withovit  the  law,  the  righteousness  of  God  is  manifested  (not  im- 
"  puted,)  being  Avitnessed  [or  testified]  by  the  law  and  the  prophets  ; 
"  even  the  righteousness  of  God  through  tlie  faith  of  Jesus  Christ, 
"  unto  all  and  upon  all  them  that  believe  :  for  there  is  no  difference  ; 
"  for  all  have  sinned,  and  come  short  of  the  glory  of  God  ;  L>eing 
"  justified  freely  by  his  grace,  through  the  redemption  that  is  in  Christ 
"  Jesus  ;  whom  God  hath  set  forth  a  propitiation  [or  mercy  seat, 
Greek,  the  place  in  which  God  appeared  to  show  his  glory  and  to 
commune  with  the  people]  through  faith  in  his  blood,  to  declare 
(not  to  work  out  and  impute,)  his  (that  is  God's)  righteousness  for 
*'  the  remission  of  sins,  that  are  past ;  through  the  forbearance  of 
"  Gqd  ;  (not  through  the  imputed  righteousness  of  Christ  ;)  to  de- 
"  clare,  I  say,  at  this  time  his  righteousness,  that  he  might  (ha^-e 
an  opportunity  to)  be  just  and  the  justifier  of  him  that  beiicveth 
**  in  Jesus,"  [or,  as  in  the  Greek,  "  of  him  that  is  of  the  faith  of 
«'  Jesus,  having  the  same  faith  with  him."  See  Hcb.  2.  13.,  Acts  2\ 
25,  27,     Ro.  .'?.  21.26.]     Thus  he  was  raised  for  our  justifiauion! 


88  OF  JUSTIFICATION 

even  he,  "  Who  verily  was  fore-ordained  before  the  foundation  of 
"  the  woi-ld,  but  was  manifest  in  these  last  times  for  you,  who  by  hinn 
"  do  believe  in  God  that  raised  him  up  from  the  dead,  and  gave  hiru 
"  glory;  that  your  faith  and  hope  might  be  in  God."  ( 1  Pet.  1 .  20,  2 1 .) 
And  if  we  by  him  believe  in  God,  it  will  be  accounted  to  us  for  right- 
eousness, provided  we  do  not  make  shipwreck  of  our  faith  by  put- 
ting away  a  good  conscience  or  neglecting  obedience.  Now  a  good 
conscience  depends  on  living  honestly  in  all  things  ;  which  those  who 
put  away,  make  shipwreck  conceding  the  faith,  and  of  course  lose 
their  justification.  (1  Tim.  1.  19.  Heb.  13.  18.) 

llux.  faith  vv'ithout  obedience  cannot  justify  any  man.  A  man  may 
believe  the  truth  of  God,  the  doctrine  of  the  gospel,  the  only  way  of 
salvation,  and  be  firmly  persuaded  of  it,  but  have  no  intention  of  obey- 
ing :  such  an  one  hath  neither  part  nor  lot  in  justification;  his  faith 
will  be  imputed  to  liim  for  the  greater  condemnation  ;  such,  in  some 
measure,  were  those  rulers  of  the  Jews,  who  believed  on  him  but  did 
not  confess  him,  because  they  loved  the  praise  of  men  more  than 
the  praise  of  God.  (Jno.  12.  52,  52.)  Simon  the  sorcerer  be- 
lieved, but  was  not  justified.  Devils  also  believe.  It  may  be  object- 
ed that  the  faith  of  devils  is  not  a  proper  ground  of  argument,  to 
prove  that  men  may  believe  and  not  be  justified,  because  of  the 
gospel's  being  offered  only  to  men.  But  as  the  apcstle  hath  used  it 
1  consider  myself  safe,  and  the  argument  proper.  James  hath  prov- 
ed that  a  man  cannot  be  justified  without  works ;  and  Paul,  after  all  he 
hath  said  of  the  necessity  of  the  faith  of  Christ,  and  of  its  excluding 
the  works  of  the  laAv,  it  is  remarkable,  hath  never  once  excluded 
obedience  to  the  gospel ;  nay,  so  far  from  it,  that  he  uses  believing 
and  obeyhig  as  synonymous  terms,  in  one  of  his  most  particular  de- 
scriptions of  faith.  "  But  they  have  not  all  obeyed  the  gospel ;  for 
"  Esaias  saith.  Lord  who  hath  believed  our  report?"  And  this  is  not 
all,  in  the  conclusion  of  this  same  epistle,  he  hath  finally  concentrat- 
ed the  whole  work  and  design  of  the  gospel  in  obedience,  not  in- 
deed to  the  outward  ceremonies  of  the  law,  but  to  God  in  the 
faith  of  Christ — the  obedience  of  faith.  "  According  to  my  gospel 
"  and  the  preaching  of  Jesus  Christ,  according  to  the  revelation  of  the 
"  mystery  which  was  kept  secret  since  the  world  began,  but  now  is 
<'  manifest  and  by  the  scriptures  of  the  prophets,  according  to  the 
"  commandment  of  the  everlasting  God,  made  known  to  all  nations 
«  for  the  obedience  of  faith."  (See  Ro.  1.  16.  Sc  16.  25,  26.)  And 
in  his  epistle  to  the  Galatians,  in  v/hich  he  so  firmly  maintains  the 
faith  of  Christ  in  contrast  M'ith  the  works  of  the  law,  obedience  is 
introduced  as  the  graiid  substance,  Avithout  which  their  faith  and 
standing  v.ould  all  go  to  ruin.  "  O  foolish  Galatians  who  hath  bc- 
"  witched  you,  that  ye  should  not  obey  the  truth,  before  whose  eyes 
"  Jesus  Christ  hath  been  evidently  set  forth  crucified  among  you.'* 
Jesus  Christ  was  set  forth  to  them,  as  the  object  of  faith,  and  tte 
apostle  looked  for  obedience.  Tliey  had  believed  with  extraordinary 
zeal  and  great  blessedness  ;  but  their  turning  away  from  the  obedi- 
ence of  faith  to  that  of  the  law,  was  making  havoc   of  their  faith. 


AND  IMPUTATION.  80 

''  Are  ye  so  foolish  ?  having  begun  in  the  Spirit,  are  ye  now  rnade 
**  perfect  by  the  fl(»sh  ?"  In  like  manner  also  Peter  considers  faitii 
and  obedience  as  occupying  the  same  place  in  union,  putting  the 
disobedient  in  contrast  with  beiie-vers ;  "  He  that  believcth  on  him 
"  shall  not  be  confounded."  "  Unto  you,  therefore,  who  belie-ve  he  is 
"  precious;  but  unto  them  who  are  disobedient,  the  stone  which  tiic 
"  builders  disallowed,  the  same  is  made  the  head  of  the  corner,  and 
"  a  stone  of  stumbling,  and  a  rock  of  offence,  even  to  them  who 
"  stumble  at  the  cross,  being  disobedient."  (Gal.  1.  3.    I  Pet.  2.  6,  ".) 

Another  argument  in  defence  of  justification  by  the  imputed  righ- 
teousness of  Christ,  is  grounded  on  such  scriptures  as  these.  "  Surely 
"  he  hath  borne  our  griefs,  and  carried  our  sorrows:  yet  we  did 
<'  esteem  him,  [paid  attention  to  him,!  stricken,  smitten  of  God,  and 
"  afflicted.  But  he  was  Avounded  lor  our  transgressions,  he  was 
"  bruised  for  our  iniquities  :  the  chastisement  of  our  peace  was  upon 
"  him  ;  and  with  his  stripes  [bruise,  lieb.]  we  are  healed.  All  v/c 
"  like  sheep  have  gone  astray;  we  have  turned  every  one  to  his  owa 
"  way  ;  and  the  Lord  hath  laid  on  him  the  iniquity  of  us  all — for  the 
"  transgression  of  my  people,  was  he  stricken — Yet  it  pleased  the 
"  Lord  to  bruise  him  ;  he  hath  put  him  to  grief :  when  thou  shalt 
"  make  his  soul  an  offering  for  sin  ;  he  shall  see  his  seed  ;  he  shall 
"  prolong  his  days,  and  the  pleasure  of  the  Lord  shall  prosper  in  his 
"  hand.  He  shall  see  of  the  travail  of  his  soul,  and  shall  be  satisfi- 
"  ed;  by  his  knowledge  shall  my  righteous  servant  justify  many;  for 
"  he  shall  bear  their  iniquities — Because  he  hath  poured  out  his  soul 
"  unto  death  ;  and  he  was  numbered  with  the  transgressors  ;  and  he 
"  bare  the  sin  of  many,  and  made  intercession  for  the  transgres- 
"  sors."  "  Who  his  own  self  bare  our  sins,  in  his  own  body  on  the 
"  tree,  that  we  being  dead  to  sm  should  live  unto  righteousness  ;  by 
<'  whose  stripes  [bruise,  Greek,]  ye  were  healed."  (Isa.  53.  4,  5.  kc. 
1  Pet.  2.  24.)  These  scriptures  contain  the  substance  of  the  argu- 
ments drawn  from  that  class  ;  and  from  them  we  may  infer  the  fol- 
lowing propositions.  That  Jesus  bore  our  sins — That  he  suffered 
for,  or  by  our  sins — That  he  is  the  Mediator  or  Intercessor  through 
whom  we  obtain  deliverance. 

That  Jesus  bore  our  sins  therefore  is  granted  on  all  hands.  And 
he  could  not  otherwise  have  been  a  suitable  leader  and  Captain  to 
his  people  ;  he  could  not  otherwise  have  been  a  competent  forerun- 
ner and  example  to  his  people,  whose  steps  we  are  to  follow.  Pie 
could  not,  without  bearing  our  sins,  have  been  properly  qualified  to 
commiserate  our  wretchedness,  and  minister  suitable  relief.  *^  For 
"  it  became  him,  for  whom  are  all  things,  and  by  whom  ai-e  ail 
"  things,  in  bringing  many  sons  to  glory,  to  make  the  Captain  of  their 
"  salvation  perfect  through  sufferings — Wherefore  in  all  things  it 
"  behoved  him  to  be  made  like  unto  his  brethren  ;  that  he  inight  be 
"  a  merciful  and  faithful  high  priest  in  things  pertaining  to  (iod,  to 
"  make  intercession  for  the  sins  of  the  people — For  we  have  not  an 
"  high  priest  who  cannot  be  touched  with  the  feeling  of  our  infirmi- 
•'■^  ties  ;  but  vras  ia  all  points  tempted  like  as  we  are,  yet  without 


90  OF  JUSTIFICATION 

''  sin."  He  therefore  had  no  sin  of  his  oAvn  ;  but  it  behoved  him 
to  bear  ours,  that  a  suitable  fellow  feeling  and  brotherhood  might  be 
consununated  between  us;  "  For  both  he  that  sanctifieth  and  they  who 
are  sanctified,  are  all  of  one  ;  for  which  cause  he  is  not  ashamed  to 
call  them  brethren."  (Heb.  2.  10,  1 1.  and  4.  15.) 

But  we  shall  enquire  more  pailicularly  how  he  came  to  bear  our 
sins,  and  in  Avhat  respect  he  bore  them.  It  was  the  doing  of  the 
Lord,  "  The  Lord  hath  laid  on  him  the  iniquity  cf  us  all."  Or  as 
the  Hebrew  text  is,  Jehovah  Jiath  caused  the  iniquity  of  us  all  to 
meet  in  him^  (See  margin  cf  Bibles,)  that  is,  to  intercept  him.  But 
say  the  people.  He  imputed  them  to  him  as  our  substitute  or  surety, 
and  his  sufferings  and  obedience  will  be  imputed  to  us  for  justifica- 
tion. This  however  is  man's  doctrine.  The  scriptures  have  not 
slated  any  such  matters.  For  the  elucidation  of  this  point,  I  will 
give  a  concise  descant  on  the  above  texts  from  the  fifty-third  of  Isa- 
iah, and  illustrate  them  by  other  scriptures.  The  prophet  saith, 
"  He  is  despissd  and  rejected  of  men;  aman  of  sorroivs^  and  ac- 
"  qiiainted  with  grief;  and  ive  hid  as  it  were  our  faces  from  hitn  ;  he 
«  was  despised  and  we  esteemed  him  not"  [paid  no  attention  to  him.]] 
Such  is  the  natural  enmity  of  this  world  against  God,  that  he  Avho 
will  serve  God  must  be  despised  by  this  Avorld,  and  he  also  that  will 
be  the  friend  of  the  world  is  the  enemy  of  God.  (Jas.  4.  4.)  But  the 
prophet  viewing,  in  the  gift  of  prophecy,  this  man,  as  a  man  of  sor- 
rows and  acquainted  with  grief,  as  his  abiding  condition  of  life  and 
not  as  a  matter  of  an  hour  or  a  day— sorrows  and  grief,  such  as  were 
incident  to  the  human  race,  only  infinitely  greater  than  in  any  other 
man  (For  his -visage  was  marred  jnore  than  anxj  man,  and  his  form 
than  the  so7is  of  ?nen,J  breaks  out  into  this  reflecticn  ;  "  Surely  he 
"  hath  borne  our  griefs,  he  hath  carried  our  sorrows  ;  (those  death- 
"  ly  burdens  wliich  belong  to  us  sinners— he  seems  like  one  of  us  ;) 
"  yet  we  did  esteem  him,  [paid  attention  to  him]  stricken,  (or  touched., 
*■•  with  our  distresses)  smitten  of  God  (who  sent  him  on  this  errand 
"  and  in  whose  cause  he  suffered  these  things)  and  afflicted,  (Little 
"  as  we  regarded  him  for  his  peculiar  excellence.)  But  he  was  wound- 
♦'  ed  for  (through  Heb.)  our  transgressions,  he  was  bruised  for 
"  ( Heb.  through  J  our  iniquities  :  the  chastisement  of  our  peace  was 
"  zipo7i  him  ;  (the  very  chastisement  tijrough  the  enduring  of  which 
*'  we  may  find  peace  ;)  by  his  stripes,  (Heb.  bruise)  we  are  healed, 
"  (as  fast  as  we  suffer  the  same  bruising  for,  or  on  account  of  sin 
"  which  he  hath  suffered  for,  or  through  cur  sins  ;  '<  Because  Christ 
<'  also  suffered  for  us,  leaving  us  an  example  that  ye  should  follow 
"  his  steps,"  "  For  he  that  hath  suffered  in  the  flesh  hath  ceased 
"  from  sin."  1  Pet.  2,  21.  and  4.  I.)  All  we  like  sheeji  }iave  gone 
astray,  we  have  turned  every  one  to  his  own  way;  tmd  Jehovah 
hath  caused  the  iniqriity  of  us  all  to  meet  in  hirn,  [to  intercept  or 
head  him  ;  that  he  may  experience  the  depth  of  our  miseries.]  He 
was  oppressed  [or  as  it  hath  been  understood  and  the  Hebrew  text 
will  well  bear.  It  was  exacted  of  him,  that  is,  all  the  obedience,  sub- 
jection, humiliation  and  sufferings  which  God  requireth  of  us,   he 


AND  IMPUTATION.  yi 

also  exacted  of  liim  ;  and  very  properly,  as  he  undertook  to  be  a 
perfect  example  and  faithful  leader.  Accordingly]  he  was  afflicted^ 
yet  he  ofiened  not  his  mouth  :  he  in  brotight  as  a  lamb  to  the  slaugh- 
ter^ and  as  a  shee/i  before  her  shearers  is  dumb,  so  he  opened  not  his 
mouth,  (but  endured  all  these  things  in  the  most  perfsct  innocence, 
and  goodness.  For  he  must  necessarily  come  to  death  under  the 
burdens  which  befel  him  in  opening  and  consecrating  for  us  the  new 
and  living  v/ay  in  which  alone  the  honor  of  God  could  be  secured 
in  our  salvation  ;  I  say  he  must  necessarily  suffer  death,  under  all 
the  ignominy  and  envious  persecutions  which  they  were  to  expect^ 
whose  example  he  had  undertaken  to  be,  else  his  example  had  not 
been  consummately  complete,  as  shown  in  it^  place.  And  he  came 
to  death  under  all  the  burden  of  our  sins,  which  he  had  bomc 
through  his  life,  as  saith  the  apostle ;  "  Who  his  own  self  bare  our 
"  sins  in  his  own  body  on  the  tree,  that  we  being  dead  to  sin  (as  he  was) 
"  might  live  unto  righteousness  ;  by  whose  stripes  [or  bruise,]  yc 
"were  healed.  Being  bruised  as  he  was,  and  after  his  example." 
(1  Pet.  2.  21,24.)  He  ivastak^-7i  from  prison  and  from  judgment. 
This  is  the  same  Hebrew  particle  liere  renderedy)-o;?i  prison  ■xi.\iSfrom 
judgment,  which  in  a  foregoing  verse  is  rendered  for  our  transgres- 
sions andj^ur  our  iniquities,  which  I  have  rendered  through  or  by  as 
being  most  correspondent  to  its  comnaon  use,  and  as  most  clearly 
expressing  the  import  of  that  scripture.  The  same  particle  is  also 
rendered  by  in  the  margin  of  the  verse  now  before  us,  thus,  "  He  ■ 
was  taken  away  6i/ distress  and  3:/  judgment."  The  same  also  is 
used  in  this  member  of  the  sentence,  "  For  he  was  cut  off  out  of  the 
land  of  the  living  ;"  and  in  this  also,  For  [byj  the  traiisgression  of 
my  people  was  he  stricke>r,[thc  stroke  was  upon  him.]  (See  margin.) 
By  the  transgressions  [or  iniquities]  of  my  people  he  was  led  to  death 
is  the  Greek  version.  And  he  made  his  grave  with  the  wicked,  and 
with  the  rich  in  his  death  ;  because  he  had  done  no  violence,  neither 
was  any  deceit  in  his  mouth}'  The  v/icked,  such  as  Pilate,  gave 
him  honor,  and  the  rich,  as  Joseph  of  Arimathea ;  such  was  the  in- 
Jiocence  of  his  life,  that  many  respected  him  and  gave  him  an  honor- 
able bmying,  according  to  the  manner  of  the  Jews.  Yet  Jehovah 
was  pleased  to  bruise  him  ;  he  hath  put  him  to  grief.  He  put  him 
into  that  very  lot  which  he  knew  he  could  not  fill  without  bejng  bruisr 
ed  and  put  to  grief;  and  especially  because  God  dwelt  in  him  ;  for 
that  was  the  cause  of  the  maltreatment  which  he  received  from 
men.  They  hated  him  v/ithout  cause  ;  and  the  reproaches  of  them 
that  reproached  God  fell  on  him.  Yet  this  lot  it  behoved  him  to  fill 
10  the  last  extremity,  or  fail  of  consecrating  the  new  and  living  way 
ibrhis  followers. 

"  Whe7i  thou  shah  make  his  soul  an  offering  for  sin,  he  shall  see 
"  his  seed,  he  shall  prolong  his  days,  and  the  pleasure  of  Jehovah 
f  shall  prosper  in  his  hand."  Who  shall  make  his  soul  an  offering 
for  sin  ?  God  the  Father  ?  And  to  whom  shall  he  offer  him  ?  To 
himself,  to  spend  his  fury  upon  him  ?  Nay  but  to  the  people  ;  for 
'v.  t'liem  the  atonement  is  to  be  made ;  in  them  reconciliation  is  to  be 


92  OF  JUSTIFICATION 

wrought ;  in  them  justification  must  be  begun  and  consummated. 
"  In  this  was  manifested  the  love  of  God  towards  us,  because  that  God 
'*  sent  his  only  begotten  Son  into  the  world  that  we  might  live  through 
"  him.  Herein  is  love,  not  that  we  loved  God,  but  that  he  loved  us, 
*'  and  sent  his  Son  to  be  the  propitiation  for  our  sins."  "  And  ye  know 
"  that  !ic  was  manifested  to  take  away  our  sins — He  that  committeth 
*'  sin  is  of  the  devil :  for  the  devil  sinneth  from  the  beginning.  For 
"  this  purpose  the  Son  of  God  was  manifested,  that  he  might  destroy 
"  [or  dissolve]  the  works  of  the  devil."  (1  Jno.  4.  9,  10,  and  3.  5,  8.) 
Thus  God  put 'him  among  the  people  to  be  their  captain,  and  to 
make  war  against  the  devil,  to  resist  him,  to  destroy  him,  and  dissolve 
his  works,  (as  the  summer  distroys  the  winter  cold,  and  dissolves  the 
frost  and  snow,)  and  lead  tlicm  to  the  victory  ;  thus  he  gave  him  to 
the  people  to  destroy  satan  and  deliver  them,  although  he  knew  it 
wouid,  and  necessarily  must,  cost  him  his  life,  as  well  as  all  the  other 
suflferingr,  wiiich  his  soul  endured  ;  thus  it  pleased  Jehovah  to  bruise 
him,  and  thus  he  made  his  soui  an  offering  for  sin  ;  thus  v,e  are  jus- 
tified by  his  blood  and  reconciled  by  Ids  death ;  and  thus  our  con- 
scienccL)  are  by  his  blood  purged  from  dead  works  to  serve  the  living 
and  true  God,  (Ro  5.  9,  10.  Heb.  2.  14,  15.  and  9.  14.)  7?y  /lis 
knoivledge  shall  my  righteous  servant  justifq  many  ;  (not  by  his 
righteousness  imputed  to  them;)  Jar  he  shall  bear  their  iniquidfs  ; 
(and  they,  believing  in  him  that  he  hath  overcome,  will  unite  them- 
selves to  him,  in  the  same  faith  with  him,  and  overcome  as  he  over- 
came ;)  And  he  was  numbered  with  the  transgressors  ;  (he  was 
counted  a  malefactor  because  he  did  the  work  of  God  which  he  was 
sent  to  do  ;)  and  he  bare  the  sin  of  many  end  ?nade  intercession  for 
the  transgressors,  fin  the  Hebrew,  He  headed  or  interce/jted  the 
transgressors. ~\^  He  stood  between  them  and  God  to  tuni  them  from 
their  rebellion  arid  lead  them  to  God  in  obedience  and  subjection 
to  his  will. 

From  tlicse  few  remarks,  which  I  have  made  tlie  more  numerous 
because  of  the  great  confidence  of  many  in  this  chapter  for  the  sup- 
port of  justification  by  the  righteousness  of  Christ  imputed,  or  trans- 
ferred to  them ;  from,  these  reflections,  I  say,  it  may  readily  be  seen 
that  it  will  all  bear  a  very  rational  and  consistent  acceptation  without 
yielding  any  support  to  such  a  schem.e ;  Yea  farther,  that  it  actually 
militates  against  that  doctrine,  in  some  parts  directly  in  its  most  na- 
tural and  literal  construction,  and  the  whole  of  it  indirectly,  because 
where  so  much  is  said  of  Christ  and  his  sufferings,  not  an  explicit 
word  is  said  of  iiiiputing  our  sins  to  him  or  his  righteousness  to  us. 
But  this  is  the  unhappy  ground  of  that  doctrine  all  through ;  no 
SC!  Ipture  names  it,  nay,  so  far  from  it,  that  the  phrase,  "  Righteous- 
ness of  Christ"  is  not  orice  found  in  the  old  or  new  testament,  much 
less  with  this  predication,  Imjiuted  to  us,  or  to  any.  Yet,  as  before 
observed,  J  have  no  objection  to  the  phrase,  provided  an  evangelical 
use  be  nxade  of  it ;  for  it  is  no  more  than  the  righteousness  of  God, 
which  phrase  is  used,  or  the  righteousness  of  one,,  who,  no  doubt,  is 
Ciu'ist,  that  very  righteousness  by  which  the  faitliful  are  all  justilied, 


AND  IMPUTATION.  95 

and  arc  righteous  even  as  he  is  righteous.,  but  not  by  imputir.g  his 
righteousness  to  them  :  that  predication  is  always  absent  in  that  con- 
nection.    But  farther ; 

The  Lord  caused  the  iniquity  of  us  all  to  meet  in  him,  so  that  he 
bore  them,  by  preparing  him  a  body,  and  sending  liinv  into  the  Avorld 
as  a  man,  a  servant,  and  subject  to  death  in  that  body,  which  consist- 
ed of  fiesh  and  blood  as  ours  do,  and  contained  the  same  appetites, 
passions  and  propensities,  and  by  the  intimate  union  of  which  with 
his  soul,  he  was  exposed  to  every  temptation  to  which  Ave  aie  ex- 
posed :  for  it  was  necessary  for  him  to  be  made  like  those  whom  he 
came  to  save.  "  But  Ave  see  Jesus,  v/ho  was  made  a  little  lower  than 
"  the  angels  for  the  suficiing  of  death,  crowned  with  glory  and  honor, 
"  that  he,  by  the  grace  of  God,  should  taste  death  for  every  man. 
"  For  it  became  him,  for  whom  are  all  things,  and  by  whom  are  all 
"  things,  in  bringing  many  sons  to  glory,  to  make  the  Captain  of 
*'  their  salvation  perfect  through  sufferings.  For  both  he  that  sanc- 
"  tifieth  and  they  who  are  sanctified  are  all  of  one :  for  Avhich  cause 
"  he  is  not  ashamed  to  call  them  brethren.  For  as  much  then  as  tl^e 
"  children  are  partakers  of  flesh  and  blood,  he  also  himself  likewise 
<'  took  part  of  the  same ;  that  through  death  he  mip.ht  destroy  liim 
"  that  had  the  power  of  death;  that  is  the  devil,  and  deliver  them 
"  who  through  fear  of  death  were  all  their  lifetime  subject  to  bcnd- 
*'  age.  For  verily  he  took  not  on  him  the  nature  of  angels,  but  he 
"  took  on  him  the  seed  of  Abraham.  Wherefore  in  all  things  it  be- 
*'  hoved  hini  to  be  made  like  unto  his  brethren  ;  that  he  might  be  a 
■"  merciful  and  faithful  high  priest  in  things  peitaining  to  God,  to 
"  make  reconciliation  for  the  sins  of  the  people.  For  in  that  he  him- 
*'  self  hath  suffered,  being  tempted,  he  is  able  to  succour  them  that 
«•'  are  tempted."  (Ileb.  2.  9,  Sec.) 

This  scripture  shows  how  he  bore  our  sins  in  the  primary  sense  of 
it — by  taking  on  him  the  same  nature,  not  of  angels  but  of  the  seed 
of  Abraham,  that  wicked  race,  and  being  made  in  all  things  like  his 
brethren,  and  so  being  exposed  to  sua  in  every  point  by  temptation, 
but  never  yielding.  And  these  things  will  agree  to  the  testimony  of 
John  the  baptist,  "  Behold  the  lamb  of  God  Mho  taketli  away  the 
sin  of  the  world." 

Now  sin  is  not  a  substance,  but  a  quality,  with  res]iect  to  its  na- 
ture, and  is  manifested  and  supported  by  actions.  When,  therefore, 
these  a.ctions  are  not  committed,  and  the  nature  which  produces  them 
is  resisted  and  overcome,  sin  is  taken  away,  or  it  ceases  to  be.  As 
Jesus  Christ  therefore  was  sent  into  the  world  to  be  the  captain  of 
our  salvation,  and  that  the  world,  through  him,  might  be  saved,  and 
as  his  doctrine  is,  "  If  any  man  will  come  after  me,  let  him  deny 
iiimself  and  take  up  his  cross,  and  follow  me,"  and  as  he  is  the  fore- 
runner to  whom  we  are  to  look,  standing  in  the  same  place  with  those 
whom  he  came  to  save,  and  having  a  fellow  feeling  of  their  infirmi- 
ties, (Heb.  4.  15.)  being  beset  on  every  hand  with  the  same  tempta- 
tions, but  resisting  with  such  success  that  he  did  no  sin,  bearhig  a 
tlaily  cross  against  all  the  nature  of  evil,  until  ho  at  last  became  tii- 


9-i  0¥  JUSTIFICATION 

umphant,  thus  setting  us  an  example  that  wc  should  follow  his  steps, 
and  at  the  same  time  giving  all  those  who  receive  him  power  to  be- 
come the  sons  of  God  by  doing  as  he  did,  he  takes  away  the  sin  of 
the  world  and  destroys  the  workings  of  the  devil  in  men ;  for  he  was 
manifested  that  he  might  destroy  the  works  of  the  devil.  And  again  ; 
*'  Yc  know  that  he  was  manifested  to  take  away  our  sins  ;  and  in  him 
"  is  no  sin.  Whosoever  abideth  in  him  sinneth  not :  whosoever  siii- 
"  neth  hath  not  seen  him,  neither  known  him."  (1  Jno.  3.  5,  6.) 

He  also  bore  our  sins  by  feeling  the  keen  and  malignant  opposition 
of  sin  and  sinners  against  God  and  against  himself  as  the  true  minis- 
ter and  defender  of  God's  cause  in  the  world,  while  in  the  mean 
time,  he  devoted  his  whole  heart  and  life  to  the  accomplishment  of 
that  -work  which  he  came  to  do,  not  once  yielding  to  the  rescntm.ent 
or  malice  of  the  wicked.  As  it  is  written,  "  For  the  zeal  of  thine 
*'  house  hath  eaten  me  up ;  and  the  reproaches  of  them  that  re- 
*' proached  thee,  are  fallen  upon  me."  (Psm.  69.9.  Ro.  15.3.) 
Thus  he  bore  the  reproaches,  the  opposition  and  persecution  of 
■wicked  men  and  devils,  which  all  proceeded  from  the  opposition  of 
sin  to  God,  which  led  men  to  hate  God,  through  all  his  life,  until  he 
triumphantly  finished  his  course  on  the  cross,  and  in  his  resurrection 
and  ascension.  '-.He  endured  the  cross  des/nsi?iff  the  shame  and  is  set 
down  at  the  right  hand  of  the  throne  of  God.  In  thus  bearing  our 
sins,  he  had  to  contcr.d  against  the  carnal  mind,  or  the  enmity  in  him- 
self, that  is,  in  his  flesh  ;  for  that  body  which  he  inhabited  consisting 
of  the  same  flesh  and  blood  with  ours,  was  no  less  inclined  to  its  ov.  n 
ways,  and  no  more  disposed  to  obey  God,  than  ours.  Accordingly  he 
■was  tempted  in  all  points  like  as  ■ive  arc ;  (Heb.  4.  15.)  and  such 
temptations  could  not  have  existed  without  the  same  nature  to  be 
tempted  and  that  by  the  same  things.  For  it  is  folly  in  the  extreme 
to  suppose  that  any  man  or  being  can  be  tempted  when  there  is  no 
room  or  place  in  him  to  receive  the  tem.ptation,  nothing  in  him  to 
love  the  bait.  It  may  indeed,  be  objected,  as  it  has  already,  that 
ivhcn  Christ  is  said  to  be  tempted,  it  does  not  mean  that  he  was  af- 
fected or  made  to  suff'er  by  ths  temptation,  but  only  that  he  ■was  re- 
proached and  persecuted  to  provoke  and  overcome  him,  and  in  that 
way  he  suffered  being  tempted,  or  that  the  temptation  was  offered  to 
him,  as  God  is  sometimes  said  to  be  tempted,  b\it  cannot  really,  so 
as  to  be  effected  by  it.  I  grant  that  such  language  is  admissible, 
and  the  objection  plausible  ;  but  it  can  be  obviated  ;  not  only  because 
his  being  tempted  in  all  points  like  as  we  are,  will  not  admit  an  ex- 
plication of  tiiat  kind,  but  also  because  the  apostle  in  stating  that  he 
sufiered  being  tempted,  makes  it  a  qualifying  of  liim  for  succouring 
them  that  are  tempted,  as  being  experienced  in  the  same  tempta- 
tions ;  ^'  For  in  that  he  himself  hath  suffered  being  tempted,  he  is 
able  to  succour  them  that  are  temjited,"  (Heb.  2.  18.)  which  une- 
quivocally proves  that  the  temptation  is  the  same  in  him  and  in  them. 

On  the  same  principle,  Jesus  is  spoken  of  as  "  Having  abolished 
the  eimiity  in  his  flesh,"  (Eph.  2.  15.)  for  that  could  not  be  abolished 
in  his  flesh,  ■w'hich  was  not  there.    But  it  will  likely  be  firgucd  that 


AND  IMPUTATION-  95 

the  enmity  is  explained  by  the  apostle  in  the  same  sentence,  to  be 
The  law  of  commandments  contained  vi  ordinances^  which  stood 
as  a  separating  wall  between  the  Jews  and  the  Gentiles.  But  this 
law  of  commandments  was  not  the  enmity,  altliough  it  was  the  mid- 
dle wall  of  parthion  supporting  the  enmity  between  the  Jews  and 
Gentiles;  and  was,  by  the  appointment  of  God  himself,  kept  by  the 
Jews,  as  a  shadow  to  represent  in  a  figiu'e  the  destruction  of  sin  in 
the  flesh,  or  the  carnal  mind,  which  is  the  absolute  and  real  enmity. 
This  real  enmity  could  never  be  destroyed  or  abolished,  but  rather 
kept  alive, by  the  law  of  commandments,  "  Which  stood  only  in 
"  meats  and  drinks  and  divers  washings  and  carnal  ordinances,  [justi- 
"  fications  of  the  flesh,  Greek,]  imposed  on  them  (who  lived  after 
"  the  flesh,)  until  the  time  of  reformation."  (lieb.  9.  10.)  But  this 
abolishing  of  the  real  enmity  remained  for  Jesus  to  effectuate  in  his 
flesh,  who  could  do  that  which  none  could  ever  do  before  him,  l^y 
condemning  sin  in  the  flesh  where  it  hath  its  scat.  "  For  God,  send- 
"  ing  his  own  Son  in  the  likeness  of  sinful  flesh,  and  on  account  of 
*'  sin,  (because  it  ought  to  be  removed)  condemned  sin  in  the  flesh, 
"  that  which  the  law  could  not  do,  because  it  was  weak  througli  the 
"  flesh ;  that  the  righteousness  of  the  law  might  be  fulfilled  in  us 
"  who  walk  not  after  the  flesh,  but  after  the  Spirit."  "  Wherefore 
"  then  serveth  the  law?  It  Avas  added  because  of  transgressions  till 
"  the  seed  should  come  to  whom  the  promise  was  made,  and  it  was 
"  ordained  by  angels  in  the  hand  of  a  mediator."  This  then  is  tl\e 
seed  who.  Having  abolished  the  enmity  in  his  flesh,  took  away  the  ex- 
hibition of  the  enmity,  the  law  of  commandments  in  ordinances.  For 
when  the  real  enmity  was  once  destroyed  there  was  no  Ionp;er  any 
need  of  keeping  up  its  destruction,  in  effigy,  as  if  it  yet  licld  its  place 
*'  And  that  he  might  reconcile  both  (Jev/s  and  Gentiles)  to  God  in 
"  one  body,  by  the  cross,  (which  he  bore  all  his  life)  having  slain  the 
"  enmity  thereby,  he  came  and  preached  peace  to  them  that  were  far 
"  off  and  to  them  that  were  nigh."  (Eph.  2.  16,  17.)  For  Jesus  ha- 
ving once  slain  or  abolished  the  enmity  in  hhnscif ;  that  is,  in  his 
flesh,  was  a  proper  leader  and  forerunner  of  his  people  to  whom  they 
may  all  look,  in  one  body,  whether  Jews  or  Gentiles;  because  there 
is  now  no  partition  except  the  cross  of  Christ,  at  which  indeed  the 
unbelieving  Jews  stumble,  and  which  the  Gentiles  count  foolishness, 
but  to  those  Avho  arc  saved,  whether  Greeks  or  Jews,  it  is  the  power 
of  God  and  the  wisdom  of  God,  and  by  which  the  world  is  crucified 
to  them  and  they  to  the  world.  But  thus  he  bore  our  sins.  And  to 
these  things  agree  also  the  words  of  the  prophet  Isaiah  v>'hen  speak- 
ing of  Christ  as  entering  on  the  work  of  salvation.  (59.  16,  and  Go. 
5.)  "  And  he  saw  that  there  was  no  man  and  wondered  that  there  was 
*'  no  intercessor;  therefore  his  anii  brought  salvation  unto  him  and 
*'  his  righteovisness  it  sustained  him."  And  again;  "  And  I  looked 
"  and  there  was  none  to  help;  and  I  wondered  that  there* was  none; 
*' to  uphold;  therefore  mine  own  arm  brought  salvation  unto  me; 
*'  and  my  fury  it  upheld  me."  Thus  he  began  the  salvation  in  him- 
self and  was  made  perfect  through  suff'enngs,  as  the  apostle  state?. 


96  OF  JUSTIFICATION 

For  he  trode  the  v,  ine   press  alone   (not,  was  trodden  in  it,)  and  of 
the  people  there  v/as  none  m  ith  him.     Thus  he  bore  our  sins. 

And  in  the  contest  between  his  faith  of  obedience  to  God,  support- 
ed by  the  spirit  of  God  in  him,  [for  the  fuhicss  of  the  godhead  dwelt 
in  him  bodily,]  and  the  enmity  or  nature  of  the  flesh  supported  by 
tl\e  malice  of  wicked  men  and  devils  let  loose  on  him,  he  suffered 
v/hat  he  did  in  the  garden,  when  he  said,  "  My  soul  is  exceeding  sor- 
"  rov/ful  even  unto  death,  and  fell  on  his  face  and  prayed,  saying,  O 
*'  my  Father,  if  it  be  possible,  let  this  cup  pass  from  me  :  neverthe- 
"  less  not  as  I  will,  but  as  thou  wilt.  And  there  appeared  an  angel 
"  unto  him  from  heaven,  strengthening  him.  And  being  in  an  ago- 
"  ny  he  prayed  more  earnestly,  and  his  sweat  Avas  as  it  were  great 
"  drops  of  blood  falling  down  to  the  ground."  (Matt.  26.  38,  39.  Luke 
23.43,44.}  And  thus  the  malice  of  earth  and  hcil  pursued  him 
v/hiie  the  zeal  for  his  Father's  house  consumed  him,  -until  on  the 
cross  he  appea?td  to  be  forsaken  of  God,  to  put  the  matter  to  a  fair 
and  last  trial,  that  he  might  prove  out  his  faith  in  God,  and  his  son- 
ship.  '•  Now  from  the  sixth  hour  there  was  darkness  over  ail  the 
"  land  imto  the  ninth  hour.  And  alxiut  the  ninth  hour  Jesus  cried 
*'  with  a  loud  voice,  saying,  Eli,  Eli,  lama  sabachthani  ?  that  is  to  say, 
"  My  God,  my  God,  why  hast  thou  forsaken  me  ?  and  when  he  had 
"  cried  again  with  a  loud  voice,  he  yielded  up  the  ghost."  [Matt.  27. 
45,  46,  50.]  Thus  he  gave  his  life  a  ransom  for  many.  And  thus  he 
escaped  from  the  hands  of  his  enemies.  He  spent  his  life  but  saved 
his  soul  to  life  eternal.  Thus  he  bore  our  sins  through  the  con- 
test, and  in  his  own  body  on  the  tree,  resisting  to  blood,  striving 
a.r;ainst  sin,  until  he  came  oft'  victorious,  having  never  yielded  to 
sin,  and  now  ministers  the  same  spirit  to  all  who  follow  him;  "  I'o7- 
"  //  o«;/  man  have  7iot  the  spirit  of  Christ  he  is  none  of  his.'* 
*'  Let  this  mind  be  in  you  which  Avas  also  in  Christ  Jesus;  who  being 
*'  in  the  form  of  God,  thought  it  not  robbery  to  be  equal  with,  or  as* 
<'  God ;  but  made  himself  of  no'  reputation  and  took  upon  him  the 
<'  iorm  of  a  servant,  and  was  made  in  the  likeness  of  men  ;  and,  be- 
"  ing  found  in  fashion  as  a  man,  he  humbled  himself  and  became 
"  obedient  unto  death,  even  the  death  of  the  cross.  Wherefore 
*'  God  hath  highly  exalted  him,  and  given  him  a  name  which  is  above. 
"every  name."  (Phil.  2.  5,  to  9.) 

For  a  farther  elucidation  of  his  bearing  our  sins,  we  may  remark^ 
that  he  bore  with  the  weaknesses  and  infimiities  of  his  people  to 
help  them  on  their  way,  and  encourages  them  to  do  the  same  to- 
wards or.e  another.  «  We  then  that  are  strong  ought  to  bear  the 
«'  infirmities  of  the  weak,  and  not  to  please  ourselves.  Let  every 
"  one  of  us  please  his  neigKi)or  for  his  good  to  edification.  For  even 
<•  Christ  pleased  not  himself:  but,  as  it  is  written,  "  The  reproaches 
»-  of  thetn  that  reproached  thee  fell  on  me."  "  Now  the  God  of 
"  patience  and  consolation  grant  you  to  be  like-minded  toward  one 
''  another,  accordhig  to  Christ   Jesus."     *'  Bear  ye  one  another's 

*  7^07-  the  fra?if!a(io!i,  as  God,    ':ce  Doddridrc^s  note  on.  this  text. 


AND  IMPUTATION.  97 

«  burdens  and  so  fulfil  the  law  of  Christ."  "  And  be  yc  kind  one  to 
"  another  ;  tender-hearted,  forgiving  one  another,  even  as  God  in 
"  Christ*  hath  forgiven  you."  (Ro.  15.  1,  Sec.  Gal.  6.  9.  Eph.  4.  32.) 

This  language  of  the  prophet  Isaiah,  "  Surely  he  hath  borne  our 
griefs,  and  carried  our  sorrows,"  though  by  the  words  which  follow, 
"  Yet  we  did  esteem  him  stricken,  smitten  of  God,  and  afflicted,"  it 
would  naturally  be  understood  to  relate  to  the  proper  and  true  sense 
of  his  bearing  our  iniquities,  is  by  the  evangelist  Matthew,  applied 
to  the  deliverances  which  he  wrought  for  the  people,  while  resid- 
ing among  them.  "  When  the  even  was  come,  they  brought  unto 
"  him  many  that  were  possessed  with  devils  :  and  he  cast  out  the 
"  spirits  with  his  word,  and  healed  all  that  were  sick  ;  that  it  might 
"  be  fulfilled  which  was  spoken  by  Esaias  the  prophet  saying,  Him- 
"  self  took  our  infirmities,  and  bare  our  sicknesses."  [Mat.  8.  16, 
17.]  This  was  no  doubt  therefore  included  in  his  bearing  our  sins 
in  the  more  emphatical  and  radical  sense,  being  a  fruit  of  it,  and 
helps  to  show  how  he  bears  our  sins  and  iniquities — that  he  bears 
them  away  as  the  scape  goat  under  the  law  bore  away  the  sins  of 
Israel  never  to  be  seen  again.  But  he  also  sufl'ered  for  our  sins. 
This  part  is  greatly  elucidated  by  what  has  just  been  said  ;  for  his 
bearing  our  sins,  and  suffering  for  them,  or  for  us,  are  too  intimately 
connected  to  be  treated  of  altogether  distinctly  ;  while  he  bore,  he 
suffered,  and  thus  he  became  "  A  man  of  sorrows  and  acquainted 
with  grief;  for  he  was  despised  and  rejected  of  men."  But  this 
has  been  already  expounded. 

But  the  apostle  to  the  Hebrews  as  quoted  above,  shows  particu- 
larly what  made  it  necessary  for  him  to  suffer — That  he  might  be 
made  perfect,  a  perfect  captain  and  leader  of  his  people  v.'»ll  ac- 
quainted by  experience  with  all  their  sufferings  and  trials,  an  ap- 
proved leader  who  could  not  be  foiled  with  temptation  so  as  to  com- 
mit sin,  in  whom  the  people  might  safely  trust.  "  For  it  became 
"  him,  for  whom  are  all  things,  and  by  whom  are  all  things,  in 
"  bringing  many  sons  to  glory,  to  make  the  captahi  of  their  salva- 
"  tion  perfect  through  sufferings."  "  For  in  tliat  he  himself  hath 
"  suffered,  being  tempted,  he  is  able  to  succour  them  that  are  tempt- 
"  ed."  '' For  we  have  not  an  high  priest  who  cannot  be  touched 
"  with  the  feeling  of  our  infirmities  ;  but  was  tempted  in  all  points 
*'  like  as  v>^e  are,  yet  without  sin.  Let  us  therefore  come  boldly  to 
*'  the  throne  of  his  grace,  that  v/e  may  obtain  mercy,  and  find  grace 
"  to  help  in  time  of  need."     Thus  also  Jesus  Christ  is  a  sure  corner- 

*  Ev  Xptjw,  the  jxhrase  here  used  by  the  ahontle^  is  so  correctly  arid 
universally  translated  in  Christ,  that  J  know  not  honv  our  transla,toris 
thoii'^ht  of  rendering  it  for  Christ's  sake,  unless  to  comjiel  the  scrip- 
tures to  sanction  a  /iteconcerted  scheme^  of  luhich  they  %ve.r'c  in  full 
possession^  but  had  no  scripture  to  support  it:  perhaps  they  thought 
it  rif^-ht  so  To  do.  Dr.  Doddridge  and  Scott  have  rendered  the  phrase 
in  Christ ;  but  as  though  predetermined  to  support  the  ingrafed 
and  Pi.0 pillar  scheme  by  this  rpxtj  huve^  added ^  and  for  his  sake. 


93  OF  JUSTIFICATION 

"  stone,  well  tiied,  -whereon  the  church  is  built,  a  spiritual  house,  as 
"  it  is  written  ;  "  Behoid,  I  lay  in  Zion,  for  a  foundation  stone,  a  tried 
"  stone,  a  precious  corner-stone,  a  sure  foundation  :  he  that  believetli 
*•  shall  not  make  haste."  Or  as  the  apostle  Peter  hath  it,  by  an  exact 
(luotation  of  the  SepUiagint  Greek,  and  by  no  means  contrary  to  the 
Hebrew  ;  "  And  he  that  belicvcth  on  him  shall  not  be  confounded." 
He  win  trust  to  his  foundation,  or  leader,  and  not  go  before  him. 
(See  Heb.  2.  10,  18,  and  4.  15,  16.  Isa.  28.  16.    1  Pet.  2.  6.) 

But  the  above  scriptures  state  that  Jesus  is  the  intercessor,  through 
whom  we  cbtam  deliverance,  that  he  made  intercession  for  the  trans- 
gressors, that  he  made  reconciliation  for  the  sins  of  the  people.  In- 
tercessor, is  only  another  word  to  mean,  mediator,  and  we  have  seen 
liow  he  maketh  intercession,  or  mediation  for  the  transgressors,  by 
bearing  or  taking  aAvay  the  sins  of  the  world,  and  the  sins  of  those 
v/ho  follow  him,  as  the  Lord's  servant,  as  agam  written,  "  Behold 
'^  my  servant  whcm  I  uphold;  mine  elect, ui  whom  my  seal  delight- 
"  eth  ;  I  have  put  my  spirit  upon  him :  he  shall  bring  forth  judg- 
"  ment  to  the  gentiles.  He  shall  not  cry,  nor  lift  up,  nor  cau^e  his 
"  voice  to  be  heard  in  the  street.  A  bruised  reed  shall  he  not 
"  break,  and  the  smoking  flax  shall  he  not  quench  :  he  shall  bring 
"  forth  judgment  to  truth.  He  shall  not  fail  nor  be  discouraged,  till 
"  he  have  set  judgment  in  the  earth  :  and  the  isles  [or  nations]  shall 
"  wait  for  his  law."  "  And  in  his  name  shall  the  Gentiles  trust." 
f  Isa.  42.  1,  4.  Matt.  12.  21.]  Again  when  tlie  cause  of  enmity, 
is  removed,  the  result  will  be  reconciliation.  Sin  therefore,  which 
is  the  cause  of  enmity  and  hindrance  to  reconciliation,  being  taken 
away  by  Jesus  Christ,  the  way  is  opened  through  him,  the  neiv  and 
I'wbrg  nvaij  iv/iich  he  hath  consecrated  throvghthe  I'ail,  that  is  to  oai/y 
/lisjlesh,  for  reccnciliation  to  take  place,  according  to  the  scripture 
v/hich  saith,  "  That  God  was  in  Christ  reconciling  the  world  to  him- 
self;  net  imputing  their  trespasses  to  them."  [2  Cor.  5.  19.]  It  is 
therefore  the  privilege  of  every  one  to  be  reconciled  to  God,  by  be- 
lieving in  Christ,  and  taking  up  his  cross,  and  following  hizn,  as  he 
fS.vC  the  example.  For  in  thisAvay,  and  this  alone,  God  was  at  all  in 
Christ  reconciling  the  world  to  himself,  and  not  imputing  their  tres- 
passes to  them  :  because  he  is  hure  to  impute  sin  or  righteousness 
wherever  the  one  or  the  other  is  found  ;  for  it  is  gospel  doctrine, 
th.at  "  We  must  all  appear  before  the  judgment  scat  t)f  Christ ; 
""that  every  one  may  receive  the  things  done  in  his  body,  according 
«  to  that  he  hath  done,  whether  it  be  good  or  bad  ;"  [2  Cor.  5,  10.] 
not  accorfling  to  what  he  hath  believed  or  had  imputed  to  him, 
OB  bein'-  done  bv  another.     As  therefore  sir.,  the  true  cause  of  cnmi- 

-      -  -  .1  .-1—  -1 U      ]\^TQ^y 

beseech 
behalf  of 
_..„_t]  be  ye  reconciled  to  God."  [2  Cor.  5.  20.] 
There  is  therefore  no  support  to  the  doctrine  of  juslifi cation  by 
the  imputetl  righteousness  cf  Christ,  in  the  above  train  of  argumen- 
tation, iVom  those  scriptures  Avhich  are   allcdged;  because,   except- 


AND  IMPUTATION.  99 

ing  that  he  is  peculiarly  the  forerunner,  the  leader  and  the  head, 
having  in  all  things  the  foreway  and  the  pre-eminence,  what  he  hath 
done,  he  hath  done  to  leave  us  an  example  tliat  we  should  follow  his 
steps,  instead  of  doing  it  to  be  imputed  to  us,  to  release  us  from  doing 
the  same.  Did  he  suffer  for  us  ?  We  are  called  to  sufler  for  l.im ;  "For 
"  unto  you  it  is  given  in  the  behalf  of  C.hrist,  not  only  to  believe  on 
"  him,  but  also  to  suffer  for  his  sake."  [Phil.  1.  29.]  Did  he  suffer 
for  sins  ?  or  rather  on  account  of  sin,  and  for  doing  well.  We  are 
called  to  do  the  same.  "  For  it  is  better,  if  the  will  of  God  be  so, 
"  that  ye  suffer  for  well-doing  than  for  evil-doing.  For  Christ  also 
"  hath  suffered  for  sins,  the  just  for  the  unjust,  [or,  on  account  of  sin 
"the  just  on  account  of,  orbytheunjust,aLUhe  connection  also  shows,] 
"  that  he  might  bring  [Greek  lead]  us  to  God."  "  For  as  mucli 
»'  then  as  Christ  hath  suffered  for  us  in  tlie  flesh,  ai:m  ijoiirselvea 
"  likewise  with  the  same  mind,  for  he  that  hath  suffered  in  the  flesh 
"  hath  ceased  from  sin."  (1  Pet.  3.  17,  18,  and  4,  1.)  Was  he  dis- 
pised  and  rejected  of  men  ?  So  are  his  people.  "  Being  defamed 
"  we  entreat :  we  are  made  as  the  filth  of  the  world,  the  ofi'-scour- 
"  ing  of  all  things  unto  this  day."  »  And  ye  shall  be  hated  of  all 
"  men  for  my  name's  sake."  "  If  the  world  hate  you,  yc  knoAV 
"  that  it  hated  me  before  it  hated  you.  If  yc  were  of  the  world, 
"  the  world  would  love  his  own  :  but  because  ye  are  not  of  the  world, 
"  but  I  have  chosen  you  out  of  the  world,  therefore  the  world 
"  hateth  you."  (1  Cor.  4.  13.  Luke  21.  17.  Jno.  15.  18,  19.)  Was 
he  persecuted  by  the  wicked,  for  the  work  of  God  in  which  he  was 
engaged  ?  So  are  his  people.  "  Rememljer  the  word  that  I  said 
"  unto  you  ;  The  servant  is  not  greater  than  his  Lord.  If  they 
"  have  persecuted  me,  they  will  also  persecute  you  ;  if  they  have 
"  kept  my  saying,  they  will  keep  yours  also.  But  all  these  things 
"  will  they  do  unto  you  for  my  name's  sake,  because  they  knov/  not 
"  him  that  sent  me."  "  Persecuted  but  not  forsaken."  "  I  now 
"  rejoice,"  saith  Paul,  "  in  my  sufferings  for  you,  and  fill  up  that 
"  which  is  behind  of  the  alilictions  of  Christ  in  my  flesh  for  his  bo- 
«  dy's  sake,  v/hich  is  the  church."  (V.  20,21.  2  Cor.  4.  9.  Col. 
1.  24.)  Thus  he  and  his  people  suff"er  together  in  the  same  cause. 
Was  he  a  man  of  sorrow  and  acquainted  with  grief  ?  So  ai-e  his 
people ;  "  Verily,  verily,  I  say  unto  you.  That  ye  shall  weep  and 
*'  lament,  but  the  world  shall  rejoice  :  and  ye  shall  be  sorrowful,  but 
"  yovu'  sorrow  shall  be  turned  into  joy,"  (Jno.  16.  20.)  Thus  he  also 
shall  see  of  the  travail  of  his  soul,  and  shall  be  satisfed,  who  for  the 
joy  that  was  set  before  him  endured  the  cross,  despising  the  shaine, 
and  hath  set  down  on  the  right  hanc^  of  the  throne  of  God.  Had 
he  the  iniquities  and  sins  of  all  laid  on  him  ?  So  do  his  people  bear 
the  sins  of  the  world  and  suffer  under  them.  Ezekiel,  in  vision, 
l)ore  the  iniquity  of  the  house  of  Israel  and  Judah,  and  the  Lord 
laid  on  him  the  iniquity  of  that  nation.  (Chap.  4.  4.)  The  prophet 
Daniel  bore  the  sins  of  his  people  before  the  Lord  and  confessed 
thx-m  :  (Dan.  9,  20.)  and  so  of  other  prophets.     x\nd  Aaron  bore  the 


100  OF  JUSTIFICATION      ' 

sins  and  the  judg-ment  of  the  people,  of  Israel  in  Uic  office  of  high 
priest ;  but  not  the  punishment  of  their  sins. 

But  as  these  examples  pertain  to  a  former  dispensation,  and  will 
be  considered  as  types  only,  we  shall  attend  to  some  of  the  apostle's 
language  and  exercise,  in  addition  to  what  hath  been  shown  a  little 
above,  "  Now  while  Paul  waited  for  them  (Silas  and  Timotheus)  at 
"  Athens,  his  spirit  was  stirred  in  him,  when  he  saw  the  city  wholly 
"  given  to  idolatry."  Why  was  his  spirit  stirred  ?  Because  he  felt 
the  burden  of  their  idolatry ;  as  he  also  felt  the  unbelief  of  the 
Jews  at  Corinth  ;  •'  And  when  Silas  and  Timotlicus  were  come  from 
"  Macedonia,  Paul  was  pressed  in  spirit,  and  testified  to  the  Jev,  ■ 
«  that  Jesus  was  Christ."  (Acts  17.  16.  and  IS.  5.)  But  not  only  ii^ 
these  particular  instances  did  he  bear  the  burden  of  the  sin  of  man 
kind,  and  suffer  on  account  of  their  sins^  that  he  might  lead  them  t.;. 
God,  but  this  was  the  spirit  and  the  Avork  of  his  ministry.  "  Kncvv 
*' ing  therefore  the  terror  of  the  Lord,  v/e  persuade  men:  but  v,'; 
"  are  made  manifest  to  God  ;  and  I  trust  also  are  made  manifest 
"  in  your  consciences."  "  For  the  love  of  Christ  constraineth  u'^ ; 
"  because  we  thus  judge  that  if  one  died  for  all  then  were  all  dead." 
*'  My  littie  children  of  whom  I  travail  in  birtli  again  until  Christ  be 
«  formed  in  you."  (2  Cor.  5.  11,  14.  Gal.  5.  I'y.)  But  wc  need 
i!ot  presume  to  instance  all  the  cases.  All  the  apostles'  labors  and 
sufferings,  and  all  the  zealous  endeavors  Avhich  they  spent  for  the 
salvation  of  men,  prove  them  to  have  been  possessed  of  the  spirit  of 
J^sus,  Avhom  zeal  for  his  Father's  house  consumed,  and  who  spent 
his  life  for  the  salvation  of  men.  For  did  Jesus  lay  down  his  life 
for  us  ?  We  are  called  also  to  lay  down  our  lives  for  him  and  for 
one  another.  "  For  v.hosocvcr  will  save  his  life  shall  lose  it ;  and 
^*  whosoever  Avill  lose  liislife  for  my  sake  shall  find  it."  "  For  thy 
"  sake  we  are  killed  all  the  day  long  ;  wc  are  accounted  as  sheep 
"  for  the  slaughter."  "  In  him  we  have  known  love  ;  [in  the  Greek  ] 
"  because  he  laid  down  his  life  for  us  ;  and  we  ought  to  lay  down 
'■'■  our  lives  for  the  brethren."  "  Ye  shall  indeed  drink  of  my  cup 
"  and  be  baptized  with  the  baptism  that  I  am  baptized  with."  (Matt. 
16.  25.     Ro.  8.  36.     Jno.  3.  16.     Matt.  20:  28.) 

Christ  Jesus  therefore  is  our  forerunner,  our  leader  and  our  ex- 
ample, instead  of  doing  what  he  did  as  our  surety,  to  cover  our 
sins,  or  to  justify  us  by  imputing  to  us  any  of  his  doings  or  suffer- 
ings. So  far  from  dying  to  impute  his  dying  to  us,  that  we  might 
not  die,  he  died  to  set  us  the  example,  and  to  introduce  us  into  the 
same  death,  that  wc  may  have  fellowship  with  him  in  his  sufferings 
and  in  his  reward.  "  Know  ye  not,  that  so  many  of  us  as  were  bap- 
"  tized  into  Jesus  Christ  were  baptized  into  his  death  ?  Therefore 
*«  we  are  buried  with  him  by  baptism  into  death  ;  that  like  as  Christ 
«'  was  raised  up  from  the  dead  by  the  glory  of  the  Father,  even  so 
"  we  should  walk  in  newness  of  life — For  in  that  he  died,  he  died 
"  unto  sin  once  ;  but  in  that  he  liveth  he  liveth  unto  God.  Likewise 
«  reckon  ye  also  yourselves  to  be  dead  indeed  unto  sin,  but  alive 
"  unto  God  through  Jesus  Christ  our  Lord."     This  is  the  tiiu-   r«-- 


AND  IMPUTATION.  iOl 

«Cilt  of  the  whole  matter  with  all  true  believers,  as  wcil  as  with  those 
to  whom  the  apostle  wrote.  (Ro.  6.  3.  Sec.) 

But  it  m?.y  be  argued  by  some,  that  Gotl  himself  punished  hii 
own  Son,  and  that  i)y  that  punishment  he  suffered  death  in  the  most 
proper  and  material  point  of  view.  And  that  God  would  nf>t 
afflict  him  in  any  other  character  than  that  of  a  surety,  or  a  substi- 
tute, for  he  f//rf  720  siritneitherivas  guile  found  in  liis  mouth.  Yet 
thus  it  is  written  ;  "  We  did  esteenx  him,  [pay  some  attention  to  himj 
"  stricken,  smitten  of  God^and  afflicted — Yet  it  pleased  the  Lord  to 
"  bruise  him  ;  he  hath  put  him  to  grief:  when  thou  shait  make  \\\-s 
*'  soul  an  offering  for  sin,  he  shall  see  his  seed."  "  Awake,  O  sword, 
"  against  my  shepherd,  and  against  the  man  that  is  my  fellow,  saith 
"  the  Lord  of  hosts  :  Smite  the  Shepherd,  and  the  sheep  shall  be 
"  scattered."  <<  For  it  is  written,  I  will  smite  the  Shepherd,  and  the 
*'  sheep  of  the  fiock  shall  be  scattered."  (Isa.  5::;.  4,  10.  Luke  K). 
7.  Matt.  26.  31.)  These  things  God  is  said  to  have  done  ;  hence 
it  is  argued  that  Christ  did  live  and  suifcr  as  our  surety,  that  his 
righteousness  of  obedience  and  suffering  might  be  imputed  to  us  for 
our  justification. 

To  obviate  these  arguments  it  is  insisted  tliat  God  is  sometimes 
said  to  do  that  v/hich  he  doth  not  interpose  to  prevent,  because  in 
some  cases  God  is  said  to  do  that  which  is  afterward  ascribed  to  ano- 
ther Very  opposite  cause.  Thus  it  is  said  tliat  God  Itardened  Pha- 
raoh's hearty  and  again,  that  Pharaoh  hardened  his  own  heart.  Again, 
It  is  said  that  God  moved  David  to  nvimber  Israel,  "  And  the  anger 
"  of  the  Lord  was  kindled  against  Israel,  and  he  moved  David  againj;t 
*'  them  to  say.  Go  number  Israel  and  Judah."  But  in  another  place 
it  is  said  that  satan  did  it ;  "  And  satan  stood  up  against  Israel  and 
provoked  David  to  number  Israel."  (2  Saml.  24.  \.  1  Chron.  21.  1.) 
In  this  manner  it  is  insisted  that  God  is  said  to  smite,  or  bruise  hij 
Son,  and  to  smite  the  Shepherd,  when  in  reality  the  devil  and  wicked 
men  did  it  all,  but  God  did  not  interpose  by  any  absolute  sr  coercive 
power  to  prevent  it.  And  this  reasoning  cannot  well  be  ovcrturn:;d  ; 
for  we  cannot  belie\'e  that  God  and  the  devil  join  issue  in  the  same 
mind,  so  that  the  devil  should  aim  to  do  the  will  of  God ;  for  what 
concord  hath  Chrifit  'ivith  bclial  ?  And  that  tlie  devil  and  his  agents 
did  this  deed  is  not  to  be  denied.  For  satan  put  it  into  the  heart  of 
Judas  to  betray  him  ;  and  Him  ije  have  takcn^  said  the  apostle,  and 
by  wicked  hands  have  crucijied  and  slain.  -<^ 

But  this  is  not  all  which  o\ight  to  be  advanced  for  the  elucidation 
of  this  subject.  The  sufferings  which  he  endured  by  the  hands  of 
the  wicked,  from  first  to  last,  were  laid  on  him  because  of  his  at- 
tachment to  the  Father  ;  JVie  zeal  of  thine  house  hath  eaten  me  itji ; 
and  althougli  the  Father  was  not  unaware  of  the  consequence,  he  did 
not  in  the  least  remit  the  requisition  of  obedience  and  a  full  perform- 
ance of  what  he  had  undertaken.  For  it  Avas  not  only  expedient,  but 
indispensably  necessary,  that  Jesus,  having  undertaken  to  reveal  the 
Father,  and  to  set  an  example  of  self-denial  and  obedience  for  men, 
."-hould  not  fail.     He  shall  not  fail  nor  be  discouraged  till  he  have  sec 


102  OF  JUSTIFICATION 

judgment  in  the  earth.  And  it  was  entirely  proper  and  equal  in  the 
Fat:»cr,  to  require  of  him  all  that  pvuictuality  and  rigid  adherence  to 
the  truth  and  character  of  God  which  were  necessary  to  perfectly 
glorify  God,  manifest  the  contrast  between  the  way  of  God  and  tbat 
of  fallen  man,  and  secure  tlie  salvation  of  the  human  race.  Thus  he 
ivas  stricken,  smitten  of  Gad,  and  afflicted ;  and  thus  Jehovah  was 
pleased  to  bruise  him  ;  he  hath  put  him  to  grief;  and  thus  he  made 
his  soul  a  sacrifice  for  sin,  by  sending  him  into  the  world  to  execute 
that  purpose  and  to  accomplish  that  work  in  the  fulness  of  the  Spi- 
rit, which  could  not  fail  to  excite  the  indignation  of  those  lost  beings 
whom  he  came  to  save,  until  they  took  his  life.  Thus  the  Shepherd 
was  smitten  of  God ;  and  the  work  was  so  strange  and  the  trial  so 
great  that  the  sheep  of  the  llock  were  scattered.  God  therefore  did 
not  bruise  his  Sen  absolutely  or  directly,  but  indirectly  and  by  conse- 
quence— he  did  net  take  vengeance  on  him  for  the  crimes  of  others. 
And  an  attention  to  the  connection  of  the  Avords  of  Zechariah  will 
show  that  if  he  took  vengeance  on  the  shepherd,  he  also  did  on  the 
people  J  "  Smite  the  Shepherd  and  the  sheep  shall  be  scattered ; 
and  I  will  turn  my  hand  upon  the  little  ones ;"  and  give  them  a  por- 
tion of  the  same  smiting.  And  so  it  came  to  pass ;  for  as  Jesus  was 
persecuted  to  death  so  were  his  people  in  the  same  cause  and  by  the 
same  sword ;  as  it  is  written,  "  For  thy  sake  we  are  killed  ail  the 
day  long  ;  we  are  accounted  as  sheep  for  the  slaughter."  (Ro.  8. •36.) 

"  Awake,  O  sword,  against  my  Shephe^-d,  and  against  the  man  my 
"  fellow,  [Heb.  the  man  next  to  me,  or  my  neighbor,  who  takes  part 
^'  with  me  and  not  with  tlic  world,]  saith  the  Lord  of  hosts."  It 
hath  long  !)ecn  taught  that  this  was  the  sword  of  justice,  or  justice 
itself  spending  its  fury  on  the  meek  Lamb  of  God,  for  crimes  net 
his  own.  But  to  say  he  was  slain  by  the  sv/crd  of  justice,  or  by  jus- 
tice considered  as  a  sWord,  is  to  detach  all  criminality  from  his  mur- 
der :  for  what  justice  doeth  must  be  at  least  innocent.  But  some- 
thing very  difierent  from  justice  is  the  sword  of  the  Lord.  "  De- 
"  liver  my  soul  from  the  wicked  who  are  tl:y  sword  :  from  men  who 
"  a.re  thy  hand."  (Psm.  17,  13,  14.)  Never  was  there  a  more  unjust 
sword  than  that  v.iiich  slew  the  innocent  Saviour.  His  most  invete- 
rate enemies  could  net  convict  him  of  sin,  nor  lay  any  just  accusation 
against  him  ;  neither  did  the}-  suppose  any  such  thing  in  him  as  sure- 
tiship  or  imputed  guilt ;  b\;t  slew  him  merely  in  the  rage  of  their 
malice  against  God,  and  in  the  ignorance  of  his  true  character,  Avhich 
indeed  they  refused  to  know.  They  hated  him  without  cause.  Well 
tlicrefore  did  the  apostles,  on  every  occasion,  charge  his  death  on  the 
wickedness  of  the  Jews,  saying,  "  Ye  denied  the  holy  an.d  the  just 
"  One,  and  killed  the  prince  of  life  ;  of  whom  ye  have  been  now  the 
<'  betrayers  and  murderers."  "  liira,  being  delivered  by  tlie  dcter- 
"  minatc  counsel  and  foreknowledge  of  God,  ye  have  taken,  and  by 
"  wiclied  hands  have  crucified  and  slain."  (Act.  2.  23.) 

But  these  last  words  will  no  doubt  be  claimed  by  the  abettors  oF 
the  decrees  of  God,  as  appointing  and  ordaining  every  thing  to  come 
to  pCwS  juot  as  it  docs,  and  of  justification  by  imputed  righteousness^ 


AND  IMPUTATION-  103 

as  proving  those  points.  Hiin,  being  delivered  by  the  detcmiinatc 
counsel  and  forcknoivledge  of  God,  they  understand  as  leaching 
that  he  was  delivered  up  to  death  by  the  determinate  counsel  of  God. 
But  such  a  construction  only  shows  the  traditionary  bias  cf  tlicir 
minds, arid  their  unacquaintancc  with  divine  truth  in  its  connection.  It 
was  not  to  death  that  he  was  delivered  by  the  determinate  counsel  and 
foreknow^ledge  of  God,  but  to  be  a  leader  and  example  to  the  peo- 
ple to  lead  them  to  God,  and  so  redeem  them  from  all  iniquity,  while 
ihey  should  follow  him,  laying  aside  every  v/eight,  and  the  sin  which 
tloth  so  easily  beset,  and  run  with  patience  the  race  set  before  them, 
looking  to  Jesus  the  author  and  finisher  [Greek,  (lie  chief  leader  and 
jierfecter'^^  of  faith,  being  the  first  who  lived  up  to  the  true  faith,  and 
first  obtauicd  its  end.  This  is  the  decree  of  v/hich  I  sjioke  before  ; 
That  God  did  decree  in  direct  and  absolute  terms,  not  to  be  reversed, 
to  send  a  deliverer  to  redeem  mankind  from  their  fall.  But  Vvhen  he 
came  in  this  lovely  character,  they  hated  him  v/itliout  cause  ;  for  the 
sake  of  God  who  dwelt  in  Lim,  and  whose  holiness  burnt  against 
their  evil  nature,  so  that  the  re])roachcs  of  them  that  reproached  God 
fell  on  him  ;  therefore  they  took  him  and  with  wicked  hands  crucifi- 
ed and  slew  him. 

The  foreknowledge  of  God  no  doubt  comprehended  what  would 
be  the  residt  of  his  being  thus  set  forth  ;  but  that  was  no  rci.-,on  why 
God  shovdd  not  do  that  which  was  necessaiy  to  be  done  for  man's 
recovery  and  God's  good  pleasure  and  glory,  seeing  the  Son  of  C^od 
v/as  also  willing  to  come,  saying  ;  "  Lo,  I  come,  in  the  volume  of 
"  the  book  it  is  written  of  me,  I  delight  to  do  thy  will,  O  my  God  ; 
"  yea,  thy  law  is  written  in  my  heart.  I  have  preached  righteousness 
"  in  the  great  congregation  :  lo,  I  have  not  refrained  my  lips,  O  Lord 
"  thou  knowestit."  (Psm.  40.  17,  18,  19.)  Thus  he  was  delivered, 
or  set  forth  to  view,  according  to  the  Greek  text,  ar.d  tlius  evilly  Avas 
he  entreated  when  he  came. 

This  subject  is  farther  illustrated  by  the  parable  of  the  househol- 
der, who  planted  a  vineyard  and  let  it  out  to  husbandmen,  and  sent 
his  servants  in  vain,  who  at  tvv'o  different  times  were  some  of  them 
killed,  and  the  rest  stoned  or  beaten  ;  "  But  last  of  all  he  sent  unto 
"  them  his  son,  saying.  They  will  reverence  my  son.  But  when  the 
"  husbandmen  saw  the  son  they  said  among  themselves.  This  is  the 
"  heir ;  Come,  let  us  kill  him,  and  let  us  seize  on  his  inheritance. 
"  And  they  caught  him  and  cast  him  out  and  slew  him."  (Matt.  21. 
33,  Sec)  This  parable  Jesus  applied  to  the  Jews,  conccrninir  him- 
self as  the  stone  which  the  biiilders  rejected,  and  yet  it  is  made  the 
head  of  the  corner. 

The  following  words  also  will  no  doubt  be  considered  ?.s  favoring 
the  doctrine  of  justification  by  the  imputed  righteousr.ess  of  ('lirist, 
where  the  people  are  said  to  be  gathered  against  Christ ;  "  For  to 
"  do  whatsoever  thy  hand  and  thy  counsel  determined  before  to  be 
■  "  done."  (Acts  4.  28.)  The  argument  is,  that  God  determined  tliat 
he  should  suffer  these  things  as  our  siibstitute  or  surety ;  for  there 
was  no  cause  in   Iiim  to  expose  liim  to  r;uch   suifciings,  beitig  holij 


104  OF  JUSTIFICATION 

a7id  hartnlt'-is.     But  as  no  mention  is  made  of  any  iriiputation  of  our 
sins  to  him,  or  of  his  righteousness  to  us,  it  v.ould  be  forced  and  un- 
natural to  infer  the  one  or  the  other  from  these  words.     Not  denying 
that  God  saw  it  necessary  that  Christ  should  die;  as  it  is  written; 
"■  Ought  not  Christ  to  ho.ve  suff'tred  these  things,  and  to  enter  into 
his  glory  ?"  according  to  what  we  have  before  spoken  of  the  neces- 
(iity  of  his  death.     The  force   of  this   text  appears  to  be,  that  the 
things  had  conic  to  pass  according  to  what  the  Spirit  of  God  by  the 
proj)het  had  foretold;  his  counsel  had  seen  and  his  hand  had  described 
l->y  the  hand  writing  of  the  prophet  in  whom  his  counsel  was.   -And 
this  is  the  primary  sense  of  the  word  apooptfcj  [pro-orizo]  the  Greek 
word  here  used,  according  to  its  explanation  by  Prius  definio,  to  dc- 
Jine  or  deterinine  before  hand.  "  Who  by  the  mouth  of  thy  servant 
'■*  David  hast  said,  Why  did  the  heathen  rage  and  the  people  ima- 
"  gine  vain  things  ?     The  kings  of  the  earth  stood  up,  and  the  rulers 
"  were  gathered   together  against  the  Lord  and  against  his  Christ. 
"  For  of  a  truth,   against  thy  holy  child   Jesus,  whom   thou    hast 
"  anointed,  both  Herod  and  Pontius  Pilate,  with  the  Gentiles,  and  the 
"  people  of  Israel  v/erc  gathered  together,  for  to  do  whatsoever  thy 
"  hancf  and  thy  counsel  (by  the  said  David)  determined  before  to  be 
"  done."     And  precisely  in  this  manner  the  apostle  Peter  hath  ex- 
pounded the  same  event,  on  a  former  occasion.     "  But  those  things,. 
"•  vvhicn  God  before  had  shewed  by  the  mouth  of  all   his  prophets.. 
"  that  Christ  should  suffer,  he  hath  so  fulfilled."  (Acts  3.  18.) 


CHAPTER  IX. 

The  subject  conti7i2ied  ;  in  relation  to  the  legal  sacrijiccs  and  other 

matters. 

BUT  other  arguments  are  used  in  defence  of  being  justified  by 
tlie  imputed  righteousness  of  Christ.  One  is.  That  the  sacrifices 
under  the  law  were  typical  of  Christ ;  and  hence  it  is  concluded,  that 
Clirist  is  cvir  substitute,  and  that  our  sins  were  imputed  to  him.  But 
this  argument  is  founded  in  error,  common  as  it  is,  and  long  as  it  has 
been  sanctioned  by  tradition.  Where  do  we  read  in  the  holy  scrip- 
tui'cs,  that  those  sacrifices  typified  Jesus  Christ,  any  more  than  other 
men  ?  Or  what  Mas  to  be  seen  in  that  service  peculiarly  applicable 
to  him  ? 

That  the  law  was  typical,  as  having  a  shadow  of  good  things  to 
come,  is  taught  clearly  enough.  And  that  the  high  priest  was  typi- 
cal of  Christ,  is  not  to  be  doubted  ;  "  For  the  law  makethmen  Uigh 
'•  ];riesls  vrho  have  infirmities  ;  but  the  word  of  the  oath,  which  was 
"  since  the  law,  makcth  the  Son,  Avho  is  consecrated  for  ever  more." 
(Heb.  7.  2S,  and  other  places.)  Also  that  the  most  holy  place,  into 
■vrliicli  the  high  priest  went  once  every  year,  not  without  blood,  w;;s 
ti|ypi::'.l  of  t!ic  ki:ip;dom  of  heaven  whore  Christ  reigns,  Mill  be  grant- 


AND  IMPUTATION.  ^         i05 

ed  ;  ''  For  Christ  is  not  entered  into  the  holy  places ,  made  ^vith 
"  hands,  Avhich  are  the  figures  of  the  true  ;  but  into  heaven  itself, 
"  now  to  appear  in  the  presence  of  God  for  us."  (Heb.  9.  24.)  In 
many  other  respects  the  law  was  typical  of  things  in  the  gospel  kin^--- 
dom.  But  all  these  will  not  prove  that  the  sacrifices  were  typical 
of  Christ,  or  represented  him.  As  Aaron  the  high  priest  was  ty- 
pical of  Christ,  it  may  not  be  improper  to  conclude  that  the  sacri- 
fice which  he  offered  was  typical  of  Christ,  in  a  secondary  view, 
Avhen  "  He  gave  himself  for  us  an  offering  and  a  sacrifice  to  God  for 
"  a  sweet  smelling  savor,"  and  when  "  Through  the  eternal  Spirit  he 
"  offered  himself  without  spot  to  God."  [Eph.  5.  2,  Heb.  9.  14.] 
What  I  mean  by  this  sacrifice  being  typical  of  Christ  in  a  secondary 
view  is,  that  it  was  immediately  the  offering  of  the  priest  as  the  lead- 
er of  the  people,  as  Christ  offered  himself  once,  as  the  leader  of  his 
people.  For  the  law  made  no  provision  for  the  priests,  more  than 
for  others,  to  offer  themselves  to  God,  holy  and  living  sacrifices:  it 
remained  for  Jesus  Christ  to  consecrate  the  new  and  living  way. 
And  it  is  worthy  of  notice  that  he  is  never  said  to  Jiavc  offered  hii-n- 
self  to  God,  as  a  sacrifice  for  sin,  or  a  sin  offering,  but  an  oficring 
and  a  sacrifioe  for  a  sweet  smelling  savor,  a  living  sacrifice  in  obe- 
dience to  God's  will,  as  our  example  and  forerunner.  Thus, 
"  When  he  said,  sacrifice,  and  offering,  and  burnt  offerings, 
"  and  offering  for  sin,  thou  wouldest  not,  neitlier  hadcst  pleasure 
"  therein ;  (which  are  offered  by  the  law  ;)  then  said  he,  Lo,  I  come 
"  (for  what  ?  to  be  made  a  sin  offering  to  God  ?  Nay  ;  but)  to  do 
"  thy  will,  O  God.  He  taketh  away  the  first,  (the  sacrifices  and  of- 
"  ferings  of  the  law,)  that  he  might  establish  tlie  second.  (The  doing 
"  of  the  will  of  God  and  walking  in  it  after  Christ,  to  God's  accept- 
"  ance.)  By  the  which  will  we  [who  belong  to  the  true  body  of 
"  Christ,]  are  sanctified,  [in  doing  as  he  did,]  through  the  offei'ihg  of 
"  the  body  of  Christ  once."  [Heb.  10.  8,9,  10.] 

The  translators  have  here  added  the  words,  j^^r  6//,  which  tire  not 
in  the  Greek  text,  and  are  an  -unnecessary  supplement ;  for  though 
he  offered  himself  ybr  all  as  the  head  and  forerunner  of  llue  body, 
the  offering  of  the  body  of  Christ  includes  the  offering  of  all  the 
members,  who  have  all  to  offer  themselves  to  God  once  for  everlast- 
ing. "  I  beseech  you,  therefore,  brethren,  by  the  mercies  of  God, 
"  that  ye  present  your  bodies  a  living  sacrifice,  holy,  acceptable  to 
"  God,  which  is  your  reasonable  service."  [Ro.  12.  1.]  But  if  tlie 
phrase  once  for  all  he  understood  as  relating  to  the  sufficiency  of  the 
one  offering  instead  of  the  many  offerings  under  the  law,  that  accep- 
tation is  correct,  and  the  meaning  of  the  text  remains  unimpaired. 
For  in  this  we  see  the  perfection  and  pre-eminence  of  his  ofiering 
above  those  under  the  law,  that  whereas  they  were  continued  because 
incapable  of  effecting  salvation;  his  one  offering  was  sufTicienti 
"  For  such  an  high  priest  became  us  who  is  holy,  hai  mlcss,  undeSlec  ^ 
"  separate  from  sinners,  and  rnayc  higher  than  the  heavens  ;  who 
'^  necdethnot  daily  as  those  high  priests,  to,  offer  up  sacrifice,   fiivsl 


i05  01^  JUSTIFICATION 

"  for  his o%n sins,  and  then  for  the  people's:   for  this  he  did  <5ncc, 
"  when  he  offered  up  himself."  [Ileb.  7.  26,  27.] 

These  scriptures,  but  especially  that  including  the  quotation  from 
the  fortieth  psalm,  proves  pointedly  what  Christ  established,  as  the 
ground  of  our  acceptance  with  God,  first  ai\d  last- — Doing  the  will 
of  God.  "  He  that  doeth  the  ivill  of  my  Father  ivho  is  in  heaven^ 
shall  enter  irito  the  kingdom.  The  sacrifices  therefore  under  the  law 
did  not  typify  Christ  as  a  sin  offering  to  God  as  being  our  substitute, 
but  rather  the  sacrifices  of  service  in  obedience  to  God,  which  the 
pQpple  have  to  offer  to  God  in  the  gospel  church,  that  spiritual  house 
to  offer  up  spiritual  sacrifices,  acceptable  to  God  through  Jesus 
Christ:  no  imputation  of  our  sins  or  guilt  to  him,  neither  of  his 
righteousness  to  us.  Now  the  phrase,  to  God.,  in  the  above  quota- 
tion from  the  epistle  to  Uic  Hebrews,  (9.  15.)  hath  not  respect  to  the 
giving  of  the  offering,  as  being  offered  to  God.,  but  to  the  quality  or 
character  of  the  person  or  thing  offered.  Not,  he  offered  himself 
to  Got/,  without  spot ;  but,  he  offered  himself  7yz7/]on;  sjiot  to  Gody 
that  is,  txiithout  sfiot  before  God^  or  in  his  sight.  The  phrase  is  in 
the  same  construction  in  the  Greek  text  as  that  by  which  Stephen 
described  Moses,  which  the  translators  have  rendered,  exceeding 
fair;  in  the  Greek /fl/r  to  God.  (Acts  7.  20.)  These  tilings  arc 
plain  to  the  candid  among  the  learned. 

Novv^  let  us  enquire  how  the  sacrifices  imder  the  law  would  ap- 
ply to  Christ,  as  representirtg  him.  "  Here  is  a  ti'ansgressor  ;  he 
*'  briiigs  a  Iamb  to  the  altar  ;  he  lays  his  hand  upon  its  head  and  con- 
«  fesses  his  sins  ;  he  must  then  with  his  own  hands  slay  it  and  have-*" 
"  it  burnt  on  the  altar  before  his  eyes.  (Levit,  1.  4,  5.  and  5.  5,  &c. 
See  also  B.  W.  Stone's  Letters  on  Atonement,  Pag.  30.)  Observe  ;, 
the  transgressor  had  to  lay  his  hand  on  the  head  of  (h.e  beast  in  the 
presence  of  the  ministering  priest,  (not  immediately  the  high  priest,) 
and  there  confess  his  sins,  and  then  with  his  own  hand  kill  the 
sacrifice,  flay  it  and  cut  it  in  pieces,  ready  to  be  laid  on  the  altar  and 
burnt.  This  Avas  the  common  and  regular  order  of  that  ritual.  If 
then  this  sacrifice  represented  or  typified  Christ,  when  a  sinner  be- 
lieves in  him,  he  is  to  lay  his  band  on  his  head,  confess  his  sins,  kill 
and  crucify  him,  before  the  priest.  (Who  the  priest  is  I  need  not 
say.)  Now  who  will  suppose  that  this  is  the  work  of  a  retui'ning  pen- 
itent, to  crucify  the  Son  of  God  afresh  ?  But  we  have  pursued  the 
subject  far  enough  to  see  that  these  things  will  not  apply. 

Let  us  now  enquire  hoAV  these  sacrifices  will  apply  to  tlicse  which 
men  have  to  offer  when  they  believe  the  gospel.  In  the  presence 
of  the  gospel  priest,  or  minister  of  Christ,  he  lays  his  hand  on  the 
head  of  the  beast  to  be  sacrificed,  which  is  his  own  carnal  nature, 
and  there  confesses  his  sins,  kills  the  beast  that  it  may  be  burnt  on  the 
altar  of  God  ;  that  is,  having  confessed  liis  sins,  lie  sets  himself,  roul 
and  body,  to  resist  the  praQtice  and  nature  of  evil,  and  thus  to  cruci- 
fy the  Carnal  mind  that  it  may  die  forever.  "  And  they  that  are 
"  Christ's  have  crucified  the  flesh  with  its  affections  and  lusts." 
Thus  denying  himself  and  taking  uj)  his  cross,  he   follows  Chris^, 


AND  IMPUTATION.  ior 

TK)t  doing  his  own  v/ill,  but  the  will  of  his  Father  in  heaven.  Thus 
the  man  gives  himself  up  wholly  a  living  sacrifice  for  the  destruc- 
tion of  the  flesh,  that  the  spirit  may  he  saved.  There  must  be  a 
whole  surrender,  without  reserve  or  dishonesty,  as  the  sacrifices  un- 
der the  law  must  be  Avhole  and  v/ithout  blemish.  And  as  under  the 
law,  Aaron  oft'ered  the  first  offeiing  himself,  and  afterwards  the  peo- 
ple offered  through  him  ;  so  Christ  made  the  first  offering ;  and 
whereas  he  had  no  sins  to  confess,  and  none  of  which  to  repent,  af- 
ter having  entered  into  the  way,  by  tlic  door  of  confession  and  re- 
pentance wliich  was  opened  for  the  people,  the  baptism  cf  John, 
saying,  T/iua  it  becometh  its  to  fulfil  all  righteousness.^  he  public- 
ly offered  himself  a  sacrifice  and  an  offering  to  God,  for  a  sweet 
smelling  savor,  fortLe  destruction  of  the  nature  of  the  flesh  which 
he  had  assumed.  "  And  though  he  was  a  Son,  yet  learned  he  obe- 
"  dience  by  the  things  which  he  suffered ;  and  being  made  perfect, 
*'  he  became  the  author  of  eternal  salvation  to  all  them  that  obey 
"him."  "For  every  high  priest  is  ordained  to  offer  gifts  and  sa- 
"  crifices  ;  wherefore  it  is  of  necessity  that  this  man  have  somewhat 
*'  also  to  offer."  [Heb.  5.  8,  9,  and  8.  3.]  Every  man  had  also  to 
find  his  own  sacrifice  and  not  the  high  priest  in  his  stead,  nor  God, 
by  any  special  gift,  either  to  the  man  or  in  qualifying  and  commis- 
sioning the  high  priest,  but  every  man  had  to  furnish  an  offering  for 
himself  out  of  his  lawful  substance,  and  bring  it  to  the  high  priest 
•and  there  offer  it  to  God  through  him. 

These  sacrifices  Ihen  were  not  types  of  Christ  bearing  the  iniqui- 
ties of  the  people  by  imputation,  but  rather  types  or  symbols  of  the 
people  dying  each  one  for  his  own  bin,  or  each  one  giving  himself  in 
sacrifice  to  God  for  the  destruction  of  the  flesh,  or  fleshly  nature, 
|]which  is  the  life  of  the  natural  man]  that  the  spirit  ma^  be  saved. 
And  seeing  the  man  could  not  both  die  and  live,  according  to  that 
carnal  dispensation,  the  beast  died  in  his  room,  and  his  life  was 
spared  ;  so  in  the  gospel,  the  beast,  wluch  is  the  carnal  mind,  or  na- 
ture, is  put  to  death,  and  the  spirit  is  saved. 

It  is  not  improbable  that  some  who  have  no  correct  understanding 
■of  the  gospel,  may  not  feel  reconciled  with  this  exposition  of  the 
nature  of  the  sacrifices  ;  but  let  such  prove  the  matter  and  see  if 
they  can  discover  any  application  of  them  to  the  gospel,  [as  they 
were  confessedly  shadows  of  something,]  which  is,  on  a  deliberate 
and  impartial  view,  attended  with  fewer  difficulties.  The  law  is 
good  if  a  man  use  it  lawfully  ;  and  no  doubt  but  the  whole  work  of 
God  in  the  gospel  was  prefigured  by  the  law  in  some  respect,  and 
all  the  ceremonies  of  the  law  had  respect  to  the  gospel ;  but  the 
light  of  the  gospel  only  can  unfold  these  things  with  their  proper 
application.  For  without  the  light  of  the  gospel,  no  man  had  ever 
understood  one  cf  the  legal  ceremonies ;  and  for  the  want  of  this 
light,  by  mingling  the  lav.'  and  the  gospel  together,  [v/hich  yet  hel}> 
to  illustrate  one  another,  each  one  being  kept  in  its  proper  place,] 
or  by  seeking  to  the  dead  for  the  living,  and  to  the  darkness  for 
Jjgbt,  men  have  such  improper  views  of  both  the  law  and  tlic  gospel. 


108  OF  JUSTIFICATION 

But  the  light  of  the  gospel  Avill  sufficiently  unfold  the  use  of  tliC 
law,  and  no  doubt  the  design  of  many  cei-emonies  of  which  worldly 
professors  have  no  understanding.  "  Seeing  then  that  we  have  such 
"  hope,  v/e  use  great  plainness  of  speech  ;  and  not  as  Moses  who 
"  put  a  vail  over  his  face  that  the  children  of  Israel  could  not  stcd- 
"  fastly  look  to  the  end  of  that  which  is  abolished :  but  their  minds 
"  were  blir.ded  ;  for  until  this  day  remaineth  the  same  vail  untakeu 
"  away  in  the  reading  of  the  old  testament ;  v.'hich  vail  is  done  away 
"•  in  Christ.  But  even  unto  this  day,  when  Moses  is  read  the  vail  is 
"  upon  their  heart.  Nevertheless  when  it  shall  turn  to  the  Lord, 
"  the  vail  shall  be  taken  away."  [2  Cor.  3.  12  to  16.]  When  there- 
fore men  become  acquainted  with  Christ  by  the  gospel,  they  have  a 
clear  understanding. 

The  opinion  therefore,  that  the  Jews  in  offering  their  sacrifices, 
had  respect  to  the  blood  of  Christ,  afterwards  to  be  shed  for  them, 
and  believed  in  it  for  their  justification,  is  intircly  without  foundation* 
It  was  evidently  not  understood  that  he  Avould  be  put  to  death,  even 
by  those  who  believed  in  him  after  he  came,  often  as  he  had  told  them, 
until  the  fact  proved  it.  Had  those  sacrifices  then  all  typified  Christ, 
(as  no  doubt  they  did  point  to  him  and  concentrate  in  him,  inasmuch 
as  he  was  the  leader,  and  the  first  who  ever  offered  a  perfectly  ac- 
ceptable sacrifice  to  God,  after  whom  all  others  pattern,)  the  Jews 
did  not  know  it ;  and  neither  did  they  know  the  sulistance  to  which 
they  did  relate,  for  they  could  not  see  the  end  of  those  things  whicii 
were  to  be  abolished.  The  partial,  or  ceremonial  justification  there- 
fore v.'hich  they  found  in  those  things,  which  were  a  figvue  serving 
for  the  time  then  present,  was  on  the  principle  of  their  obedience  to 
God,  in  tl'i' things  which  they  believed  he  had  commanded  them  to 
do.  And  when  any  one  offered  an  offering,  in  all  things  according  to 
the  law,  it  was  imputed  to  him,  and  he  was  accepted  ;  but  if  in  any  ma- 
terial point  he  failed,  as  in  eating  any  of  the  sacrifice  of  a  vow  on  the 
tliird  day,  it  was  not  accepted,  neither  nvas  it  imjiuted  to  him  that  of' 
fercd  it.  And  again;  "  What  man  soever  there  be  of  the  house  of 
"  Israel  that  killeth  an  ox,  or  lamb,  or  goat,  in  the  camp,  or  that  kil- 
''  leth  it  out  of  the  camp,  and  bringeth  it  not  unto  the  door  of  the 
"  tabernacle  of  the  congregation,  to  offer  an  offering  unto  the  Lord 
''  before  the  tabernacle  of  the  Lord,  blood  shall  be  imputed  to  that 
"  man,  he  hath  shed  blood."  To  the  same  point  is  the  Jaw  of  tlic 
tithes  of  the  Levites.  When  they  offered  the  tenth  of  their  tithes 
as  a  heave-offering  to  God  and  gave  it  to  Aaron,  it  was  reckoned,  or 
imputed  to  them,  "  And  this  your  heave-offering  shall  be  reckoned 
"  [Heb.  imputed]  to  you  as  though  it  were  the  corn  of  the  threshing- 
'>  iloor,  and  as  the  fulness  of  the  wine  press."  (Levit.  7.  18.  and  7.  3, 
4.  Num.  ]  S.  27.)  So  then  under  the  law,  and  also  m  the  gospel,  as 
hath  been  already  shown,  that  is  imputed  to  any  one,  and  that  only, 
which  he  actually  possesses  or  really  performs :  and  this  is  the  pro- 
per use  of  the  word  impute.  Accordingly  when  Ahin^elech  was  ac- 
cused by  S'.uil>  as  being  an  accomplice  with  David  against  him,  he 
pleaded  hl-^  innocence,  saying,  "  Did  I  then  begin  to  enquire  of  Goti 


AND  IMPUTATION.  1,09 

«  for  him  ?  be  it  far  from  me  :  let  not  the  king  impute  any  tiling  to 
"  his  servant."  (1  Sam.  22.  15.)  No  atonement,  therefore,  or  justi- 
fication, in  these  things  by  imputation,  from  one  to  another ;  there 
was  no  substitution  in  the  case  ;  each  man  had  to  furnish  his  sacritice 
at  his  own  expense,  and  not  the  priest  for  him  ;  so  each  one  under 
the  gospel  is  to  offer  at  the  expense  of  his  own  hfe,  that  is,  the  flesh, 
and  not  another  for  him.  But  as  before  stated  ;  the  high  priest  v/as 
no  doubt  a  type  of  Christ ;  and  amongst  other  tilings,  iii  this,  that  he 
bore  the  names  and  the  judgment  of  the  people,  and  the  sins  of  their 
holy  things  which  they  hallowed,  or  devoted  to  God,  in  all  their  gifts. 
For  thus  It  is  v/ritten  ;  "  And  Aaron  shall  bear  the  names  of  the  chil- 
"  dren  of  Israel  on  the  breastplate  of  judgment  upon  his  heart,  when 
"  he  goeth  into  the  holy  place,  for  a  memorial  before  the  Lord  con- 
"  tinually — And  thou  shalt  make  a  plate  of  pure  gold,  and  grave 
"  upon  it,  like  the  engravings  of  a  signet,  HOLINESS  TO  THE 
"  LORD.  And  it  shall  be  upon  Aaron's  forehead,  that  Aaron  may 
"  bear  the  iniquity  of  the  holy  things,  vvliich  the  children  of  Israel 
<' shall  hallow  in  their  holy  gifts :  and  it  shall  be  always  upon  his 
"  forehead,  that  they  may  be  accepted  before  the  Lord."  (Exod.  2^. 
29,30,  36,  38.)  Thus  the  high  priest  bore  the  judgment  and  the  sins 
of  the  peolpe  before  the  Lord,  that  they  might  be  accepted,  when 
according  to  the  lav/  and  appointed  order  of  God,  they  had  rolled 
their  sins  over  on  him,  by  confessing  their  sins  and  brmging  their  of- 
ferings to  the  ministering  priests.  For  under  the  law,  that  which 
v/as  offered  to  God  was  given  to  the  priests.  So  did  Jesus  Chriiit 
bear  the  names,  and  the  judgment,  and  the  sins  of  his  people,  and 
still  beareth  them.  "  Nevertheless  the  foundation  [or  covenant]  of 
"  Godstandeth  sure,  having  this  seal.  The  Lord  knoweth  them  that 
"  are  his."  "  He  that  overcomcth,  the  same  shall  be  clothed  in  v/hitc 
"  raiment;  and  I  will  not  blot  out  his  name  out  of  the  book  of  life, 
"  but  I  will  confess  his  name  before  my  Father,  and  before  his  holy 
"  angels.  By  his  knowledge  shall  my  righteous  servant  justify  ma- 
"  ny  ;  Jor  he  shall  bear  their  inujuities — And  he  hare  the  sm  of  ma- 
<'  ny  ;'  even  of  all  those  who  roll  them  over  on  him  according  to  the 
order  of  the  gospel,  by  confessing  their  sins  and  bringing  their  offer- 
ings to  God  and  presenting  them  to  the  ministers  of  Jesus  Christ,  and 
thus  make  covenant  v/ith  God  by  sacrifice,  and  keep  it.  But  neither 
did  God  nor  Moses,  whom  the  Lord  made  as  God  to  the  people,  ex- 
act any  punishment  of  Aaron  in  the  execution  of  his  office  in  the  be- 
half of  the  people.  Neither  Aaron  therefore,  nor  the  under  priests, 
bore  the  punishment  of  the  sins  of  the  people,  or  the  reward  of  their 
iniquities  ;  they  only  bore  their  sins  away,  and  as  it  were,  buried 
them  out  of  sight,  making  atonement  according  to  law.  So  neither 
did  God  exact  any  punishment  of  his  Son,  the  great  high  priest  of 
pur  profession,  as  a  punishment  for  the  sins  of  his  people,  or  the  i-c- 
ward  of  their  iniquities,  whom  he  came  to  save.  But  he  and  his 
lioly  priesthood,  or  he  in  them,  and  they  in  him,  bear  them  away  from 
the  people  and  cover  them  in  charity  ;  for  charity  covsreth  (he,vnilti- 
tjlde  of  sins  J  and  the  priosts  make  atonement  and  the  sins  of  the 


110  OF  JUSTIFICATION 

people  are  forgiven  them.  No  imputation  of  the  sijis  of  the  pcopie 
to  the  high  priest,  or  of  his  righteousness  to  them  :  every  one  had 
to  make  his  own  offering.  So  neither  is  there  any  imputation  of  the 
sins  of  the  people  to  Jesus  Christ,  or  of  his  righteousness  to  them, 
only  as  they  live  his  righteous  life  ;  He  that  doeth  righteousness  is 
riglitedusy  even  as  he  is  righteous;  and  he  that  doeth  not  righte- 
ousness is  not  of  God.  Let  everif  one  that  nameth  the  ?iame  of 
Christ  depart  from  iniquity. 

The  sacrifices  under  the  lav/  were  designed  for  the  purification  of 
the  worshipers ;  and  this  end  they  answered  ceremonially,  hut  did 
TiOt  reach  the  conscience  ;  for  in  the  first  tabernacle  '<  Were  offered 
*'  both  gifts  and  sacrifices  that  could  not  make  him  that  did  the  ser- 
"  vice  perfect,  as  pertaining  to  the  conscience."  "  For  the  law  having 
"  a  shadow  of  good  thiiigs  to  come,  and  not  the  very  image  of  the 
"  tilings,  can  never,  with  those  sacrifices  which  they  offered  year  by 
"year,  continually,  make  the  comers  thereunto  perfect:  for  then 
"  would  they  not  have  ceased  to  be  offered  ?  because  that  the  wor- 
"  shipers  once  purged  should  have  had  no  more  conscience  of  sins. 
*'  But  in  those  sacrifices  there  is  a  remembrance  again  of  sins  eveiy 
"  year."  (Heb.  9.  9.  and  10.  1,  2,  3.)  Thus  the  apostle  fairly  proves 
that  they  did  not  purge  the  conscience,  nor  in  reality  take  away  sin 
at  all.  But  as  those  sacrifices,  or  the  blood  thereof,  served  to  purify 
ceremonially,  so  doth  the  blood  of  Christ  to  those  who  drink  it, 
purge  the  conscience  before  God.  "  For  if  the  blood  of  bulls,  and 
*'  of  goats,  and  the  ashes  of  an  heifer,  sprinkling  the  uncleaji,  sancti- 
"  fictii  to  the  purifying  of  the  flesh  ;  (ceremonially  ;)  how  much 
"  more  shall  the  blood  of  Christ,  who  through  the  eternal  Spirit  of- 
*'  fered  himself  without  spot  to  God,  purge  your  consciences  from 
,*'  dead  works  to  serve  the  living  Giod."  [Heb.  9.  13,  14.]  This  then 
^vas  the  end  of  those  sacrifices,  to  cleanse  the  worshipei  s  ceremoni- 
ally, and  of  the  sacrifice  of  Christ  now,  to  purge  the  conscience  of 
the  obedient  believer,  in  the  true  spirit  and  substance;  not  by  impu- 
tation of  his  blood  to  us,  but  by  doing  the  will  of  God  as  he  did  it,  as 
has  been  shov/n. 

But  it  may  be  said  that  "  Even  Christ,  our  passover,  is  sacrificed 
for  us,"  and  this  must  surely  mean,  that  he  is  the  great  Antitype  of 
all  the  sacrifices,  to  whom  tliey  all  pointed,  who  also  was  put  to  death 
in  our  room,  that  his  blood  sprinkled  on  us,  or  imputed  to  us,  may 
save  us  from  the  curse,  as  the  blood  of  the  Jewish  passover  did  the 
Jews.  That  he  is  our  sacrifice,  and  that  he  was  sacrificed  for  us, 
will  not  be  denied.  But  it  has  been  shown  how,  and  to  what  end ; 
even  to  be  to  us  an  example,  and  to  lead  us  to  God,  while  we  are  to 
follow  his  track,  purifying  ourselves,  even  as  he  is  pure  ;  and  the 
connection  of  this  text  also  corresponds  with  this  view  of  th.e  subject 
to  confirm  it.  "  Purge  out  therefore  thes  old  leaven,  that  ye  may  be 
"  anew  lump,  as  yc  are  unleavened.  For  even  Ci^.rist  otu'  passover 
"  is  sacrificed  for  us:  thej^xforc  let  us  keep  the  feast,  not  with  the 
"  k-aven  of  malice  and  wickedness;  but  with  the  unleavened  bread 
"  of  frinceritv  uiid  irulh.''     Thus  5.>ithful  believers  in  Christ  keep  the 


AND  IMPUTATION.  1 1 1 

feast ;  thus  they  eat  the  passover  from  day  to  day,  eating  his  flesh 
and  drinking  his  blood ;  that  is,  living  as  he  did  and  in  his  spirit. 
For  it  is  written  that  the  life  of  all  Jltsh  in  the  blood  thereof;  and 
again  Jesus  testifies  saymg,  "  It  is  the  Spirit  that  quickeneth,  the 
flesh  profiteth  nothing."  [1  Cor.  5.  7,  8.  Levit.  17.  14.  Jno.  6.  63.^ 

Another  argument  in  defence  of  justification  by  the  imputed  rigli- 
teousness  of  Christ,  is  the  saying  of  Paul,  "  That  I  may  \vin  Christ, 
*'  and  be  found  in  him,  not  having  mine  own  righteousness,  which  is 
"  of  the  law,  but  that  which  is  through  the  faith  of  Christ,  the  righ- 
"  teousness  wiilch  is  of  God  by  faith."  [Phil.  3.  5.] 

It  might  indeed,  by  this  time  be  understood,  that  the  doctrine  of 
justification  by  faith  and  obedience,  here  contended  for,  is  not,  in  any 
respect,  intended  or  calculated  to  contradict  the  doctrine  of  justifica- 
tion by  the  righteousness  of  God,  which  is  through  the  faith  of  Jesus 
Christ ;  but  to  deliver  the  people  from  the  groundless  notion  of  bcing 
juslified  Ijy  the  good  deeds  and  suiTerings  of  ar.othcr,  or  by  the  righ- 
teousness of  another  imputed  to  them,  when  God  hat'.i  taught  no 
such  thing.  For  the  righteousness  of  God  by  the  faith  of  Christ  is 
the  same  righteousness  by  faith  and  obedience,  for  which  we  contend; 
a  righteousness  and  justification  according  to  the  faith  of  Christ,  in 
opposition  to  the  righteousness  and  justification  by  the  law  ot  Moses, 
or  any  other  plan,  partly  or  wiiolly  separate  from  faith  in  Christ  and 
obedience  to  him.  For  that  righteousness  which,  is  obtained  accord- 
iiig  to  God's  appointment,  and  to  his  acceptance,  is  God's  rl^^htcovs- 
ness  ;  and  it  is  always  attained  by  faith  in  Christ,  it  is  The  righieous- 
ness  which  is  of  God  bij  fiithy  even  that  nvhich  is  through  the  faith 
of  Christ. 

A  man's  own  righteousness  is  that  in  which  I>c  Vt-cukl  jur-.tify  him- 
self, one  side  of  the  appointment  of  God;  as  the  Jews,  "  Who  be- 
"  ing  ignorant  of  God's  righteousness,  and  going  about  to  establish 
"  their  own  righteousness,  have  not  submitted  thcm.selvcs  to  tl;e 
"  righteousness  of  God."  (Ro.  10.  3.)  Zealous  as  they  were  of  the 
law,  it  was  not  because  they  were  so  attached  to  the  law,  or  so 
true  and  faithful  in  it,  that  they  rejected  Christ,  but  because,  by  their 
own  traditions,  they  had  made  void  the  law,  and  Avere  wanting  in  the 
true  spirit  of  it.  "  For  I  bear  them  record,"  saith  the  apostle,  "  that 
"  they  have  a  zeal  for  God  but  not  according  to  knov.iedge."  But 
had  they  believed  the  law  and  understood  it,  they  vvould  have  believ- 
ed Christ.  "  For  Christ  is  the  end  of  the  law  for  righteousness  to 
«  every  one  that  believeth-"  Accordingly  Jesu^  said  to  the  Jews, 
<'  Do  not  think  that  I  will  accuse  you  to  the  Father :  there  is  one  that 
"  accusethyou,  even  Moses,  in  whom  ye  trust.  For  had  ye  believed 
"  Moses  ye  w^ould  have  believed  me :  for  he  wrote  of  me.  But 
"  if  ye  believe  not  his  writings,  how  shall  ye  believe  my  words  ?" 
And  again ;  "  Did  not  Moses  give  you  the  law  ?  and  yet  none  of  you 
"  kecpeth  the  law."  And  again ;  "  Search  the  scriptures  [or  }c 
"  search  the  scriptures]  because  in  them  ye  think  ye  liavc  eternal 
"  life  :  and  they  are  they  which  testify  of  me.  And  ye  will  not  come 
"  tome  that  ye  might  have  lif:?."  TTno.  5.  45.  4G,  47.  and  7.  IP.  and 
rv-i.  40.^  '       . 


II-  OF  JUSTIFICATION 

But  ifter  the  lav/  had  served  its  day,  and  Christ  had  appeared,  for- 
a  man  to  seek  justification  in  any  degree  by  the  law,  is  to  go  about  to 
estabUsh  his  own  righteousness,  and  not  submit  to  the  righteousness 
of  God,  for  that  is  to  go  out  of  God's  appointment.  Therefore  the 
apostle,  although  while  the  law  was  all  he  knew,  he  felt  liimself 
blameless,  when  Christ  was  made  known  to  him,  gave  it  up,  with  all 
his  attainments  in  it,  for  the  knowledge  of  Christ,  "  Touching  the 
"  righteousness  which  is  in  the  law,  blameless.  But  what  things 
"  were  gain  to  me,  those  I  counted  loss  for  Christ.  Yea,  doubtless, 
"  and  I  count  all  things  loss  for  the  excellency  of  the  knowledge  of 
"  Christ  Jesus  my  Lord  :  for  whom  I  have  suffered  the  loss  of  all 
"  things,  and  do  count  them  dung,  that  I  may  win  Christ,  and  be 
"  found  in  him,  not  having  mine  own  righteousness,  which  is  of  the 
"  law  but  that  which  is  through  the  faith  of  Christ,  the  righteousness 
"  wirich  is  of  God  by  faith ;  that  I  may  know  liim,  and  the  power  of 
"  his  resurrection,  and  the  fellowship  of  his  sufferings  being  made 
"  conformable  to  his  death."  (Phil.  3,  6  to  10.)  But  in  all  this  there 
is  not  a  word  of  righteousness  being  imputed  to  him,  especially  any 
vicarious  or  surety  righteousness  of  Christ.  And  who  could  have 
asked  a  fairer  opportunity  to  have  said.  The  righteousness  of  Christ 
imputed  to  mc,  had  he  believed  any  thing  of  such  a  plan?  And  what 
can  be  the  reason  that  Paul,  v/ho  shunned  not  to  declare  all  the  coiai- 
sel  of  Gorf,  should  never  find  an  occasion  to  name  in  all  his  dis- 
coures,  that  which  is  esteemed  one  of  the  main  branches  of  all  God's 
counsels  ? 

But  doth  not  the  apostle  lierc  expressly  disclaim  his  own  right- 
eousness ?  Yea,  his  cv,-n  righteousness  ^^■hich  is  of  the  law,  liov/ 
abolished  in  Christ.  But  although  he  gave  up  all  other  laws  and 
attachments  for  Christ,  that  doth  not  imply  that  he  must  reject  the 
law  of  Christ  also,  and  disclaim  that  righteousness  which  is  through 
the  faith  of  Christ,  even  though  it  be  called  his  own  after  he  hath 
attained  it.  As  said  Jesus,  "  Except  your  I'ighteousness  shall 
"  exceed  the  righteovxsness  of  the  scribes  and  pharisees,  ye 
*'  shall  in  no  case  enter  into  the  kingdom  of  heaven.  (Matt. 
5.  20.)  Your  righteousness — not  mme  imputed  to  you.  Now 
the  righteousness  of  the  scribes  and  pharisees,  which  is  tliat 
of  the  law,  is  that  which  the  apostle  hero  disclaims,  however 
perfect  it  might  be,  (for  he  was  a  phariseeas  touching  the  laAv,  and 
touching  the  righteousness  which  is  in  the  law  blameless,)  that  he 
might  gain  that  righteousness  which  is  through  the  faith  of  Christ. 
And  what  was  the  faith  of  Christ?  To  do  always  the  things  which 
pleased  God.  "  Lo,  I  ccrae  to  do  thy  will,  O  God.  He  taketh 
"  away  the  first,  (th.e  law,)  that  he  may  establisii  the  secoiid ;"  the 
doing  of  the  v/ill  of  God.  This  was  the  faith  by  which  Jesus  al- 
"ways  maintained  the  union  and  protection  of  tlie  Father,  as  he  «iaid  ; 
*'  And  the  Father  hath  not  left  mc  alone,  for  [Greek,  because]  I  al- 
"  ways  do  those  things  which  please  him."  (Jno.  8.  29.)  And  by  this 
f?ame  faitii  believers  maintain  their  union  and  access  to  God,  as 
saitli  the  apostle;  "  Beloved,  if  our  heart  condemn  us  not  thcnliav:; 


AND  IMPUTATION.  113 

«  we  confidence  towards  God.  And  whatsoever  we  cisk  wc  receive 
"  of  him,  because  we  keep  his  commandments,  and  do  those  thinr  :-i 
"  that  are  pleasing  in  his  sight."  (1  Jno.  3.  22,  53.}  And  said  Jesut! ; 
«  If  ye  keep  my  commandments,  ye  shall  al>ide  ia  my  love;  ev.;; 
'♦  as  I  Imve  kept  my  Father's  commandments,  and  al)idc  in  Iiis  Ua  ^.  ' 

When  therefore  any  man  hath  on  him  that  rigiitcousness  wiiicL  is 
through  the  faith  of  Christ,  it  is  his  own  righteousness,  as  truly  as  it 
is  the  rig-hteousness  of  Jesus  Christ  when  on  lum,  and  on  tlie  same 
principle  ;  <'  He  that  doeth  righteousness  is  righteous,  even  as  he  is 
"  righteous."  But  it  is  all  of  God ;  all  things  being  done  according 
to  his  plan  and  appointment,  and  to  his  acceptance.  "  Tiiis  is  ti\e 
"  heritage  of  the  servants  of  the  Lord,  and  their  righteousness  is  cf 
"  me,  saith  the  lord."  (Isa.  54.  17.) 

Much  as  is  said  of  their  righteousness,  as  being  of  God,  and  of  the 
righteousness  of  God  by  the  faith  of  Jesus  Christ,  as  being  the  rir.h- 
teousness  of  his  people,  it  is  remarkable  that  it  is  never  once  said  to 
be  theirs  by  imputation,  application,  impartation,  or  any  otlier  v/ay 
contrary  to  that  of  doing  righteousness,  and  so  Ijciag  rigiiteous  even 
as  he  is  righteous.  Even  in  the  epistle  to  the  Romans,  (3.  20  to  2C.) 
where  the  apostle  has  insisted  so  much  on  faith,  he  never  cr.ce 
names  the  righteousness  of  God,  or  of  Christ,  as  being  imputed  to 
believers,  or  Christ's  satisfying  divine  Justice,  appeasing  God,  or 
working  out  a  righteousness  for  his  people,  or  any  such  thing  ;  (r.ci- 
ther  any  where  else ;)  but  shows  clearly  enough  the  v/ork  of  Christ, 
in  deciarhiff,  demojistratiri^^  or  exhibiting  to  view,  the  righteous- 
ness of  God,  in  a  way  different  frora  the  lav/,  yet  the  very  sanic 
righteousness  which  was  attested  by  the  law  and  the  prophets,  and 
is  in  the  gospel  manifested,  not  only  to,  but  also  upon  all  them  tl.at 
believe,  whether  Jews  or  Gentiles.  Thus  Christ  v/as  set  fcrta  a 
propitiation,  [or  ixa^yjpi-ov  mercy  seat,  being  the  same  Greek  v/ord 
which  is  so  rendered  in  the  epistle  to  the  Hebrev/c  (9.  5.)  as  express- 
ing the  place  where  Cvod  appeared  to  the  people,  and  manifested  his 
glory  :  the  same  word  also  by  Avhich  t'le  seventy  Jews  have  gene- 
rally translated  the  Hebrew  v/ord  wluch  the  English  translators  ren- 
der mercy  seat]  to  manifest  or  declare  the  rigl'.teousness  of  God, 
7jot  to  work  it  out  or  to  inake  a  riffhteousneas  fur  his  fieople,  by  dy- 
ing and  suffering  in  their  room^hutVA  a.  living  example,  at  the  ex- 
pense of  his  blood,  to  exhibit  the  righieousnefis  of  God  to  vieu>,  for 
the  remission  of  sins  that  are  past,  even  those  transgressions  which 
were  committed  under  the  Mist  testament,  (Heb.  9.  15.)  as  well  as 
for  those  of  the  present  time,  that  after  such  a  demonstration  cf 
God's  rigliteousness,  in  his  losig-sufFering,  the  v/ay  might  be  open 
for  him  to  be  just  and  so  to  appear,  and  the  justiner  cf  these  who 
believe  in  Jesus  ar,d  obey  as  he  did.  To  tlas  effect  are  his  words  ; 
"  l-hcreforc  by  the  deeds  of  the  law  there  shall  no  flesh  bcjustified 
"  in  his  sight ;  for  by  tiic  lav/  is  the  knov/lcdge  of  sin.  But  nov/ 
"^  v/ithout  the  law,  the  righlcuusness  of  God  is  nianifiested,  being 
"  witnessed  by  the  law  and  the  pron'acts;  even  the  righteousness  of 
•-  God  through  the  f.iiiL  of  Jesus  Chri'.:l;  unto  all  and  upon  aJi  them 

f.. 


114.  '  or  JUSTIFICATION 

"that  believe;  for  there  is  no  difference  ;  for  iill  Lave  sinned  and 
*'  come  short  of  the  g-lory  of  God,bein.Q;  justified  freely  by  his  grace, 
"  tlirough  the  redemption  which  is  in  Christ  Jesus ;  whom  God 
<>•  haih  set  forth  a  nicrcy-seat  through  faith  in  his  blood,  to  declare 
"  [or  Greek,  for  a  demonstration  of]  his  righteousness  for  the  re- 
"  mission  of  sins,  that  are  past,  through  the  forbearance  of  God, 
"  (and  not  by  the  righteousness  of  Christ  imputed;)  to  declare,  I 
"  say,  at  this  time,  his  righteousness:  that  he  might  be  just  and  the 
"  justifier  of  him  V/;ho  bcli6veth  in  Jesus,"  (or  of  him  tvho  U  by.  the 
faith  of  Jrsitn ;  as  it  were  a  son  of  his  faith  ;  one  Avho  lives  as  he 
lives,  doing  the  will  of  God  in  all  things.  For  that  was  undeniably 
the  faith  of  Christ  which  he  kept  and  for  which  he  came  into  the 
world.  "  Lo,  I  come  to  do  thy  will,  O  God  ;"  and  again,  "  The 
"  Father  hath  not  left  me  alone,  because  I  always  do  the  things 
"  which  are  pleasing  to  him.")  "  Where  is  boasting  then  ?  It  is  ex- 
"  eluded.  By  what  law?  of  works?  Nay;  but  by  the  law  of  faith. 
"  Wherefore  we  conclude  that  a  man  is  justified  by  faith  nvlthout  the 
"  deeds  of  the  lavj."  True  enough  ;  without  the  deeds  of  the  law  ; 
but  not  Toithout  the  faith  of  Christ  ivhich  nvorketh  by  love.  Diso- 
bedience to  the  gospel  is  as  emphatically  the  character  of  the  >vick- 
ed  who  arc  not  in  Christ,  as  unbelief.  "  For  the  time  is  come  that 
"  judgment  must  begin  at  the  house  of  God  ;  and  if  it  first  begin 
"  al  us,  what  shall  the  end  be  of  them  that  obey  not  the  gospel  of 
"  God?"  "  But  totheiB  that  are  contentious,  and  do  not  obey  the 
"  truths  but  obey  unrighteousness,  indignation  and  wrath,  tribulation 
"  and  anguish  upon  every  soul  of  man  that  doeth  evil."  "  For 
"  which  things  sake  the  wrath  of  God  cometh  on  the  children  of  dis- 
"  obedience.''  [1  Pet.  4.  17.  Ro.  2.  8,  9.  Col.  3.  6.  Eph.  2.  2,  and 
5.  6.]  Obedience  is  also  as  propei'ly  the  character  of  a  christian  as 
believing.  "  But  glory,  honor  and  peace  to  every  man  that  worketh 
<'  good."  "  And  being  made  perfect  he  became  the  author  of  eter- 
"  riul  salvation  to  all  them  that  obey  him."  (Ro.  2.  10.  Heb.  5.  9.) 
Thus  while  the  works  of  the  law,  and  that  righteousness  which  is  of 
the  law,  are  excluded  from  any  ])art  in  justification,  or  in  keeping 
•  union  with  God  from  beginning  to  end,  that  obedience  w^hich  is  after 
Cniist  is  never  excluded.  "  For  in  Jesus  (Christ  neither  circumcis- 
"  sion,  availeth  any  things  nor  uncircumcission  ;  but  faith  which 
"  worketh  by  lo\e,"  and  again  ;  "  Circumcission  is  nothing,  and  un- 
"  circumcission  is  nothings  but  the  keeping  of  the  corninandmcnis  of 
"  God."     [Gal.  5.  9.    1  Cor.  7.   IP.] 

But  on  this  view  of  the  subject,  it  may  be  asked,  how  is  boasting 
excluded  ?  I  ask  in  return,  where  is  there  any  room  for  us  to  boast 
(except  in  God,)  that  God  hath  of  his  own  free  love  and  mercy  giv- 
en us  a  Saviour  ?  and  laid  thc-whcle  plan  of  our  redemption  with- 
out our  knowledge  or  our  aid  ?  and  tb.at  too,  not  on  account  of  any 
goodness  in  us,  but  of  his  own  grace  ?  "  Not  by  works  of  right- 
"  cousncss  which  we  have  <ilone,  but  according  to  his  mercy  he  hath 
"  saved  us  by  tl\e  washinjj  of  regeneration  and  renewujg  of  the  Holy 
^-  Ghost."  fhl.  3.  5.]     And  -vliat  have  we,  -/hi^l^  -^'^  "have  not  rc^ 


AND  IMPUTATION.  115 

tcivcd  ;  if  therefore  we  have  received  it,  wl;y  should  v/e  boast,  as 
tho\igh  wc  had  not  received  it  ?  »  So  likewise  ye,  when  ye  have  done 
•"  all  liicsc  things  which  are  commanded  you,  say,  Wc  are   uaprofit- 

ihle  servants;  wc  have  done  that  whichv/asour  duty  to  do."  [Luk. 
-;.  10.]  But  all  these  things  neither  prohibit  nor  contradict  a 
3nan'.s  i^xperience  of  justification,  the  approbation  of  his  own  con- 
science, and  acceptance  of  God,  in  the  performance  of  his  duty,  in 
making  a  right  uss  of  the  things  which  he  hath  received,  and  sub- 
mitting to  the  washing  of  regeneration,  or  rather  in  washing  him- 
self therein,  (wash  you,  make  you  clean,)  and  so  being  renewed  by 
the  Holy  Spirit.  "  Well  done,  good  and  faithful  servant,  thou  hast 
'' been  faithful  over  a  few  things;  I  will  make  thee  ruler  over  ina- 
'•  ny  things  :  enter  thou  into  the  joy  of  thy  Lord."  [Matt.  25.  21.] 
l^ut  this  subject  will  be  noticed  hereafter. 

Another  argument  for  justification  by  Christ's  righteousness  im- 
puted, is,  that  Christ  hath  redeemed  us  iVom  the  ciirsc  of  the  law 
being  made  a  curse  for  \is.  (Gal.  o.  23.) 

By  attendhig  to  the  connection  wc.  may  readily  see  tiiat  no 
great  difficulty  need  be  felt  in  tliis  passage,  it  being  susceptable,  in 
its  most  nat'aral  construction,  of  an  acceptation  perfectly  consistent 
witii  the  doctrine  which  we  arc  proving.  The  law  here  spoken  of 
is  the  Mosaic,  as  is  evident  from  the  words  a  little  before,  "  For 
"  as  many  as  arc  of  tlie  vv^orks  of  the  law  are  iriidcr  tlie  curse  ;  for 
"  it  is  written,  Cursed  is  every  one  that  continueth  not  in  all  things 
"  which  arc  written  in  the  book  of  the  law  to  do  them."  Why  un- 
der the  curse  by  being  of  the  works  of  the  law  which  required 
obedienc(^".in  all  things  and  only  cursed  those  v^'ho  failed  ?  Why  not 
keep  the  law  and  be  blessed  ?  For  it  is  written,  "  The  man  that 
"  doeth  them  f^hal!  live  in  them."  ^Vhy  then  not  do  them  and  live  ? 
Because  there  is  no  power.  The  law  of  Moses  supplied  not  the 
people  with  power  to  keep  it,  except  outwardly  ;  and  the  man  Avho 
did  them  lived  in  them  ;  had  a  temporal  life,  and  temporal  blessings. 
But  to  love  the  Lord  thy  God  with  all  tliy  heart,  and  with  all  thy 
soul,  and  w;ith  all  thy  strength,  and  with  all  thy  mind,  and  thy  neigh- 
bor as  thyself,  which  things  arc  written  in,  that  law,  and  thus  to 
condemn  sin  in  the  flesh  altogether,  so  as  to  fulfil  the  perfect  right- 
eousness of  the  law,  purging  the  conscience  from  dead  works  to 
serve  ti'ie  living  and  true  God,  remained  for  the  law  of  faith  in 
Christ,  tiiat  faith  v>'hich  worketh  by  love,  that  Christ, and  not  Moses, 
might  be  the  first  and  have  the  pre-eminence  in  all  things,  having 
done,  and  opened  the  v/ay,  as  our  example,  for  us  to  do,  that  v/hich 
was  impossible  for  the  law,  or  those  under  it  to  do,  that  the  I'ighteous- 
ness  of  the  law  miglit  be  fulfilled  in  us.  Tins  law  is  also  tiiat 
Avhich  was  interposed  between  the  promise  and  the  inheritance,  and 
was  added  because  of  transgression,  until  the  seed  should  come  to 
whom  the  promise  was  made,  but  could  not  justify  as  pertaiiiing  to 
the  conscience;  for  justification  was  to  be  by  faith  which  had  respect 
to  the  promise.  "  But  that  no  man  is  justified  by  the  law  in  the 
"'  sight  of  God  it  is  evident,  for,  The  just  sliall  live  by  faith.      And 


116  O?  JUSTIFICATION' 

"  the  lr.v/  ^s  net  of  faith  ;  but  the  man  that  doeth  thein  shall  live  iil 
"  them,"  and  therein  shall  be  his  life  ar.d  not  in  Christ.  "  Is  the  laA^ 
"  then  against  the  promises  of  God  ?  God  forbid  ;  for  if  there  had 
"  been  a  law  given  which  could  have  given  life,  eerily  righteousness 
"  should  have  been  by  the  lav/.  Christ  hath  redeemed  us  from  the 
"  curse  of  the  Iaw>  being  made  a  curse  for  us :  for  it  is  v.ritten,  curs- 
*'  ed  is  every  one  that  hangeth  on  a  treeJ'  How  then  did  he  re- 
deem us  irom  the  c\irse  of  the  law  ?  By  taking  out  of  the  way  that 
law,  or  that  dispensation  of  the  law,  which  kept  the  people  under 
the  curse  by  making  demands  which  it  furnished  no  power  to  fulfil ; 
"  Blotting  out  the  hand  writing  of  ordinances  that  was  against  us, 
"  which  was  contrary  to  us,  and  took  it  out  of  the  v.'ay,  nailing  it  to 
"  his  cross."  "  By  whom  we  have  received  grace  and  apostleship, 
"  for  obedience  to  the  faith  among  all  nations  for  liis  name."  "  For 
"  Clirist  is  t! -e  cvA  of  the  law  for  righteousness  to  every  one  who 
"  believeth."  (Cor.  2.  14.  Ro.  1.  5.  and  10.  4.)  But  how  was  he 
made  a  curse  for  us  ?  Rather  than  give  place  to  the  enemy  ;  rather 
than  flxil  or  be  discoui'aged  in  the  work  he  came  to  do,  until  he 
should  bring  forth  judgment  to  truth,  for  both  Jews  and  Gentiles; 
rather  than  be  lacking  in  any  part  of  the  example  Avhich  he  under- 
took tn  be,  as  the  forerunper  of  his  people  who  were  sure  to  have 
to  suffer  for  his  name  ;  and  that  he  might  in  all  things  confirm,  the 
covenant  of  premise  n:;adc  to  the  fathers ;  he  suffered  hinsself  to  be 
taken  and  hanged  on  a  tree,  or  crucified,  and  so  by  f?ise  accusation, 
endured  the  curse  which  the  lav,^  of  Moses  prescribed  for  a  raale- 
fictor  :  according  to  what  has  been  already  shov.ni ;  "  That  tli^e  bles- 
''•  sing  of  Abr:?.ham  might  come  on  the  Gentiles  through  Jesus 
''•  Ci.i  ist ;  that  Ave  might  receive  the  promise  of  the  Spirit  through 
'•  firilh.."  Christ  therefore  was  made  a  curse  by  the  malice  of  wrick- 
ed n-.on  for  doing  his  duty  which  he  had  undertaken  for  our  redemp- 
tion, and  by  becoming  a  curse  in  that  v.'ay,  put  the  seal  to  the  cove- 
nant. But  he  was  not  made  a  curse  by  the  Spirit  of  God  ;  unless  as 
before  expounded;  "  For  no  man  speaking  by  the  Spirit  of  God 
"  cailcth  Jesus  accursed."  [I  Cor.    12,  3.     B.  vV.  Sto.  r.  .^.k"] 

But  fully  to  illustrate  the  above  statement,  let  it  be  remembered, 
t]',at  the  law,  although  it  could  not  justify  in  the  sight  of  God,  as  per- 
taining to  the  conscience,  and  the  worshipers  were  always  subject  to 
a  sense  of  being  under  the  power  of  sin,  nevertheless,  did  not  necessa- 
rily leave  them  under  the  present  burden  of  guilt  for  the  onnssion  of 
duty  ;  for  they  were  capable  of  complying  v.'ith  those  statutes  an.d  ordi- 
nances which  were  enjoined  upon  them.,  that  being  all  which  was  po- 
sitively rcqiiired  of  them  for  the  time  being;  and  in  the  pcrform.ance 
of  these  institutions  they  were  blessed,  and  found  peace  and  prospe- 
rity ;  I^or  the  ?ran  thai  doct/i  them  shall  live  in  tiie:n.  But  as  that 
obedience  was  mainly  ceremonial  and  outward,  so  avci-c  the  blessings 
which  they  received  of  a  temporal  nature.  They  had  nothing  which 
could  minister  life  to  the  soul,  cr  take  away  sin,  v>hich  was  the  true 
spirit  and  end  of  the  I^w,  Their  best  niinistralions  left  them  in  a 
stale  of  coiidcmnaticn  and  death  ;  and  the  greatest  work  that  wh(/le- 


AND  IMPUTATION.  liY 

ministration  could  do  for  them,  Avas  to  waken  lliem  to  somfe  know- 
ledge of  their  condition,  (for  by  the  law  is  the  knowledge  of  sin,  but  not 
of  salvation,)  and  hold  out  the  promise  (in  the  letter,)  cf  a  deliver- 
ance to  come,  so  that  it  is  calkd  by  inspiratioii,  the  ministration  of 
dsat/i  and  of  condemnation.  (2  Cor.  3.  7,  9.)  "  For  if  there  had  been 
*'  a  law  given  which  could  have  given  life  verily  righteousness  should 
''  have  been  by  the  law  ;  As  therefore  the  law,  which  was  the  only 
mean  of  life  which  they  had  in  possession,  could  not  give  life,  they 
could  not  be  under  guilt  for  not  having  it.  But  yet  they  were  without 
that  life  which  was  spiritual,  "  Shut  r.p  to  the  faith  wliich  should  af- 
"  terward.s  be  revealed."  "  For  the  law  made  nothing  perfect,  but 
"  tiie  bringing  in  of  a  better  hope  doth;*  by  the  which  Ave  draw  nigh 
"  to  God.''  (Hcb.  7.  16.) 

Another  scripture,  which  may  be  considered  as  conciu'rent  with 
the  above,  is  in  the  epistle  to  the  Hebrews,  (9.  12.)  "  Neither  by  the 
"  blood  of  goats  and  calves,  but  by  his  own  blood,  he  entered  in  once, 
"  into  the  holy  place,  having  obtained  [in  the  Greek,  having  found,3 
"  eternal  redemption  for  us."  That  he  entered  m  by  his  own  blood 
is  not  disputed  ;  neither  is  it  disputed,  th^at  he  spent  his  life  and  blood 
in  opening  and  consecratmg  the  new  and  living  Avay,  that  we  might 
find  redemption.  But  all  this  will  not  prove  the  doctrine  of  sureti- 
ship,  or  imputed  righteousness.  We  have  already  seen,  that  tliere 
is  another  method  for  him  to  have  entered  in  by  his  blood,  (or  through 
it,  as  the  Greek  word  is  very  commonly  and  properly  rendered,)  that 
is,  by  spendmg  his  life  and  spilling  his  blood  in  overcoming  the  oppo- 
sition of  men  and  devils  against  him,  as  the  captain  of  our  salvation, 
that  he  might  lead  us  to  God,  and  through  death,  destroy  him  that 
had  the  power  of  death,  that  is,  the  devil,  and  deliver  those  who, 
through  fear  of  death,  were  all  their  lifetime  subject  to  bondage. 
In  this  way  he  obtained,  or  acquired,  redemption ;  he  gained  his 
point,  having  found  eternal  redemption,  as  our  captain ;  the  first 
leader  and  perfecter  of  faith  ;  being  the  first  Avho  ever  gained  full 
and  immediate  access  to  the  throne  of  God.  But  this  is  a  very  dif- 
ferent matter  from  purchasing,  or  obtaining  by  proper  price,  Avhich 
is  never  applied  by  the  Spirit  of  God  to  rcdem])tion,  justification  or 
salvation.  A  man  may  obtain  the  object  in  view  by  great  labor, 
much  sweat  and  blood,  where  there  is  no  demand  of  an  equivalent 
for  the  thing-  obtained,  and  where  no  one  hath  any  right  to  make  such 
demand.  Thus  Christ  gained  the  point  of  overcoming  the  v/orld, 
conquering  the  devil  who  had  the  power  of  death,  and  leading  us  to 
God,  [1  Pet.  3.  18.  Greek,)  when  the  devil,  who  had  the   power  of 

*  The  sulijilcmcnt  here  added  by  the  translators  seeins  rather  to 
carrij  the  sense  to  a  different  Jiolnt  from  that  of  the  Greek  text.,  and 
might  cause  the  writer  to  be  understood  as  stating  that  matters 
ivere  already  perfected.,  ivhereas  all  that  can  be  supported  by  the 
text,  is,  that  the  gospel,  or  the  bringing  in  of  a  better  hope,  is  the 
comjietent  means  of  making  perfect ;  the  full  effect  to  I'c  obtained  iv 
due  time ;  the  sentence  is  rlipticaL 


lis  OF  JUSTIFICATION 

death  and  held  souls  in  bondage,  had  no  right  to  demand  any  pay  for 
letting  them  go.  And  it  v/as  neither  reasonable  nor  possible,  that 
God  could  demand  of  him  any  pay  for  rescuing  those  souls  whom 
he  sent  him  to  deliA'er.  It  is  more  reasonable  that  God  should  have 
jjiven  him  a  good  reward.  And  this  he  hath  done  ;  for  he  hathrc/s- 
ed  him  from  the  dead^— crowned  him  with  glory  and  honovy  (end  seat- 
ed him  on  the  right  hand  of  the  throne  of  God — he  hath  ajijiointed 
him  the  heir  of  all  things — ynade  hira  the  head  o-ver  all  t/iing&  to  the 
church,  and  prince  over  all  the  souls  whom  he  redeemeth — hath  high- 
ly'exalted  him  and  given  him  a  name  tv hie h  is' above  evcitj  name, 
that  in  the  name  of  Jesus  every  knee  should  boiv,  of  those  in  heaven 
and  those  07i  earth  and  those  under  the  earth  ;  and  that  every  tongzie 
should  confess  that  Jesus  Christ  is  Lord,  to  the  glory  of  God  the 
Father.  (Phil.  2.  9,  10,  11.)  But  the  obtaining  of  this  point  cost 
him  much  labor  and  sweat,  his  life  and  blood ;  although  God  de- 
manded nothing  of  him  as  payment  for  our  redemption,  and  dem.ands 
no  less  of  us  than  before,  but  much  more  accordmg  to  the  greatness 
of  our  privilege.  "  Therefore  we  ough.t  to  give  the  more  earnest 
"  heed  to  the  things  which  we  have  heard,  lest  at  any  time  we  should 
*'  let  them  slip.  For  if  the  Avord  spoken  by  angels  v/as  steadfast, 
'•  and  every  transgression  and  disobedience  received  a  just, recom- 
»'  pense  of  reward :  how  shall  w'e  escape  if  we  neglect  so  great  salva- 
*'  tion ;  which  at  the  first  began  to  be  spoken  to  us  by  the  Lord  and 
"  w^as  confirmed  to  us  by  them  that  heard  him."  (Heb.  2.  1,2,  Sec.) 

Once  more;  In  defence  of  justification  by  the  imputation  of 
Christ's  righteousness,  it  may  be  ai-gued,  that  although  the  term 
price,  buy,  or  purchase,  is  never  applied  directly  to  salvation  or  re- 
demption, yet  he  certainly  did  pay  a  price  for  the  people,  as  it  is 
written  ;  "  And  ye  are  no&  your  own  for  ye  are  bought  with  a  price." 
<i  For?.smuch  then  as  ye  know  that  ye  were  not  redeemed  v/ith  ccr- 
''  ruptible  things,  as  silver  and  gold,  from  your  vain  conversation  re- 
'■  ccived  by  tradition  from  your  fathers,  but  with  the  precious  blood 
"  of  Christ,  as  of  a  lam.b  without  blemish  and  without  spot."  And 
believers  are  called  The  purchased  possession.  (1  Cor.  6.  19,20.  I 
Pet.  1.  18,  19.  Eph.  1.  14.) 

I  suppose  little,  if  an.y  thing,  need  be  said  to  satisfy  every  man  of  libe- 
ral information,  that  to  purchase,  to  buy,  to  redeem,  and  to  ransom,  are 
used  as  tantamount  expressions.  This  ma)  be  more  learnedly  under- 
stood by  those  who  can  read  the  scriptures  in  their  original  languages, 
by  comparing  the  different  passages  in  which  those  terms  are  used. 
Thcbc  terms  all  relate  to  liberating  the  people  from  their  bondage 
to  the  de\il,  sin  and  death,  and  leading  them  to  God  to  be  his  posses- 
sion. ."  For  ye  were  as  sheep  going  astray ;  but  are  now  returned 
''  to  the  Shepherd  and  Iiishop  of  your  souls."  (1  Pet.  2.  25.) 

TJiai  God'p  people  are  said  in  the  scriptures,  to  be  redeemed, 
bought,  n\'  purchased,  wiH  not  be  disputed  ;  and  that  the  ransom,  or 
j)iice,  of  il:at  redemption  is  said  to  be  the  blood,  or  life,  of  Christ,  is 
lran}:ly  acknowledged.  But  the  indisputed  truth  of  these  things 
liuake.-5  nothing  in  favor  of  justificalion  by  the  righteousness  of  Christ 


AND  IMPUTATION".  119 

imputed  to  believers,  or  of  his  doing;- and  suffering  as  their  surety; 
for  it  is  never  once  said  that  he  paid  his  life,  or  his  blood,  to  God,  as 
a  ransom,  or  price  of  redemption  or  purchase,  or  that  by  his  life, 
blood,  or  any  other  means,  he  redeemed  his  people  from  the  hand  of 
justice,  or  of  God,  or  any  thing  else,  by  which  to  prove  that  God 
held  the  people  to  punishment,  and  ->.vouId  not  let  them  live  and  be 
happy,  without  an  equivalent  or  payment ;  but  on  the  contrary,  thai 
he  redeemed  them  to  God,  and  brought  them  back  to  him,  from 
whom  they  had  gone  away,  and  become  subject  to  another. 

These  things  will  appear  in  a  clear  point  of  view  by  a  judicious 
consideration  of  the  most  conspicuous  passages  of  scriptures,  which 
teach  in  explicit  terms  fro?)}  iv/ioin  and  from  ivhat  Christ  redeemed 
his  people.  And  by  these  it  will  appear  that  he  redeemed  them 
from  the  enemies  of  God  and  man,  zsfrom  the  devil ;  from  sin  a7id 
all  iniquity  ;  from  x'ain  conversation,  or  an  unprofitable  manner  of 
living ;  ^/>-07n  the  carnal  mind,  or  from  the  fleshly  principle  which 
I'ules  in  men  and  holds  them  in  boi\dage  ;  and  in  a  \^ord,  from  every 
thing  which  is  contrary  to  God  and  subversive  of  the, true  happine.s.s 
of  men.  "  Now  is  the  judgment  of  this  world  :  now  shall  the  prince 
"  of  this  world  be  cast  out.  And  I,  if  I  be  liftetl  up  from  the  cnv\b 
"  will  draw  all  men  to  me."  "  That  through  death  iie  might  <{u- 
"  stroy  him  that  had  the  power  of  death,  that  is,  the  de\il;  ^*d'.',;ifliSi- 
"  liver  them  who  through  fear  of  death  were  all  their  lifetime  5i;f'j< v^  i 
"  to  bondage."  "  And  that  they  ]uay  recover  thcmselv'ds  out  of  the 
''  snare  of  the  devil  who  are  led  captive  by  him  at  his  will."  "  Unto 
"  whom  now  I  send  thee,  to  open  their  eyes,  aiKl  to  turn  them  from 
"  darkness  to  light,  and  from  the  power  of  saUm  to  God,  that  Ihcv 
"  may  receive  the  forgiveness  of  sins."  "  But  if  I,  by  the  finger  of 
"  God,  cast  out  devils,  no  doubt  the  kingdom  of  God  is  come  upon 
"  you.  When  a  strong  man  armed  keepetli  his  palace  his  goods  arc 
"  in  peace ;  but  when  a  stronger  than  he  shall  come  upon  him.,  and 
"  overcome  him,  he  taketh  from  him  all  his  armor  wherein  he  trust- 
"  ed,  anddivideth  his  spoils."  (Jno.  12.  31,  32.  Heb.  2.  14,  15.  2 
Tim.  3.26.  Acts  26.  18.  Luk.  11.  20,  21,  52.)  Thus  mankind  are 
justly  represented  as  being  under  the  poAver  of  the  devil,  and  led 
captive  by  him  at  his  will,  for  the  whole  ivorld  lirth  in  the  vjicked 
one.  But  the  work  of  Christ  which  he  came  to  do,  is  to  redeem 
them  that  obey  him,  from  the  devil,  and  destroy  his  power  ove?' 
them :  "  Wherefore  he  saith,  when  he  ascended  up  on  high,  he  led 
"  captivity  captive  and  gave  gifts  imto  men."  (Epli.  4.  8.) 

Christ  also  redeems  his  people  from  sin  and  from  all  inic[uity. 
This  is  the  same  as  to  redeem  them  from  the  devil,  for  "  lie  that 
"  committeth  sin  is  of  the  devil :  for  the  devil  sinnctli  from  the  be- 
"  ginning.  For  this  purpose  the  Son  of  God  Avas  manifested  that  hs 
"  might  destroy  the  works  of  the  devil.  Whosoever  is  born  of  God 
"  doth  not  commit  sin."  "  But  if  Ave  Avalk  in  tiic  light  as  he  is  iii , 
*'  the  light,  Ave  have  fclloAvship  one  Avith  another,  and  the  blood  of 
"  Jesus  Christ  his  Son  clea.nscth  us  from  all  sin."  "  Who  gave  him- 
••  ^clf  for  us.  that  he  might  redeem  us  from  all  iniriulty.  i-.r.d  purifv 


120  OF  JUSTIFICATION 

"  to  himself  a  peculiar  people  zealous  of  good  works."  "  And  he 
"  shall  redeem  Israel  from  all  his  iniquities."  "  This  is  the  cove- 
"  nant  that  I  will  makft  with  them.  After  those  days,  saith  the  Lord, 
"  I  will  put  my  laws  in  tVicir  hearts,  and  in  their  minds  will  I  write 
"  them  ;  and  their  sins  and  iniquities  will  I  remember  no  more."  (1 
Jno.  3.  8,  9.  and  1.7.  Tit.  2.  14.  Psm.  130.  8.  Heb.  10.  16,  17.)Man- 
kind  in  their  natural  and  fallen  state,  are  all  sianers,  serva?its  to  sin 
under  its  dominion,  dead  in  sin,  and  obnoxious  to  ivrath,  and  the 
v/ork  of  Christ  is  to  redeem  from  all  these  things.  "  For  all  have 
"  sinned  and  come  short  of  the  glory  of  God  ;  being  justified  freely 
"  by  his  grace,  through  the  redemption  that  is  in  Christ  Jesus." 
"  For  sin  shall  not  have  dominion  over  you  :  for  ye  are  not  under  the 
"  law  but  under  grace."  "  For  v  hen  ye  Avere  the  servants  of  sin 
*'  ye  v/cre  free  from  righteousness.  What  fruit  had  ye  then  in  those 
"  things  whereof  ye  are  rrow  ashamed  ?  for  the  end  of  those  thhrgs  is 
*'  death.  But  rrow,  being  made  free  from  sin,  and  Ijccome  servants  to 
"  God,  ye  have  your  fruit  vmto  holiness,  and  the  end  everlasting  life. 
*'  For  the  wages  of  sin  is  death;  but  the  gift  of  God  is  eternal  life 
*'  through  Jesus  Christ  our  Lord."  "  And  you  hath  he  quickened, 
*'  who  were  dead  in  trespasses  and  sins :  wherein,  in  time  past,  ye 
*'  walked  according  to  the  course  of  this  world,  according  to  the 
"  prince  of  the  power  of  the  air,  the  spirit  that  novv'  worketh  in  the 
"  children  of  disobedience :  among  whom  also  we  all  had  our  con- 
"  versation,  in  times  past,  in  the  lusts  of  our  fiesh,  fulfilling  the  de- 
"  sires  of  the  flesh  and  of  the  mind  ;  and  were  by  nature  the  children 
"  of  wrath,  even  as  otherc."  (Ro.  3.  23,  24,  and  6.  14,  20  to  23.  . 
Eph.  2.  1,2,  3.)  Answerable  to  this  work  for  which  Christ  came 
iirto  the  world,  and  which  he  accomplishes  in  his  people,  he  hath  his 
name;  "  And  thou  shalt  call  his  name  Jiisus  ;  for  he  shall  save  his 
"  people  from  their  sins."  (Matt.  1.21.)  Now  to  be  redeemed  from 
sin,  the  cause  of  death,  of  the  cirrse  and  all  evil,  is  to  be  redeemed 
from  all  these  effects.  Sublata  causa  tollitur  effectus  ;  take  away 
the  cause  and  the  effect  will  cease.     Again ; 

Christ  redeems  from  vain  conversation,  or  an  unprofitable  man- 
ner of  living.  "  Knowing  that  ye  Avere  not  redeemed  with  cor- 
*'  ruptable  things,  as  silver  and  gold,  from  your  vain  conversation  rc- 
"  ceived  by  tradition  from  your  fathers  ;  butv.ith  the  precious  blood 
"of  Christ."  [1  Pet.  1.  18,  19.]  This  vain  conversation  doth  nof 
relate  merely  to  useless  discourse,  of  which  no  doubt  they,  as  well 
as  people  in  these  days,  had  a  great  deal  ;  old  v.'ives'  fables  and  end- 
less genealogies,  Avhich  are  unprofitable  and  vain  ;  but  to  the  whole 
circle  of  active  life,  and  with  the  utmost  propriety,  to  the  vain  forms 
and  cerenronies  of  religious  worship,  which  they  had  received  of 
tiieir  fathers  by  tradition,  in  which  there  was  nothing  saving,  nothing 
of  that  godly  edifying  which  is  in  the  faith  of  Christ.  The  Greek 
word  azajpoq);;;-  [anastrophccs]  in  the  connection  in  Avhich  it  stands, 
fully  justifies  an  acceptatipn  thus  extensive,  and  its  comnwn  use  in 
the  scriptures  is  not  conlraiy  thereto.  From  this  vaur  circle  of  life 
aiid  religion  then,  in  which  is  no  true  foundation  of  hope,  christians 


AND  IMPUTATION.  12  i 

are  redeemed  by  Christ  through  his  blood,  or  life,  who  set  them  a 
better  example,  to  teach  them  aiKl  lead  them  to  God  ii>  the  new  and 
living  way,  which  he  hath  consecrated,  at  the  expense  of  his  life  and 
blood,  through  the  vail,  that  is  to  say,  his  flesh. 

Christ  having  redeemed  his  people  from  this  vain  conversation, 
it  follows  as  a  necessary  consequence  that  they  are  redeemed  from 
the  carnal  mind,  or  fleshly  principle,  which  rules  in  men  and  holds 
them  in  bondage ;  for  that  is  the  very  coi'e  and  foundation  of  the 
vain  conversation  of  the  world,  as  it  is  before  written,  "  And  you 
"  hath  he  quickened,  who  were  dead  in  trespasses  and  in  sins.; 
"  wherein  in  time  past  ye  also  walked  according  to  the  course  of  this 
"  world,  according  to  the  prince  of  the  power  of  the  air,  the  spirit 
"  that  now  worketh  in  the  children  of  disobedience :  among  whom 
"  also  we  all  had  our  conversation,  [aia,-po^;>7i']  in  times  past,  in  the 
*'  lusts  of  our  flesh,  fulfilling  the  desires  of  the  flesh  and  of  the  mind; 
*'  and  were  by  nature  the  children  of  v.-rath  even  as  others."  Out  of 
the  wretched  state,  therefore,  of  death  and  carnality,  Christ  redeems 
his  people,  or  which  is  the  same,  God  in  Christ,  and  quickeneth  theia 
together  with  him.  "  But  God,  who  is  rich  in  mercy,  for  [or  through] 
"  his  great  love  wherewith  he  loved  us,  even  when  we  were  dead  in 
"  sins,  hath  quickened  us  together  with  Christ ;  (by  grace  ye  are  sav- 
"  ed  ;)  and  hath  raised  us  up  together,  and  made  us  sit  together  in 
"  heavenly  places  in  Christ  Jesus."  (Eph.  2.  1  to  6.) 

That  Christ  hath  redeemed  us  from  the  curse  of  the  law,  being 
made  a  curse  for  \is,  hatli  been  already  shown,  as  well  as  how  he  did 
it,  that  is  to  say,  by  suff'cring  himself  to  l>e  taken  and  by  false  accu- 
sation hanged  on  a  tree,  and  thereby  suffering  the  curse  which  that 
laAv  announced  against  nnalefactors^  which  could  inflict  a  curse,  but 
could  not  give  spiritual  life,  because  it  did  not  fiu'nish  its  su'ojects 
with  power  or  motive  to  keep  it,  except  outwardly,  and  flnally,  by 
taking  it  out  of  the  way,  or  putting  it  to  death.  And  in  so  doing  he 
delivers  us  from  the  law  also,  that  imperfect  law  which  worketh  death  j 
and  also  from  that  carnal  mind  which  was  patronised  by  the  law  :  for^ 
to  be  under  the  law  seemeth  unavoidably  to  imply  being  in  the  flesh. 
These  things  are  taught  in  the  follov/ing  scripture.  "Wherefore,  my 
"  brethren,  ye  are  become  dead  to  the  law  by  the  body  of  Christ ; 
(Christ  therefore  hath  redeemed  us  from  the  law:)  that  ye  should  be 
*'  married  to  another,  even  to  him  who  is  raised  from  the  dead,  that 
"  we  should  bring  forth  fruit  to  God.  For  when  we  v/cre  in  the  flesh, 
(vmder  the  law,  or  not  married  to  Christ,)  the  motions  of  sins,  which 
<'  were  by  the  law,  (thus  the  law  could  excite  those  motions,  tliat  is, 
"  lusts,  in  the  members,  but  could  not  extinguish  them,)  did  work  in 
"  our  members  to  bring  forth  fruit  unto  death.  But  now  ive  avp  de- 
"  livcred  frovi  the  hnv,  tliat  being  ctead  nvherem  tt^e  were  /leld,  that 
"  we  should  serve  in  nearness  of  spirit,  and  not  in  the  oklness  of  the 
"  letter."  (Ro.  7.  4,  5,  6.)  Thus  it  was  left  for  Christ  alone  to  have 
the  honor  of  redeeming  us  from  the  law  and  the  curse  which  was 
in  it,  and  the  carnal  mind,  or  sin  in  the  flesh,  which  is  the  cause  of 
the  curse  and  the  necessity  of  the  law,  which  was  added  because  qF 


122  OF  JUSTIFICATION 

transgressions  until  the  seed  should  come.  For  that  the  carnal  niind, 
or  sin  in  the  flesh,  was  patronised  by  the  law,  and  never  condemned 
until  Christ  came,  is  evident  from  the  apostle's  words ;  "  For  God, 
"  sending  his  own  Son  in  the  likeness  of  sinful  flesh,  and  on  account 
"  of  sin,  (because  it  stood  in  the  way  and  must  be  removed,)  con- 
"  demned  sin  in  the  flesh  ;  that  which  the  law  could  not  do,  [or  the 
"  impossibility  of  the  law,]  in  that  it  was  Aveak  through  the  flesh :"  f:>r 
it  suffered  its  subjects  to  live  in  the  flesh,  and  never  told  thou  it  was 
wrong,  but  adapted  its  injunctions  to  that  manner  of  life,  in  meats 
and  drinks  and  divers  washings  and  carnal  ordinances,  that  is,  justifi- 
cations of  the  flesh,  in  the  original  Greek.  [_Ro.  8.  3.  Heb.  9.  10.  See 
B.  W.  Ston.  Address,  p.  29.] 

Thus  we  have  taken  a  compendious,  though  dccissive  view  of  the 
question,  from  whom  and  from  what  Christ  hath  redeemed  his  peo- 
ple, and  still  goeth  on  to  redeem  those  who  commit  themse'ves  to  his 
guidance.  And  no  evidence  appears  on  which  to  ground  our  belief, 
that  he  ever  redeemed  them  from  God,  or  from  the  hand  of  justice, 
as  some  say,  cr  that  God  at  all  required  any  payment  of  Christ  in 
their  stead,  cr  any  value,  or  satisfaction  for  Avhat  they  had  done,  in 
order  to  his  being  -willing  to  give  them  full  salvation,  or  any  thing 
of  the  kind.  On  the  contrary,  God,  even  that  God  who  v/as  in 
Christ  reconciling  the  world  to  himself  is  their  Redeemer  and  their 
purchaser.  "  Thus  saith  the  Lord,  the  King  of  Israel,  and  his  re- 
"  deemer,  the  Lord  of  hosts  ;  I  am  the  first  and  I  am  the  last ;  and 
*'  besides  me  there  is  no  God.  "  Take  heed  therefore — To  feed  the 
"  churcii  of  God  which  he  hath  purchased  with  his  ov/n  blood."  [Isa. 
44.  6.  Acts  20.  28.]  Now  God  could  not  purchase  or  redeem  bis 
people  from  himself  ;  but  he  could  redeem  them  from  the  devil, 
from  sin  and  iniquity,  or  from  their  vain  conversation,  at  the  expense 
of  the  blood  cf  his  own  son  ;  ''  For  thus  saith  the  Lord,  ye  have  sold 
yourselves  for  nought ;  and  ye  shall  be  redeemed  without  money." 
[Isa.  52.  6.] 

Several  Greek  Avords  are  used  by  the  apostles  on  this  subject, 
which  are  translated  into  the  English  words, /;.vrc/m&r,  buy  mid  re- 
deem. But  the  word  rendered, /n/?T/;a5erf,  [s? pwrtotj^aaf  o,  arquircd,] 
where  we  read  that  God  purchased  his  church  by  Us  own  blood,  is 
never  by  them  used  Avhere  an  actual  purchase  Avas  made  or  propos- 
ed by  offering  value  for  value.  The  same  is  to  be  said  of  the  phrase 
purchased  fiossession.  [rr^g  sfpirtot-ijcfcoj,  the  acquisition.]  It  is  a  Avord 
seldom  used,  and  expresses  the  obtaining  or  acquiring  of  an  object 
by  perseverance  in  good  conduct.  Thus,  "  They  that  have  used 
"  the  office  of  a  deacon  Avell,  purchase  to  themselves  a  good  degree, 
"  and  great  boldness  in  the  faith  which  is  in  Christ  Jesus."  [1  Tim. 
3.  13.]  But  if  the  word  be  maintained  to  mean  a  purchase  by  a 
pi  ice  paid,  it  will  equally  prove  that  christians  purchase  their  cAvn 
salvntionby  a  price  paid  by  them,  as  that  Christ  p\irrhascd  them  by 
a  p\-ice  paid  by  him.  Fbr  the  same  word,  exce])ting  the  distinction 
of  noun  and  verb,  is  used  to  express  the  acquisition  (A  salvati<;n  by 
them.    "  Whereunto  h^hath  called  you  by  our   gospel,  to   the  ob- 


AND  IMPUTATION.  123 

laininpj  [«j  «ipirtot'j?Tivl  of  the  glory  of  our  Lord  Jesus  Christ." 
"  But  we  are  not  of  them  who  draw  back  to  perdition  ;  but  of  thena 
"  that  believ'e  to  the  saving-  [?«;•  «fptrtot.'?cn']  of  the  soul."  [2  Thess. 
2.  14.  Heb.  10.  30.]  'Neither  isihe  word /lurc/iase,  buy  or  redeem 
ever  applied  to  this  subject,  where  it  will  justify  the  notion  of  a 
price  paid  for  the  redemption  of  the  people.  These  words  are  used 
by  the  sacred  writers  on  this  subject  in  quite  a  dificrent  sense,  and 
are  universally  figurative.  "  Remember  thy  congregation,  which 
"  thou  hast  purchased  of  old  ;  the  rod  of  thine  inheritance  which 
"  thou  hast  redeemed  :  this  mount  Zion  wherein  thou  hast  dweit." 
f  Psm.  74.  2.]  Now  what  did  God  ever  give  for  this  congregation 
i-.liicli  he  purchased,  or  this  inheritance  which  he  redeemed  ?  Th.e 
I;i:ilory  of  tlieir  redemption  shows,  that  he  gave  the  Egyptians  to 
death  and  destruction,  and  vanquished  the  Canaanites  before  them, 
that  Israel  miglit  inherit  the  land.  "  I  gave  Egypt  for  thy  ransom  ; 
*'  Ethiopia  and  Seba  for  thee."  [Isa.  43.  3.]  Thus  God  purchased 
his  cluirch  and  congregation  redeeming  thern  by  conquest. 

In  like  manner,  when  Christ  redeemed  his  people  from  their  spi- 
ritual enemies,  as  from  the  devil,  or  from  all  iniquity,  what  did  he 
give  to  the  devil  for  their  redemption  ? — Destruction. — '■'■  He  led  cafi- 
"  tivity  captive^  and  gave  gifts  to  men:  he  gained  their  liberty  by 
conquest,  Having  sfioiled  firincijialities  and  fioivers  he  7nade  a 
alioio  of  them  cifienly^  triumfi/iing  over  them  by  the  cross."  [Cc\.  2l 
Ij.]  Thus  Christ  redeemed  his  people  who  are  called  The  /lur- 
cha.':ed possession^  by  the  conquest  of  their  enemies.  But  the  dif- 
ficulty will  remain  in  the  minds  of  some,  that  God's  people  arc  ac- 
'  '  '.l!y  redeemed  by  price  as  well  as  by  power.  The  church  of  God 
.  hich  he  hath  purchased  by  his  own  blood,  is  the  explicit  language 
c  i'  scripture  ;  and  the  apostle  in  his  first  epistle  to  the  Corinthians, 
hu'ih  these  Vv^ords  in  two  places.  Ye  are  bought  vynh  a  price.  [6.  20. 
and  7.  23.]  Thus  the  blood  of  God,  or  of  Christ,  is  counted  the 
real  price  of  redemption,  wdiich  is  also  confirmed  by  other  scrip- 
tures, as  this,  "  For  thou  wast  slain  and  hast  redeemed  us  to  God  Ijy 
"  thy  blood."  [Rev.  5.  9.]  If  then  this  be  considered  as  a  real  price 
given  for  the  people,  or  for  their  redemption,  a  question  v.  ill  arise  ; 
Who  received  it  ?  I  have  before  proved  tliat  Christ  redeemed  his 
people  from  the  common  enemy  of  God  and  man.  I  have  also 
siiowu  what  he  gave  to  the  devil  for  their  deliverance — Destruction. 
The  only  sense  then  in  which  it  can  be  said  that  the  blood  of  Christ 
is  the  price  of  our  redemption  is,  that  he  spent  his  life,  or  spilt  his 
blood,  in  opposing  the  enemy,  by  which  he  finally  overcame  him. 
And  this  agrees  with  the  words  of  the  apostle  ;  "  Forasmuch  then 
"  as  the  children  are  partakers  of  flesh  and  blood,  he  also  himself 
"  likewise  took  part  of  the  same;  that  through  death  he  might  de- 
'■  stroy  him  that  had  the  pov/er  of  death,  that  is,  the  devil ;  and  dc- 
"  liver  those  who  through  fear  of  death  were  all  their  lifetime  sub- 
"  ject  to  bondage."  [Heb.  2.  14,  15.]  This  statement  of  the  apos- 
tle shows,  that  the  taking  of  the  life,  or  blood,  of  Christ,  is  no  trea- 
sure of  joy  or  consolation  to  the  devil,  but  proves    his  destruction 


124  OF  JUSTIFICATION 

throughout  ail  his  dominions,  wherever  souls  are  tunied  from  the 
power  of  satan  to  God.  Such  exclamations  therefore,  as  "  That 
the  f^recious  blood  of  Christ  ivas  given  by  God  to  the  devil  in  fiay- 
mejit !"  That,  "  God  ivas  so  merciless^  as  to  deliver  ufi  his  only  Sony 
to  glut  the  malice  of  a  blood  thirsty  demon  /"  That,  "  The  Lamb 
of  God  ivas  immolated  on  the  altar  of  hell"  are  only  vain  pai-ade, 
becoming  a  mind  infatuated  with  ungenerous  preposscssioTi,  orinsa- 
iiity.  [See  Campbell's  Strictures  on  Stone's  letters.]  This  dcctriiie 
promises   the  devil  no  good  thing,  no  satisfying  acquisition. 

That  the  Lamb  of  God,  however,  was  immolated  on  the  altar  of 
hell,  is  true  ;  though  not  by  God's  appointment,  but  by  the  contri- 
vance and  malice  of  the  devil  and  wicked  men,  as  has  been  shown. 
And  how  much  more  consistent  is  this  view  of  the  subject ;  that  the 
devil  should  be  offended  against  the  Son  of  God  who  came  to  de- 
stroy his  works  and  overturn  his  government,  should  hatft  him  and 
put  him  to  death,  (seeing  he  was  man  and  therefore  capable  of  dy- 
ing,) than  that  God  should  immoJate  his  own  Son  on  the  altar  of 
heaven,  to  spend  on  him,  the  relentless  fury  which  glowed  in  his 
heart  against  the  crimes  of  others  ?  But  while  the  serpent  bruised 
his  heel,  he  bruised  the  serpent's  head  according  to  the  promise. 
Ijut  neither  Barton  in  his  Letters,  nor  we,  in  any  of  our  faith  or  mi- 
nistrations, teach  any  such  thing,  as  that  the  precious  blood  of  Christ 
was  given  by  God  to  the  devil  in  paymcr^t ;  although  avc  teach  it  as 
much  as  the  scriptures  teach  thai.,  that  same  precious  blood  was 
given  by  God  to  God  in  payment  for  man's  redemption!  Neither 
do  we,  or  Barton,  teach,  that  "  God  delivered  up  his  only  Son  to 
"  glut  the  malice  of  a  blood  thirsty  demon  ;"  although  thjre  would 
be  as  much  reason  and  propriety  in  believing  that  he  delivered  him 
up  for  a  season,  that  the  people  might  escape  from  the  devil,  as  in 
believing  that  he  delivered  up  that  same  only  Son  to  glut  the  re- 
vengeful fury  of  a  blood  thirsty  Deity  !  to  render  him  propitiou.s 
enough  to  agree  that  the  people  might  forsake  the  demon  and  serve 
him,  or  be  willing  to  give  them  aid  to  do  so.  INIay  not  a  man  of  so- 
ber reflection  say,  that  of  the  two  plans,  it  would  require  an  artist, 
a  philosopher,  or  an  angel,  to  determine  which  would  be  the  worst 
demon,  the  devil  or  the  Deity.  When  ?  O  when  will  men  discard 
such  unscriptural  notions  ? 

It  hath  been  already  proved  that  God  is  the  Redeemer  of  his  peo- 
ple, that  they  are  redeemed  to  God,  and  not  from  him,  or  from  his 
justice.  "  Thou  hast  redeemed  us  to  God  by  thy  blood,"  is  the  tri- 
bute of  praise  offered  to  Jesus  Christ.  It  is  therefore  proved  that 
no  price  was  ever  paid  to  God  for  man's  redemption,  for  him  or  in 
his  stead.  Could  God  purchase  his  people  from  himself?  Or 
woukl  he  pay  himself  for  their  redemption?  Yet  his  people  are 
bought  with  a  price — the  blood,  or  life,  of  Jesus  Christ.  For  his  life 
is  as  properly  called  the  price  of  redemption  as  his  blood.  For  the 
Son  of  Man  came  not  to  be  ministered  unto  but  to  minister  ;  and  to 
give  his  life  a  ransom  for  many.  Thus  the  American  colonies,  now 
United  States,  were  bought  with  a  price  from  the    British  yoke  j 


AND  IMPUTATION.  123 

tliey  were  bought  with  the  life  and  blood  of  the  heroes  of  liberty, 
whom  Britain  slew,  while  America  was  contending  for  hei-  freedom. 
But  who  paid  Britain  any  price,  as  a  reward  for  our  liberation  ?  Or 
what  did  Congress,  or  rather  Gotl  by  them,  pay  to  Britain  for  our 
redemption  from  the  British  yoke  ?  Death — blood  and  conquest — 
destruction  of  the  British  power  wherever  the  American  princi- 
ples of  liberty  prevail.  This  anay  serve  to  elucidate  the  doctrine 
of  Christ's  people  behig  bought  with  a  price,  in  the  only  sense  in 
which  it  can  be  supported  by  revelation. 

But  finally  here.  The  concluding  urgument v. ith  some,  for  the 
death  of  Christ  as  a  satisfaction  paid  to  tlie  justice  of  God,  for  our 
offences,  the  price  of  our  redemption  and  tlie  procuring  cause  of 
our  justification,  imputed  to  us,  is,  that  had  {4od  forgiven  the  hu- 
man race  and  restored  to  favor,  without  an  expiating  sacrifice,  other 
worlds,  perhaps  the  inhabitants  of  the  planetary  system,  would 
have  been  exposed  to  take  license  to  rebel  in  like  manner  against 
the  government  of  God.  This  indeed  appears  like  the  last  effort 
of  despa.ir  in  support  of  a  tottering  cause.  Who  hath  ever  told 
us  that  the  inhabitants  of  other  globes  know  any  thing  of  our  con- 
duct more  than  we  do  of  theirs  ?  And  if  any  of  them  be  exposed  to 
avail  themselves  of  an  occasion  or  a  pretext  to  rebel,  who  can  tell 
from  which  source  they  would  draw  the  most  flattering  encourage- 
ment, provided  they  were  informed  of  both,  from  God's  forgiving 
without  an  expiatory  payment,  or  from  his  demanding  it  and  provid- 
ing it  himself,  clear  of  all  expense  to  the  rebels,  and  so  payiiig  him- 
self ?  Can  any  man  be  prevailed  upon  to  build  the  hope  of  eternal 
life  on  such  unscriptural  arguments;  too  conjectural  to  enter  the 
heart  of  any  one  who  views  matters  as  they  appear  according  to  evi- 
dence ? 

In  the  process  of  this  inquiry  however,  it  is  found  that  there  is  no 
conclusive  argument  in  favor  of  justification  by  the  imputed  right- 
eousness of  Christ.  That  doctrine  also  fails  of  proof  from  every 
quarter  ;  because,  without  any  forced  construction,  all  the  teachings 
of  revelation  are  easily  understood  without  implying  it,  and  the 
burden  of  these  teachings  explicitly  maintain  the  contrary  :  it  is  not 
found  in  the  scriptures.  We  are  therefore  at  full  liberty  to  return 
10  the  doctrine  of  justification  by  faith  and  obedience,  and  find  it  un- 
foiled.  And  it  is  truly  the  only  plan  of  justification  which  can  leave 
a  reasonable  mind  free  from  cmbarrasment,  and  in  union  M'ith  The 
Father  nvho^  without,  respect  of  persons,  judgeth  accordmg  to  e-very 
mail's  nvorks,  [l.  Pet.   I.   17-3 


126  OBJECTIONS 

CHAPTER  X. 

Objcclions  againti  the  foregoing  docLrinesy  stated  and  obviated. 

AI^THOUGH  some  occasional  objections  may  have  been  an- 
swered where  they  occurred,  so  mi»ny  will  be  rai;5ed,  and  some  of 
thern  so  extensive,  that  it  appears  most  advisable  to  include  the  most 
considerable  of  them  in  a  chapter  expressly  for  that  purpose.  Some 
of  them  will  likely  appear  more  like  discussing  other  doctrhies 
than  ansvreriiig  objections ;  but  as  they  all  come  in  opposition  to 
the  doctrine  heretofore  stated,  as  weU  as  what  will  follow,  I  liavc  con- 
cluded to  treat  them  all  in  tlie  line  of  objections.     And 

1st.  It  is  objected  that  the  law  must  be  magnified  and  made  honor- 
able— that  mankind  have  broken  the  law  and  are  unable  to  restore  it — 
this  therefore  must  be  the  work  of  Christ  in  their  stead.  "  The  Lord 
"  is  well  pleased  for  his  righteousness'  sake ;  he  will  magnify  the  law, 
"  and  make  it  honorable."  (Isa.  42.  2 1 .)  These  words  are  read  with 
application  to  Christ  as  obeying  the  law,  magnifying  and  making  it 
honorable,  in  tlie  room  of  men,  as  their  surety,  so  that  God  the  Ft- 
ther  is  well  pleased  vrith  them  for  the  sake  of  his  obedience,  or  light- 
eousness. 

But  such  a  use  of  this  text,  evidently  indicates  a  previously  con- 
structed plan  into  which  it  is  pressed.  A  man  must  be  hardly  be- 
sted for  support  to  a  favorite  scheme,  if  he  will  consider  this  scrip- 
ture in  its  connection,  and  then  employ  it  with  confidence  to  defend 
tiic  notion  of  justification  by  the  righteousness  of  Christ  imputed. 
For  tliere  is  not  one  word,  either  in  this  text  or  its  connectic-n,  to  show 
that  it  relates  to  Christ  in  any  part  of  the  cliaracter  peculiai'  to  h.im 
as  Mediator.  The  character  described,  in  the  immediutcly  preced- 
ing part  of  the  paragraph,  is  excessively  wicked  and  disobedient,  in 
liO  sense  or  respect  applicable  to  Christ,  who  as  a  Son  was  oljedient  in 
ail  his  Father's  house.  So  far  then  are  these  words  from  speaking  of 
any  mediatorial  or  surety  righteousness,  that  they  are  applicable  to 
God  only,  or  Jehovah,  in  the  most  absolute  sense,  as  resting  satisfied 
Vvith  his  own  righteousness,  or  justice  towards  that  rebellious  people, 
and  proposing  to  vindicate  his  own  law,  without  any  intimation  of  the 
order,  or  plan,  in  wliich  salvation  is  to  be  obtained,  only  that  God 
vvdll  show  it.  Let  us  take  a  view  of  these  words  in  their  connection. 
"  Hear  ye  deaf;  and  look,  ye  blind,  that  ye  may  see.  Who  is  blind 
"  but  my  servant  ?  or  deaf,  as  my  messenger  that  I  sent  ?  (These 
"  are  not  tlie  characteristics  of  Christ ;  he  was  neither  blind  nor 
"  deaf.)  ,  V/ho  is  blind  as  he  that  is  perfect,  (or  according  to  Lowthe, 
<(  jwrf^Qily  inslriicted,  or  as  the  Hebrew,  nvell  covijiensated.  At  all 
"  everits  a  perfect  or^e  is  not  blind,)  and  blind  as  the  Lord's  servant  ? 
"  (Israel?)  Seeing  many  things,  (the  miglity  works  of  God,)  but 
*'  thou  obscrvest  n,ot;  opening  the  ears,  (as  if  to  listen,)  but  he  hear- 
"  eth  not."  [Hcb.  He  will  not  hear.]  These  things  do  not  bespeak 
the  character  of  Christ,  ti>e  obedient  Son  or  servant  of  God.     The 


ANSWERED.  12r 

prophet  then  breathes  out  this  reflection  concerning  the  faithfulness  of 
God  and  the  perfection  of  his  work  in  the  event.  "  The  Lord  is 
''  well  pleased  for  his  righteousness'  sake ;  (Jehovah  is  satisfied  and 
<=  enjoys  his  own  good  pleasure  with  regard  to  the  justice  of  his 
"  dealings  towards  his  people ;  and  in  the  event,)  he  will  magnify  t^,G 
«  law,  (which  he  hath  promulgated)  and  make  it  honorable;"  (let 
this  people  ruin  themselves  as  they  may.)  This  construction  is  con- 
firmed by  the  Greek  translation  of  the  seventy  Jews,  v/ho,  it  must 
be  expected  understood  their  own  language. 

But  however  true,  that  the  law  of  God  must  be  magnified  and 
made  honorable,  and  that  Christ  performed  the  same  in  the  most 
perfect  degree,  the  notion  of  his  doing  this  in  the  room  of  others  as 
their  surety,  is  without  foundation  in  the  scriptures,  llie  Lord  is 
well  pleased  for  his  righteousness'  sake.  With  whom  ?  Ko  doubt 
with  him  who  docth  righteousness.  He  shall  magnify  the  law  and 
make  it  honorable.  But  not  a  word  of  its  being  done  by  one  in  the 
room  of  another  Obedience  is  confessedly  the  greatest  honor  which 
the  laAV  could  receive  ;  and  admitting  tliat  it  received  the  first  and 
most  perfect  obedience  in  the  man,  Christ  Jesus,  and  was  inore  ho- 
nored and  magnified,  or  set  forth  more  gloriously,  by  the  obedience 
of  the  Son  of  God,  than  it  could  possibly  have  been  by  the  obedience 
of  any  inferior  character,  his  obedience  was  not  to  release  or  prevent 
his  people  from  yielding  the  same,  or  from  honoring  and  magnitying- 
the  law  in  their  place,  as  his  true  followers,  but  ratlicr  to  lead  them 
into  a  more  perfect  obligation,  and  more  correct  obedience,  by  his 
hvmiiliating  example.  "  Let  this  mind  be  in  you  which  was  also  in 
Christ."  "  Purge  out,  therefore,  the  old  leaven,  that  ye  may  be- 
"  come  a  new  lump,  as  ye  are  unleavened.  For  even  Chiist  our 
"  passover  is  sacrificed  for  us."  "  Forasmuch  then  as  Christ  hath 
*'  once  suffered  for  us  in  the  flesh,  arm  yourselves  with  the  same 
"  mind :  for  he  that  hath  suffered  in  the  flesh  hath  ceased  from  sin ; 
"  that  he  no  longer  should  live  the  rest  of  his  time  in  the  flesh,  to 
"  the  lusts  of  men  but  to  the  will  of  God."  "  Be  ye,  therefore,  fol- 
"  lowers  of  God,  as  dear  children ;  and  walk  in  love,  as  Christ  also  ^ 
"  hath  loved  us,  and  hath  given  himself  for  iis,  an  offering  and  a  sa- 
"  orifice  to  God  for  a  sweet-smelling  savor."  (Phil.  2.  5.  1  Cor.  5.  7. 
1  Pet.  4,  1,2.  Eph.  5.  1,2.) 

This  argument  is  acknowledged  in  its  main  position  in  a  book  of 
great  authority  among  a  large  class  of  professors.  The  vi/ords  are 
these ;  "  The  moral  law  doth  forever  bind  all,  as  well  justified  per- 
"  sons  as  others,  to  the  obedience  thereof;  and  that  not  oiily  in  rc- 
"  gard  to  the  matter  contained  in  it,  but  also  in  respect  to  the  autho- 
"  rity  of  God  who  gave  it.  Neither  doth  Christ  in  the  gosoel  any 
"  way  dissolve, but  strengthen  this  obligation."  (See  Presb'n.  Conf'n. 
of  Faith,  Chap.  xix.  Sec.  v.)  There  is  not  therefore,  even  a  plausi- 
ble pretext  for  justification  by  surety  righteousness. 

2d.  Many  have  insisted  that  the  idea  of  justification  by  obedience 
is  agreeable  to  the  carnal  nature  of  men,  and  that  their  pride  being 
o]>posed  to  salvation  by  grace,  and  justification  liy  th<'  righteousnes*^ 


138  OBJECTIONS 

of  another,  is  the  reason  they  reject  that  plan,  counting  it  cU-shonorable 
and  degrading-  to  their  own  ivorth,  to  be  justified  without  taking 
their  own  deeds  and  worthiness  into  the  account.  That  men  in  na- 
ture are  governed  by  a  spirit  of  carnality,  pride  and  self-will,  is  not 
to  be  disputed.  Rut  is.  is  also  undeniable  that  the  spirit  of  carnality 
cukI  pride  leads  men  a  very  different  way  from  obedience — quite  tlte 
reverse  ;  "  So  that  when  they  knew  God  they  glorified  him  not  as 
"  God,  neither  were  they  thankful,"  "  Who  were  dead  in  trespasses 
"  and  sins  ((/lese  are- the.  fruits  of  the  carnal  mind,  not  good  tvorks^) 
"  wherein  in  time  past  ye  walked,  according  to  the  course  of  this 
«'  world,  according  to  the  prince  of  the  power  of  the  air,  the  spirit  that 
*'  now  workcth  in  the  children  of  disobedience  :  (not  in  such  as  love  to 
"  do  good  works:)  among  whom  we  all  had  our  conversation  in  times 
«  past  in  the  lusts  of  our  flesh,  fulfdling  the  desires  of  the  flesh  and 
"  of  the  mind  ;  and  were  by  natuie  the  children  of  wrath  even 
"  as  others."  "  And  you  that  were  sometimes  alienated,  and  enc- 
<'  mies  in  your  mind  by  wicked  works,  yet  now  hath  he  reconciled." 
(Eph.  2.  1,  2,  3.  Col.  1.  21.)  This  carnal  mind,  which  is  enmity 
against  God,  doth  not  lead  men  to  obedience  or  good  w  orks,  but  to 
■\vicked  works  :  and  men  are  enemies  to  God  by  wicked  works  and 
not  by  good  works  or  obedience. 

It  is  unquestionable  that  men  love  carnal  ease  and  the  indulgence 
of  their  ov.'n  natures,  in  the  neglect  of  obedience  to  God,  else  why 
so  little  obedience,  so  few  good  works  among  those  v.ho  hope  for 
salvation  ?  Whether  they  expect  justification  by  their  obedience 
or  by  Christ's  righteousness  imputed,  (for  both  acknowledge  the 
propriety  of  good  works,)  the  name  of  God  is  blasphemed  through 
them,  for  the  want  of  the  fruits  of  faith  in  good  works.  But  true, 
faith  leads  directly  to  obedience:,  it  worketh  by  love,  and  by  works  it 
is  made  perfect. 

And  so  far  is  the  above  objection  carried  by  some,  that  the  practi- 
cal self-denial  taught  by  Jesus  Christ,  for  a  man  to  deny  himself  and 
takc/up  his  cross  and  follow  him,  seems  to  be  construed  away  into  a 
denial  of  any  capability  to  do  what  Christ  proposed  as  the  true  me- 
thod to  partake  with  him ;  and  for  a  man  to  deny  that  any  of  his 
most  honest  obedience  or  faithful  services  can  be  acceptable  to  God, 
so  as  to  have  any  part  in  his  own  personal  acceptance,  or  justifica- 
tion, is  counted  the  true  self-denial.  A  kind  of  self-denial  this,  un- 
known in  the  scriptures  and  unsupported  by  its  authority,  as  well  as 
expressly  contrary  to  its  dictates,  "  For  by  thy  words  thou  shalt  be 
"  justified  and  by  thy  words  thou  shalt  be  condemned,"  (in  the  day 
of  judgment.)  "  Ye  see  then  how  that  by  works  a  man  is  justified, 
"  and  not  by  faith  only."  «  Well  done — Yea,  th.is  is  it ;  IVcU  done^ 
"  thou  good  and  faithful  servant !  thou  hast  been  faithful  over  a  few 
"  things,  thou  hast  done  thy  duty — I  will  make  tliee  ruler  over  many 
"  things:  Enter  thou  intotlte  joy  of  thy  Lord — Be  a  partaker  of  die 
"  joy  of  the  Lord  i-n  his  final  appearing."  (Matt.  12.  35,  37.  Jas.  2. 
24.  Matt.  25.  21,  Gcc.) 


ANSWERED.  129 

Never  was  there  a  docuinc  more  soothing  to  the  carnal  mmd,  which 
loves  its  own  case  and  its  own  ways,  than  that  of  justification  by  faitii 
witliotit  obedience,  or  by  the  righteousness  of  Christ  imputed — 
never  a  doctrine  more  congenial  with  the  carnal  heart,  which  hales 
obedience  ami  duty  to  God,  than  that  which  is  connected  with  tliat  of 
imputation,  ihc  necessarij  inabil'U\j  of  the  'unregencrate  man  to  per- 
form the  duty  v/hich  he  owes  to  God;  to  believe;  to  obeijj  or  to 
perform  any  thing  acceptable,  until  God  come  and  perform  the  sav- 
ing v/crk  in  his  heart.  When  the  alarm  is  soimded—^EscaJie  for 
your  lives — -fee  from  the  wrath  to  come—save  yourselves  from  this 
untoward  gs7-!ercUion — work  out  ijour  salvation.  O  how  agreeable 
the  siren  song:  It  is  all  in  vain — ye  cannot  save  yourselves— t/ic 
liest  ije  can  do  is  but  sin,  until  God  give  you  faith — your  woi'ks  can- 
not be  accejitabls  until  you  get  a  rtew  disposition — ye  need  not  toil 
and  slave  yourselves  for  nought — ye  may  as  well  be  at  ease  mitil 
God's  time  come,  and  he  give  you  a  new  heart.  Hence  the  cold  for- 
mality, the  dull  stupidity,  the  egregious  insensibility  towards  spiritual 
things,  which  so  abundantly  prevail  among  the  people  of  that  faith. 
Hence  also  the  painful  labor  of  the  apostle  James,  with  those  v.'ho 
had  fallen  into  the  notion  of  justification  by  faith  without  works,  to 
])rove  to  them  that  they  v/ere  wrong,  and  did  not  bear  the  marks  of 
true  christians  at  all. 

On  the  other  hand  ;  when  the  man  is  awake  to  a  liv-cly  sense  of 
his  need  of  salvation,  his  soul  ingulfed  in  sin  and  enveloped  in  the 
above  doctrine  with  its  concomitants,  this  produces  another  state  of 
things."  No  justification  without  the  righteousiicss  of  Christ  im- 
puted and  received  by  faith  alone  ;  no  faith  without  regeneration  ;  no 
regeneration  witliout  imputation  ;  no  imputation  without  faith,  and  so 
on.  No  praying  and  crying  to  God,  no  seeking  after  God,  no  con- 
fessions and  repentance,  no  attem^Jts  for  deliverance,  but  what  are  all 
sin,  because  in  unbelief — to  call  on  God  is  sin,  to  neglect,  sc^y  they,  is 
no  less — Ineritablc  death  and  damnation  without  faith  and  repent- 
ance; and  these  cannot  be  had  unless  G«d,  by  his  irrevocable  de- 
crees, may  possibly  have  fixed  matters  so,  in  the  foundation  of  his 
ov.'n  plan  wliich  never  had  a  beginning.  Of  tills  matter  the  rnan  has 
no  knowledge  ;  God  hath  never  revealed  the  particulars  of  his  de- 
crees, and  he  is  at  least  as  likely  to  be  left  out  of  the  happy  number 
as  not.  Then  all  iij  hopeless ;  and  after  all  .his  sufferings,  alarms 
and  cries  for  mercy,  he  must  be  condemned  to  hell,  to  suffer  tlic 
eternal  vengeance  of  God  due  to  liim  for  his  sins,  because  God 
would  not  impute  to  him  the  righteousness  of  Christ — "  Because 
''  he  hath  not  believed  in  the  name  of  the  only  begotten  Son  of  God;'* 
because  he  hath  not  received  that  gift,  or  grace,  which  God  from, 
the  origin  of  his  ov.n nature,  which  never  had  a  beginning,  liath  de- 
creed irreversibly  not  to  give.  Nov,'  the  doctrines  of  justification 
by  the  righteousness  of  Christ  imputed,  of  faith,  as  the  direct  and 
sovereignly  free  gift  of  God,  and  of  absolute  decrees,  are  all  in  one 
sf-ale.     Br.t  a  "-Ic'Ciu  attends  these  doc tvinei  of  men,  v.fcich  so  mis- 


OBJECTIONS 


represent  the  dealings  of  God,  too  distressing  fcr  the  human  mind 
to  brook. 

But  tell  mc,  ye  who  say  nwnkind  naturaliy  love  the  plan  of  justi- 
fication f)y  their  own  obedience,  and  oppose  the  contrary  because  it 
Iiurts  their  pride  ;  Why  do  tliey  not  yield  obedience  ?  For,  corrupt 
as  men  are,  they  are  intelligent  beings,  and  by  far  the  greater  part 
expect,  more  or  less,  to  stand  or  fall  on  that  ground.  It  is  the  most 
consistent  with  rationality.  Why  then  are  tlicy  not  found  in  daily 
obedience  ?  Why  not  saving  themselves  from  this  untoward  ge- 
neration'? But  daily  experience  proves,  in  those  who  maintain  the 
plan  of  jusdfication  by  faith  alone,  as  well  as  in  those  who  look  fur 
it  by  vrorks  also,  that  the  human  heart  is  not  so  much  opposed  to 
,ai"iy  })ian,  as  to  real  subjection  to  God  in  the  obedience  of  faith. 

3d.  Another  objection  is,  That  many  of  the  arguments  employed 
to  prove  justification  by  the  obedience  of  faith,  more  properly  ap- 
ply to  sanctiiication,  perseverance,  and  increase  in  the  grace  of  tijc 
gospel.  Thus  men  suppose  justification  is  the  immediate  effect  of 
one  cause,  ar.d  sanctification  of  another  ;  justifica,tkin  being  instan- 
taneousby  faith,  by  taking  hold  of  Ch.rist  and  his  righteousness  imput- 
ed, and  sanctiiication  progressive  by,  as  we  may  say,  the  obedience 
of  faith,  or  obeymg  ^:he  truth.  Some  call  the  first  an  act  of  God's 
free  grace,  and  the  second  a  work  of  his  Spirit. 

But  by  the  same  act,  or  gift,  of  God,  by  which  Christ  becomes 
our  righteousness,  he  also  becomes  our  sanctification  and  redemp- 
tion. "  But  of  him  are  y<i  in  Christ  Jesus,  who  of  God  is  made 
"  unto  us  wisdom,  and  righteousness,  and  sanctiiication,  and  rcdemp- 
"  tion."  (1  Cor.  1.  30.)  If  then  he  is  made,  our  lighteousness,  or  jus- 
tification by  imputatio'.i,  he  is  made  our  sanctiiication  in  the  same 
way.  For  according  to  the  scriptures,  God's  people  arc  sanctified 
by  faith  as  v/eli  as  justified;  '«  That  they  may  receive  forgiveness 
*'  of  sins,  and  inheritance  among  them  tliat  are  sanctified  by  faith, 
"  tliat  io  in  me."  "  And  put  no  ditference  between  us  and  them, 
"  purifying  their  hearts  by  faith,"  "  But  ye  are  washed,  but  ye  are 
"  sanctified,  but  ye  are  justified,  in  the  name  of  the  Lord  Jesus,  and 
"  by  the  Spirit  of  our  God."  (Acts  26,  18,  and  15.  9,  1  Cor.  6.  1 1.) 
Thus  justification  and  sanctification  are  attained  by  the  same  means, 
and  uniformly  go  together,  so  that  one  cannot  e:dst  without  the  other. 
If  then  christians  sanctify  themselves  in  obeying  the  truth  tiu'ough 
the  Spirit  cf  Christ,  they  are  also  justified  in  the  same  way.  If  God 
sanclifieth  them  through  the  truth,  which  is  his  word,  given  totlieni 
in  Christ,  and  v/luch  they  also  receive  and  cbey,  they  are  also  justifi- 
ed in  the  same  way,  in  the  name  of  the  I.oid  Jesus,  "  Sanctif);. 
"  them  through  thy  truth  ;  thy  word  is  truth.  And  for  their  sakes 
"  I  sanctify  myself,  thatthcv  also  might  be  sanctified  through  live 
"truth."   "(Jn'o.  17.  17,  19.  Compare  I  Pet.  1.  22.)  \> 

Justification  therefore  and  sanctification  arc  attained  by  the  same 
meansj^as  well  as  promoted  in  perseverance,  and  in  the  increasf*.  of 
every  grace  of  the  Spirit  to  final  rcdepiption.  "  ^V'hereto  we  havo 
"already  attained,  let  us  v. all;  by  the  same  rule,  let  us  mijvi  flic 


ANSWERED.  131 

**  Satne  thing."-    "  Bat  he  that  enclureth  to  the  end  shjill  be  scivei]." 
(Pet.  3.  6.    Matt.  10.  22.) 

And  in  this  view  of  the  subject  we  may  see  hov/  Christ  is  made 
of  God  to  us,  TVisdom  ;  because  he  rcvealethto  us  God  the  Father, 
and  teacheth  us  tJie  things  of  God.  "  No  man  hath  seen  God  at 
"  any  time  ;  the  only  begotten  Son  who  is  in  the  bosom  of  the  Fa- 
"  ti.er,  he  hath  declared  him."  Kiiflttcotisiicsa  or  justification,  The 
Lord  our  righteoitfiness  ;  by  declaring  or  demonstrating  to  us  the 
righteousness  of  God  as,  he  revealed  the  Father  himself  in  his  own 
life  and  example,  "  Whom  God  hath  set  forth  a  mercy-scat  thveugli 
"  faith  in  his  blood,  (in  that  life  which  he  lived,  the  character  whicJj 
"  he  sustained,  and  the  end  which  he  had  in  view  in  living  svicha  life 
''■  at  the  expense  of  his  blood,)  to  declare  [Greek,  for  a  dcmoristra- 
'*  tion  of]  his  righteousness  for  the  remission  of  sins,  that  are  past, 
"  tiirough  the  forbearance  of  God  ;  (not  through  the  righteousness 
"  of  Christ  imputed,)  to  declare  [for  a  dcmonairation"  of]  his  right- 
"  eousness,  that  he  might  be  just  and  the  justificr  of  him  that  believ- 
"  ethin  Jesus,"  or  who  is  by  the  faith  of  Jesus.  Sanctijication  ;  in 
the  sam.e  manner,  by  becoming  our  example  and  leauhii^  us  to  God 
in  tiie  truth  by  wliich  we  are  sanctified.  '.'  Aud  for  their  sakcs  I  saric- 
<*  tify  myself,  that" they  also  may  be  sanctified  through  the  trutii." 
"  By  a  new  and  living  way,  v/hieh  he  hath  consecrated  for  us  through 
"  tlie  vail,  that  is  to  say,  his  ilesh."  (Jnn.  1.18.  Ro.  3.  25,  26.  Jnc. 
17.  19.  Heb.  10.  20.)  And  finally,  Redemptioii  ;  by  leading  us  to 
God,  from  under  the  government  of  satan;  turning  us  from  dark- 
ne;;s  to  light ;  and  froni  the  power  of  sataii  to  God  ;  th.'.t  we  may 
receive  the  forgiveness  of  sin,  and  inheritance  aiiiAjng  them  that  t.re 
sanctified  by  faith,  tiiat  is  in  him.  (Acts  26.  18.) 

Thus  the  whole  work  of  salvatioTi,  from  the  beginning,  or  first  de- 
grees of  justification,  and  finally,  full  redemption,  is  carried  on  by 
the  gifts  of  God  in  Christ  to  men;  all  which  gifts  are  contained  hi 
the  dispensation  of  the  gospel  Avlxich  lie  hath  committed  to  liis  peo- 
ple, "  When  he  ascended  up  on  high,  he  led  captivity  captive,  and 
"  gave  gifts  to  men.  And  he  gave  some,  (that  is  some  of  those 
','  v,'hom  he  gave  ^vere)  apostles  ;  and  some,  prophets ;  and  some, 
"  evangelists,  and  some,  pastors  and  teachers;  for  the  perfecting  of 
''the  saints;  for  the  v.^ork  of  the  ministry  ;  for  the  edifying  of  the 
"  body  of  Christ ;  till  we  all  come  in  the  unity  of  the  faith,  and  in 
"the  knowledge  of  the  Son  of  God,  to  a  perfect  man  in  Chiist,  to 
-"  the  measure  of  the  stature  of  the  fulness  of  Christ."  (Eph.  4.  8, 
11,12,13.) 

It  is  a  mistake  to  suppose  that  justification  obtains  in  the  mind 
of  God,  or  in  the  records  of  heaven,  as  some  would  have  it,  and 
^anctincation  in  the  creature.  Both  are  in  the  creature  ;  1x)th  in  the 
Iieart-  and  conscience.  "  Beloved,  if  our  heart  condemn  us  nct^ 
"  then  have  we  covjidence  towards  God"  "  Having  our  hearts 
"  spiinkled  from  an  evil  conscience."  [Jno.  3.  31.  IJcl;.  10.  22.] 
And  tlie  sanctifying,  or  purifying  of  the  conscience,  aiid  fitting  it  fo? 
'.,hf;  .service  of  God.  is   jiho  effected  by  the  blood  of  Christ,  as  much 


132  OBJECTIONS 

as  justiricaticn  ;  Cshould  avc  make  a  distinction  ;)  "  For  if  llie  iilood 
"  of  bulls,  and  of  goats,  and  the  ashes  of  an  heifer,  sprinkling  the 
•'  unclean,  sanctifieth  to  the  purifying  of  the  flesh  ;  how  much  more 
"  shall  the  bjood  of  Christ,  who  througli .  the  eternal  Spirit  offered 
"  himself  nviihaifi  spot  to  God,  purge  your  conscience  from  dead 
*' works  to. serve  the.  living  God."  [JHeb.  9.  13,  14.]  This  effect  of 
the  blood  of  Christ  is  justification  as  well  as  sanctification,  which  are 
botli  one  work  of  God  in  Christ,  to  set  us  free  from  the.  power  and 
nature  of  sin,  and  is  called  justification,  as  it  delivers  from  the  guilt 
and  cnidemnation  of.  sin,and  sanctification,  as  it  delivers  from,  the 
pollution,  and  redemption,  as  it  delivers  from  the  power  and  domi- 
iiion  of  sin.  But  these  are  all  one  work.  Although  to  be  a  little 
iTiore  particular;  justification  may  be  considered  as  going  before  ; 
not  as  being  perfected  before  sanctification  begins,  but  as  being  the 
ground-work  ap,d  bcjginning  of  it,  and  so  continuing  in  its  progress 
until  tlic  work  is  completed.-  For  it  is  also  a  mistake  to  suppose 
that  justification  is  instantaneous,  as  by  the  sentence  of  a  judge  ;  but 
it  is  progressive,  as  men  come  to  the,  knowledge  of  their  sins,  and 
put  them  away  by  confcssmg,  repenting  and  forsakhig.  "  Thou  be- 
•'  licvest  that  there  is  one  God;,  thou  docst  well:"  Thus  far  then 
the  man  had  justificatton,  or  the  giouud-work  of, it;  .but  it  was  not 
perfect  or  saving  for  the  want  of  good  ^york£.  "But  Avilt  thou  know, 
*'  O  vain  man  !  that  faith  without  worksis  dead."  .  Faith  not  cultir 
^^ated  and.  improved  by  works  will  lose  all  its  power  to  justify  find 
produfe  the  most  piercing  and  disf/cssing  condemnation.  When 
the  publican  and  the  phariscc  went  into  the  temple  to  pray,  and  the 
phariiiee  blessed  himself  in  his  outward,  or  legal  goodness,  and  the 
publican  smote  on  his  breast  aixlsaid,  "  God  be  merciful  to  mca 
"  dinner,  I  tell  you,"  said,  Jesus,."  this  man  went  down  to  iris  house 
"  justified  rather  than  the  other."  [Luke  18.  14.]  But  neither  of 
them  was  justified  to  perfection.  ,  The. one  hcw^ever Was  in  a  more 
favorable  situation  than  the  other.     .  ,       . 

But  finally  here ;  Y\^e  may  fairly  ccnclude,  tluit  all  arguments 
"which  prove  sanctifi^calion,  per:scyerance,.or  continued  acceptancQ 
with  God,  by  the  obedience  of  faith,  prove  also  justification  by  thq 
same.  "  For  by  one  offering  he  hath  perfected  forever  them  that  are 
sanctified."  And  this  is  the  same  oiToring  by  v/hich  men  receive  jus- 
tification or  the  forgiveness  of  sins  ;  "  Whereof  the  Holy  Ghost  also 
"  is  a  witness  to  us :  ■.  for  after  thathe  had  said  before,  This  is  the  cot 
"  venant.  that  I  will  make  with  them.  After  those  .days,  saith  the 
"  Lord,  I  will  put  my  laws  into  their  hearts,  and  in  their  minds  will 
"  I  write  them ;  and  their  sins  and  iniquities  v/ill  I  rexr.ember  no 
"  more.  Now,  where  remission  of  these  is,  there  is  no  more  offer- 
"  ing  for  sins,"  (Heb.  10.  14.  to  18.)  And  this  view  of  the  subject 
agrees  coi-rectly  with  the  work  of  God  in  giving  his  Christ  whom 
Tnan  despiseth  as  a  covenant,  or  purifier,  to  the  people.  "  I  will  pre- 
"  serve  thee^  and  give  thee  for  a  covenant  [j  riD  :  a  purifier,  from 
"  13  to  purify]  to  tlie  people."  "  But  who  inay  abide  the  day  of 
"  his  cominjj  ?  and  who  shall  stand  when  he  appeareth?  for  he  is 


SlNSWERED.  133 

«  like  a  refiner's  fire,- and  like  the  fullers  soap."  [n'T2  :  puriiicr 
or  covenant.] 

4tij.  It  will  likely  be  objected  by  some,  tliat  the  people  of  Gcd  in 
old  time,  did  not  plead  justification,  or  acceptance  with  God  for  their 
good  works,  but  for  the  Lord's  mercy's  sake.  But  observe  ;  Never 
ior  the  righteousness  of  anothe{"  imputed  to  them.  And  to  support 
this  objection  many  scriptures  may  be  adduced,  some  of  whicli  snail 
be  noticed.  ■ 

.  But  let  it  be  considered  for  v/hat  reason  they  never,  or  so  seldorfi, 
pleaded  their  oAvn  good  deeds,  or  faithfulness,  even  because  they  had 
nothing  to  plead  on  that  ground,  being  contin-aally  disobedient.  But 
wherever  they  had  been  up  to  their  duty,  they  were  n(3t  afraid  to 
own  it,  and  feel  justified  in  what  they  had  done.  '  Thus  the  prophet 
Isaiah,  (64.  5,  6.)  "  Thou  meetest  him  tliat  rejoiceth  and  workcth 
^'righteousness;  those  that  remember  thee  in.  thy  ways:"  (these 
.stand  accepted  :  but  in  thp  next  place  ;)  "  behold,  t'nou  art  wrath  ; 
for  we  have  sinned."  No  wonder  then  that  he  saith,  '•  But  we  are 
"  ail  as  an  unclean  thing,  and  all  our  righteousnesses  are  as  filthy  I'ags; 
"  and  we  all  do  fade  as  a  leaf,  and  our  iniquities  lijkc  the  wind  have 
"  taken  us  away."  This  expression,  .4nd  all  our  righteov.sncs.'sc.'! 
arc  anfihhy  rags^  is  greatly  insisted  on  to  prove  that  a  man  can  have 
no  acceptable  righteousness,  nor  perform  any  acceptal^le  obedience  in 
his  own  person  ;  as  if  the  Avickedness  ol  the  i-ebellious  Jews  v-cre  of 
th.e  same  nature  as  the  obedience  of  a  faithful  christian*  -  Daniel  also 
(9.  18,  19,)  saith,  "For  we  do  not  present  our  supplications  before 
"  thee  for  our  righteousness,  but -for  thy  great  mercies.  O  LoTtn, 
"  hear;  O.  Lord,  forgive  ;  O  Lord,  hearken  and  do;  defer  not  fer 
*'  thine  own  sake,  O  my  God  :  for  thy  city  and  thy  ]-)cople  are  called 
"  by  thy  name."  •  But  he  gives  a  good  reason  for  not  pleading  their 
own  I'ighteousness — because  they  had  not  done rlghteouslij^hut  wick- 
edly ;  (v.  11.)"  Yea,  all  Ibrael  have  transgressed  thy  law,  even  by 
"  departing,  that  they  might  not  obey  thy  voice  ;  therefore  tlie  curse 
'•■  is  poured  upon  us,  and  the  oath  which  is  vv^ritten  in  the  laAv  cf  Mc- 
*.'  ses,  the  servant  of  Gcd,  Ijecause  we  have  sinned  against  him." 
But  see  on  this  occasion,  the  Avords  of  Nehemiah,  (13.  14,)  "  Re- 
"  member  me,  O  my  God,  concerning  this,  and  Avipc  not  cut  my 
"  good  deedfi  that  I  have  dove  ior  the  house  of  my  God,  and  fcr  the 
"  ofiices  thereof;  and  of  IIc:cckiah,  (Isa.  38.  2,  3.)  "  Then  Hezeki- 
•"  ah  turned  his  face  to  the  Avall,  andpi-ayed  unto  the  Lord,  and  said, 
"  Remember  noAV,  O  I.op.n,  I  beseech  thee,  hoAv  I  have  walked  bc- 
"  fore  thee  in  truth,  and  Avith  a  perfect  heart,  and  have  done  that 
"  Avl\ich  is  good  in  tliy  sight ;"  and  the  Lord  heard  his  prayer.  See 
also  the  Avords  of  David  ;  (Psm.  7.  8.)  "  Judge  me,  O  Lord,  accord- 
"  ingto  my  righteousness,  and  according  to  mine  integrity  that  is  in 
"  me."  And  the  writers  of  that  day  throughout,  exclude  every  pi-os- 
pect  of  acceptance  Avith  God  on  any  other  principle  than  obedience. 
'^  Who  shall  ascend  into  the  hill  of  the  Lord  .'  and  Avho  shall  stand 
"  in  his  holy  place  .''  He  that  hath  clean  hands,  and  a  pure  heart ; 
"  Avho  hath  not  lifted  up  his  soul  unto  vanity ;  nor  SAvorn  deceitfully. 


ISt  OBJECTIONS 

'^He  sIkiU  receive  ihc  blessini^  fiom  the  I^oru,  and  ric^hteousness 
"  iVom  the  (tod  of  his  salvuiion."  (Psni.  24.  3,  4,  5.)  But  iii  the 
case  oi'  iniquity  actually  cwmiuttcd,  the  only  method  was  to  make 
saci'iiice  to  God  according  to  the-  law,  in  repentance,  with  cojifession 
and  forsaking.  "  Blcssc  Vi  is  he  whose  transgressioJi  is  fors^ivcn,  wjiosc 
"■  sin  is  covered.  Blessed  is  the  man  unto  whom  the  Loud  impiiteth 
'-  not  iniquity,  and  in  whose  spirit  there  is  no  guile.  When  I  kept 
"  silence  my  Irenes  waxed  old  :  through  my  roaring  all  the  day  long 
"  (for  day  and  night  thy  hand  was  licavy  upon  me,)  my  moisture  is 
"  turned  into  the  drought  of  summer.  I  acknowledged  my  sin  unto 
♦'  thee,  and  mine  iniquity  have  I  not  hid.  I  said  I  Fill  confess  my 
"  transgressions  unto  the  Lord  ;  and  thou  forgavest  tlie  iniquity  of 
"  my  sin."  (Psra.  32.  I  to  5,)  Agreeable  to  these  things  are  the  words 
of  the  apostle  James,  (4.  8,  9,  10.)  "  Draw  nigh  to  God,  and  he  will 
"  draw  niglj  to  you.  Cleanse  your  hands,  ye  sinners ;  and  purify 
"  your  hearts,  ye  double-minded.  Be  afflicted,  and  moum,  and  weep : 
"  let  your  laughter  be  turned  to  mourning,  and  your  joy  to  heaviness. 
"  Humble  yourselves  in  the  sight  of  the  Lord,  and  he  shall  lift  you 
"■  lip.'"'  And  the  testimony  of  Christ  and  his  apostles,  is  clear  enough, 
that  witliout  oljcdience  there  is  no  acceptance  with  God,  or  justifica- 
tion in  the  conscicFiCC,  and  this  testimony  is- sufficient  for  our  purpose. 

Nevertheless,  it  is  not  intended  to  argue  that  those  who  do  righte- 
ousness in  the  obedience  of  faith,  even  the  faith  of  Christ,  have  any 
right  or  any  feeling  to  ask  any  tliing  of  God  as  the  reward  thereof, 
as  though  t!icy  had  done  any  thing  more  than  their  duty,  or  could  be 
profitable  to  God,  as  a  man  may  be  prohtablc  to  a  man ;  but  death 
and  the  curse  are  th.e  proper  wages  and  natural  fruit  of  sin,  and  as 
sin  and  discl)ediei]ce  stand  in  the  way  of  the  free  love  and  blessing  of 
CJcd  to  men.,  that  being  removed  and  kept  out  of  the  way,  tliC  riches 
of  God's  Ircc  grace,  and  the  communion  and  l)lessing  of  his  nature 
liave  free  access  ;  and  as  there  can  be  no  guilt  where  there  is  no  sin, 
jusiihcation  in  the  conscience  and  before  God  is  the  natural  fruit  of 
innocence  and  obedience  :  and  in  these  is  true  righteousness ;  "  "The 
'•  work,  tiierefore,  of  righteousitoss,  is  peace,  and  the  effect  of  righte- 
"  ousness,  quietness  and  assurance  forever." 

5th.  On  this  plan  of  justification  by  the  obedience  of  faith  in  each 
one,  some  may  conclude,  that  no  grace  ip  displayed  in  God,  for  each 
one  receives  just  accordii^ig  to  his  works,  and  stands  or  falls  according 
to  his  own  proper  character.  Whether  grace  is  displayed  or  not, 
God  and  his  people  will  judge.  But  the  fact  is  established  In'  reve- 
lation, that  God  will  finally  judge  every  mail  according  to  his  works, 
and  ths.t  every  cn-e  shall  receive  according  to  the  things  done  in  the 
bodij^  whether  good  or  evil ;  as  before  proved,  "  According  to  the 
''  revelation  of  the  mystery,  which  was  kept  secret  since  the  world 
"  began,  but  now  is  made  manift  st,  and  by  the  scriptures  of  the  pro- 
"  phets,  according  to  the  commandment  of  the  evci'lasting  God, 
"made  known  to  all  nations  for  tiie  cbcdiencc  of  faith."  j^Ro.  16. 
25,26.) 


AN^SWEREi).  135 

:  And  when  people  are  ti'uly  affected  by  the  salvation  of  God,  and 
properly  leavened  into  it,  growing  up  into  Christ  in  all  things,  they 
will  not  be  disposed  to  deny  or  be  insensible  of  the  grace  of  God 
displayed  through  Jesus  Christ,  in  the  whole  plan,  from  beginning 
to  end.  Was  there  no  grace  displayed  in  God's  sending  his  Son  in- 
to the  v/orld,  with  the  generous  proposals,  that  whosoever  will  be- 
lieve on  him,  and  receive  him  as  their  Lord,  may  not  perish,  but  h.avc 
eternal  life  ?  For  to  as  many  as  receive  him  to  them,  gives  lie  poAv- 
er  to  become  thc^ns  "f  trcd,  even  to  them  that  believe  in  his  name. 
Or  would  it  have  displayed  more  grace,  and  have  been  more  to  the 
honor  of  God,  to  liave  sent  his  son  with  these  fair  proposals,  while  at 
tlie  same  time  no  one  could  possibly  reach  the  terms  of  the  offercd 
salvation,  but  must  inevitably  perish  in  the  additional  crime  of  re- 
jecting the  gospel,  ti-ampling  under  foot  the  Son  of  God  and  count- 
ing the  blood  of  the  covenant  v/herewith  he  was  sanctified,  an  miholy 
thing,  together  with  his  other  sins,  because  he  hath  not  done  tl-.at  v/hicfi 
he  could  not  do,  unless  God  should  do  in  him  a  work,  in  addition  to« 
the  gospel  provision,  which  he  had  never  promised  to  any  one  indivi- 
dually, and  in  his  ov/n  unalterable  pui'pose  and  decree,  had  limited  to 
a  part,  while  all  are  equally  invited  and  accounted  equally  guilty  for 
not  complying  ?  Would  such  a  plan  have  displayed  more  grace  in 
God  ?  When !  O  when  will  men  let  God  be  equitable,  just  and 
true  ?  Is  there  no  grace  displayed  in  bringing  about,  and  pursuing 
mankind  witli  a  gospel  exactly  fitted  to  their  condition  and  necessity, 
into  which  they  can  come,  according  to  their  own  faith,  and  have  eter- 
nal life,  by  presenting  themselves  a  living  sacrifice  to  God,  on  such 
terms  as  are  in  their  reach  v.ithout  farther  aid  than  what  is  provided 
Jn  the  gospel  ?  Or  vvould  it  have  displayed  more  grace  to  have  made 
tiie  gospel  offers  a  mere  parade,  its  proposals  being  such  as  no  man 
can  reach,  in  the  condition  in  which  the  gospel  first  finds  him  ?  How 
deeply  must  the  notion  of  such  a  gospel  wound  the  character  of  its 
author,  and  aggravate  the  misery  of  man  ?  Is  there  no  disjiiay  of 
grace  in  the  gospel  which  furnishes  every  man  with  the  full  and  \m- 
questionablc  authority  of  God  to  him,  as  an  individual,  to  believe  and 
obey  with  the  full  confidence  of-  eternal  life,  on  no  liardcr  conditions 
than  those  which  are  in  his  reach,  and  nothing  more  required  to  be 
believed  than  those,  the  evidences  of  which  arc  easy,  and  adapted 
to  his  physical  pov/ers  ?  Or  would  there  be  more  grace  displayed  in 
a  gospel  which  would  leave  every  man  uncertain  of  his  right  or  ca- 
pability of  believing,  until  a  partaker  of  that  salvation,  or  tliat  Spirit 
which  the  gospel  proposes  as  the  fruit  of  his  faith  afteFhe  believes 
and  not  before  i  la  wZ/c;??,  a/ler  that  ye  bdk-ocd^  ye  wert-  sealed 
Tj'ah  that  holy  Spirit  of  promise.  Is  there  no  grace  displayed  in  the 
Ciiaracter  of  Christ,  the  author  of  this  benevolent  gospel,  in  whom 
arc  hid  ail  the  treasures  of  wisdom  and  knowledge,  and  out  of  whose 
fulness  we  may  all  freely  receive  grace,  according  to  each  grace  trea- 
sured up  in  him  ?  Is  there  no  grace  in  the  continued  supplies  cf 
help,  protection,  strength  and  comfort  which  his  obedient  people  rc- 
'  cive  from  day  to  day?  and  in  thai  earnest  pursuit  v/hich  the  gospel 


136  OBJECTIONS 

makes  to  gain  iiianiiinci  and  bring  them  into  the  number  of  the 
blessed  ?  Or  must  it  destroy  all  grace  in  the  plan,  because  the  bles- 
feings  arc  in  reach  of  the  needy?  What  grace  or  goodness  would 
feppcar  in  proposals  of  mercy,  quite  out  of  the  reach  of  those  who 
T;et:dit? 

But  the  objection  will  be  carried  farther  ;  Th5it  the  greatest  glory 
is  ascribed  to  God,  by  leaving  all  the  work  to  him,  and  waiting  on 
him  to  do  it.  Some  people  affect  to  be  so  deeply  devoted*to  the 
glory  of  God,  that  they  seem  as  if  they  could  not  endure  to  have 
any  one  yield  any  practical  honor  to  him,  and  feel  conscious  of  having 
done  his  duty  in  cbeymg  and  serving  God,  lest  God  should  be  disho- 
nored by  the  man's  service  and  justified  conscience  ?  as  if  God  dis- 
dained to  have  men  serve  him  and  feel  conscious  of  having  done  their 
duty,  after  having  taken  so  much  pains  to  bring  them  to  it.  God  hath 
lione,  and  still  dceth,  all  that  is  necessary  for  him  to  do.  Ke  hath 
i*".troduced  and  established  the  everlasting  gospel  on  a  permanent 
foundation,  against  Avhich  the  gates  of  hell  cannot  prevail,  and  hath 
his  ministers  always  ready  to  minister  to  th(2se  Avho  sliall  be  heirs 
of  salvation,  even  all  those  Vv'ho  will  obey  that  gospel  which  includes 
ail  in  the  book  of  life,  without  fartlier  restrictions,  who  do  not  volun- 
tu'iiy  exclude  themselves.  Hovv-  then  shall  we  escape  if  we  neglect 
so  great  salvation?  With  what  color  of  truth  can  we  withhold  our 
consent  under  the  pretext  of  that  plan  robbing  God  of  his  glory, 
which  Hk  hath  devised  ?  Or  doth  God  require  us  to  contrive  a  plan 
to  glorify  him,  superior  to  his  own  ?  The  v.ay  to  glorify  God  is  to- 
Vvorship  him,  and  to  order  our  life  according  to  his  directions  without 
any  scruples  as  to  the  propriety  of  the  plan.  "  WHoso  ofifereth 
<'  praise  glorificth  me :  and  to  him  that  ordereth  his  conversation 
«  aright  will  I  shew  the  salvation  of  God.''  (Psm,  .50.  23.) 

Should  a  noble  prince,  out  of  pure  mercy  and  compassion  to  a 
perishing  beggar,  on  the  simple  tcrins  of  putting  away  his  rags  and 
Hastiness,  coming  into  his  ])rcmises,  and  doing  v.hat  would  be  con- 
venient for  his  comfort  and  health,  of  such  tilings  as  the  prince  de- 
sired to  have  done,  taking  care  not  to  dishonoi"  the  prince  or  injure 
any  of  his  subjects  or  himself,  and  the  like.  Should  this  beggar  ob- 
ject, that  it  would  be  dishonoring  to  the  prince  to  suppose  he  could 
accept  of  these  offers,  unless  the  prince  should  first  make  him  will- 
ing and  able  by  som.e  other  method  besides  these  offers,  and  so  with- 
hold his  consent,  would  not  every  one  proiwunce  him  worthy  to  die? 
But  should  he  be  gained  by  the  proposals  without  any  other  opera- 
tions, enter  into  that  comfortable  manner  of  life,  and  receive  from 
time  to  time  increased  benefits,  as  he  became  able  to  use  them  to 
profit,  to  whom  vi'ould  the  honor  be  due?  Would  not  he  and  all 
others  ascribe  it  all  to  the  prince  ?  while  in  the  mean  time,  the  beg- 
gar would  feel  the  conscientious  satisfaction  and  justification,  that 
he  had  accepted  the  generous  offer  and  done  his  duty;  the  prince 
also  would  acknowledge  tTie  same,  approve  the  kir.dness  which  he 
had  shown,  and  perfect  union  ■v^tiuld  subsist  between  th.em.  So  is  the 
gospel.     God  giveth  to  all  who  will  come  eternal  life  in  Chri3t,  en 


ANSWERED,  isr 

the  just  aind  equitable  terms  of  faith  and  obedience,  in  such  proposals 
a,s  presuppose  their  capability  of  doing  what  is  required,  and  a  con- 
tinual supply  of  aid  to  such,  as  fast  as  needed.  To  whom  then  is 
the  glory  due  ?  to  God  or  man  ?  or  wherein  would  it  rob  God  of  any 
glory,  that  the  man  should  have  the  niental  satisfaction,  the  consci- 
entious justification,  that  he  had  yielded  to  tlie  offers  so  generously 
made  ?  Will  it  dishonor  God  for  men  to  comply  with  his  offers  and 
receive  the  very  beneilts  which  he  intends  they  should  receive  ? 

Who  then  glorifies  God  most  ?  the  man  who  believes  the  truth  of 
God  and  submits  to  what  he  is  taught,  or  he  who  declines,  saying- 
he  cannot  take  God  at  his  word?  Doth  not  the  man  who  rejecteth 
such  offers  under  such  pretence  as  incapability,  impute  fraud  to  God? 
Yea,  surely.  We  are  called  upon^to  be  actively  employed;  To 
awake  out  of  sleep  and  arise  from  the  dead,  with  the  promise  annexed, 
that  Christ  shall  give  us  light;  to  save  ourselves  from  tliis  untoward 
generation ;  To  glorify  God  with  our  bodies  and  spirits  wliich  are 
God's.  And  are  we  to  suppose  that  God  makes  such  proposals  and 
demands,  in  the  full  knowledge  that  a  compliance  is  out  of  our  reach, 
in  the  condition  in  which  the  gospel  finds  us?  If  so,  he  is  a  mocker 
of  our  woes.  For  it  is  to  be  remembered,  as  before  shown,  that  the 
gospel  is  sent  to  us  as  a  remedy  from  our  present  misery,  adapted  to 
all  our  wants  and  equal  to  our  full  deliverance,  in  the  full  considera- 
tion, and  knowledge  of  all  our  inability  and  all  our  guilt  from  the  fall 
until  now.  No  reasoning  therefore  can  be  supported  against  the  plan 
of  justification  by  the  obedience  of  faith,  and  the  doctrines  connected 
therewith,  as  though  it  robbed  God  of  any  glory,  or  came  short  in  the 
display  of  grace  in  God,  seeing  his  grace  is  displayed  in  the  whole 
plan  from  beginning  to  end,  and  the  greatest  glory  is  attributed  to 
him  by  obedience ;  which  cannot  be    denied  : 

And  when  on  earth  we've  travcU'd  through,  And  done  the  best  that 
we  can  do, 

The  glory  all  to  God  is  due.  We  have  but  done  our  duty. 

6th.  Some  may  object ;  That,  in  all  the  discussions  on  this  subject, 
we  are  led  to  view  Jesus  Christ  as  contending  against  the  nature  of 
sin  in  himself,  like  as  other  men  ;  and  this  seems  to  derogate  from  the 
honor  of  the  Son  of  God,  Kvho  is  holy^  harmlefis^  und  fded^  and  se- 
parate from  sinners.  Whereas  Jesus  was  not  born  into  the  world  by 
the  works  of  ordbiary  generation,  as  other  men  are,  but  spoken  into 
being  by  the  Word  of  God,  the  co-operating  power  of  the  Father 
and  Spirit,  as  it  was  said  to  Mary;  "The  FIoly  Ghost  shall  come 
"  upon  thee,  and  the  power  of  the  Highest  shall  overshadow  thee, 
"  therefore,  that  Holy  One  when  born,  shall  be  called  the  Son  of 
"  God,"  it  v/ould  be  expected,  that  he  came  into  the  world,  entirely 
disengaged  and  free,  from  the  nature  and  fountain  of  sin.  But  the 
people  need  not  be  alarmed  for  the  character  of  the  Redeemer,  lest 
while  they  are  solicitous  to  vindicate  and  magnify,  they  diminish  it: 
the  knowledge  and  thorough  investigation  of  truth,  with  answerable 
practice,  v/ill  never  disgrace  the  victorious  Sou  of  God.     And{ 


f3S  OBJECTIONS 

In  the  first  place  ?  It  is  clear,  that  notwithstandiag  he  came  into  tlis 
\vorld  by  an  extiaordmary  work  of  God,  he  was  ••'  Born  of  a  woman, 
"  born  under  the  law,  to  redeem  them  th^t  were  midsr  the  law,  that 
"  we  might  receive  the  adoption  of  sons."  Thus  it  behoved  him  to 
be  horn[jsvou.evQv,  Gal.  4.  4.]  as  the  beginning  and  parent  of  the  neAv 
and  spiritual  creation  and  family  of  God,  and  in  the  position,  or  place 
of  those  whom  he  came  to  redeem  ;  as  it  is  written ;  "  For  both  he 
"  that  sanctifieth,  and  they  who  are  sanctified,  ait;  all  of  one ;  for 
"  which  cause  /le  is  not  ashamed  to  call  them  brethren."  By  being 
born,  therefore,  of  a  woman,  who  was  one  of  the  same  fallen  family, 
whom  he  came  to  redeem,  and  according  to  the  physical  order  of 
gestation  and  birth,  the  Word  became  flesh  ;  he  was  clothed  in  hu- 
man fiesh  and  blood,  j,ast  such  as  the  younger  members  of  the  family 
partook,  who  were  to  be  gathered  to  him  as  their  Redeemer,  and  in 
tliat  process  he  assumed  the  same  nature,  stepped  into  their  place  and 
took  their  burdens  on  himself;  Surely  he  hath  home  our  griefs  and 
carried  our  sorrows  ;  and  engaged  by  all  means  to  lead  them  to  God, 
being  himself  a  fellow  sufferer  v^ith  them  ?  Made  a  little  lower  than 
the  angels  for  the  suffering  of  death.  All  these  things  are  clearly 
set  forth  in  the  scriptures,  some  of  which  are  these  ;  "  Forasmuch 
"  then  as  the  children  are  partakers  of  flesh  and  blood,  he  also  him- 
f^  self  likewise  took  part  [aapartA^jdiws' |it£T'acrr«,  unitedly  partook^ 
"  of  the  same;  that  through  death,"  or  by  dying  to  sin.  For  in  that 
he  died,  he  died  to  *i;j,  07zce,  that "  he  might  destroy  him  that  had  the 
*'  power  of  death,  that  is,  the  devil;  and  delivev  them  who  through 
"  fear  of  death,  were  all  their  lifetime  subject  to  bondage.  For,  ve- 
"  rily  he  took  not  on  him  the  nature  of  angels;  but  he  took  on  him 
*'  the  seed  of  Abraham.  Wherefore,  in  all  things  it  behoved  him  to 
"  be  made  like  unto  his  brethren  ;  that  he  might  be  a  merciful  ana 
*'  faithful  high  priest,  in  things  pertaining  to  God,  to  make  reconcili- 
"  ation  for  the  sins  oi  the  people  ;  for  in  that  he  himself  hath  suffered, 
"  being  tempted,  he  is  able  to  succour  them  that  are  tempted."  To 
wit,  because  he  had  experienced  the  same  trials,  and  had  learned  to 
combat  the  enemy  ;  for  "  Though  he  was  a  Sen,  yet  learned  he  obe- 
"  dience  by  the  things  which  he  suffered."  Thus  he  was  a  subject 
of  the  same  sufferings,  temptations  and  feelings  of  infirmities,  Avivh 
his  brethren.  "  For  we  have  not  an  high  priest  who  cannot  be  touch- 
"  ed  with  the  feelings  of  our  infirmities ;  but  was  in  all  points  tempt- 
"  ed  like  as  we  are,  yet  without  sin."  For  temptation  is  no  sin  ;  but 
yielding  is  sin  ;  and  in  all  his  temptations  he  never  yielded:  he  was 
therefore,- i^&^!/,/:arm^i°5s,  und'jfled,  and  sefiarate  from  sinners,  from 
first  to  last:  a  victorious  leader  and  example  of  his  people. 

Nev'erthf;less,  it  remain's  true,  that  he  he'd  a  sore  conflict  with  the 
nature  of  sin  in  himself,  like  other  men,  as  just  now  proved.  And  all 
this  was  necessary  in  fulfilling  the  commission, with  which  he  was 
sent :  as  the  beginning  of  the  new  and  spiritual  creation  of  God, 
the  first  born  from  the  dead,  the  first  parent  of  the  family  who  are 
saved,  the  first  leader  and  ficrfecter  of  faith,  the  One  who  first,  by  a 
sor«  combat  and  complete  victory,  obtaiued  access  to  the  throne  of 


ANSWEl^D.  U9 

■God,  in  his  ov/n  behalf  and  in  the  behalf  of  his  people  ;  when  there 
v/as  no  mediator,  and  the  \vay  to  the  mercy-seat  was  unti-odden, 
having  never  been  opened.  The  prophet  Isaiah  describes,  in  most 
pathetic  language,  the  interesting  scene — the  engagement,  the  con- 
flict, and  the  victory.  "  Who  is  this  that  cometh  from  Edom,  with 
«'  dyed  garments  from  Bozrah  ?  this  that  is  glorious  in  his  apparel, 
"  travelling  in  the  greatness  of  his  strength  ?  I  that  speak  in  righte- 
<'  ousness,  mighty  to  save.  Wherefore  art  tliou  red  in  tldne  apparel, 
"  and  thy  garments  like  him  that  treadeth  in  the  wine-fat  ?  I  have 
"  trodden  the  v»-ine-press  alone  ;  and  of  the  people  there  was  none 
"  with  me^  fori  will  tread  them  l_in  the  Hebrew  and  Greek  copies, 
"  have  trodden  them]  in  mine  anger,  and  trample  [have  trampled  them 
"  down,  D001X1  '3N3  rD^lTXl :]  in  my  fury  ;  and  their  bloodsaall 
"  be  [hath  been]  sprinkled  upon  my  garments,  and  I  will  stain  [have 
»•  stained]  all  my  raiment."  (And  these  things  have  given  mc  the 
appearance  which  I  exhibit  to  view.)  "  For  the  day  of  vengeance  is 
"  in  my  heart,  and  the  year  of  my  redeemed  is  come.  And  I  looked, 
"  and  there  was  none  to  help ;  and  I  wondered  that  [I  was  brought 
"  into  sore  consternation,  and  yet]  there  was  none  to  uphold ; 
"  tlierefore  mine  ovrn  arm  brought  salvation  to  roe;  and  my  fury  it 
"  upheld  me."  [There  being  no  mediator,  to  whom  to  look  for 
help,  I  gained  the  victory  by  the  e::ertion  of  my  own  arm,  and  thus 
became  foremost  in  the  great  v.'ork  of  salvation,  gained  the  pre-em- 
inence, and  v.'as  made,  through  sufferings,  a  perfect  mediator  for  the 
benefit  of  all  who  come  after.)  "  And  I  will  tread  [h?.ve  trodden] 
"  down  the  people  in  mine  anger,  and  make  [have  made]  tb^m  drunk 
"  in  my  fury;  and  will  bring  [have  brouglit]  down  their  strength,  [or 
"  blood]  to  the  earth."  Tiiis  prophecy  is  not  alone,  in  spe<tking  of 
future  events  as  being  already  past,  The  following  is  descriptive  of 
the  same  work,  and  includes  both  the  past  and  the  future.  ."  And  he 
*'  saw  that  there  was  no  man,  and  wondered  that  [was  brought  into 
"  sore  consternation,  because]  there  was  no  intercessor ;  (on 
•*^' whom  to  lean  ;)  therefore- /«'s  arm  brought  salvation  to  him,  and 
"  bis  righteousness  it  sustained  him.  For  he  put  on  righteousness  as  a 
"  breastplate,  and  an  helmet  of  salvation  upon  his  head  ;  and  he  put 
"  on  the  garments  of  vengea,nce  for  clothing,  and  was  clad  with  zeal 
"  as  a  cloak.  According  to  their  deeds,  accordingly  he  will  repay, 
''  fury  to  his  adversaries,  recompense  to  his  enemies;  to  the  islands 
''  he  will  repay  recompense.  So  shall  they  fear  the  name  of  the 
"  Lord  from  the  west,  and  his  glory  from  the  rising  of  the  sun  :  when 
«  the  enemy  shall  come  in  like  a  flood,  the  Spirit  of  the  Lord  shall 
"  lift  up  a  standai'd  against  him.  And  the  Redeemer  shall  come  to 
<•'  Zion."  (Isa.  63.  1  to.6.  and  59.  16  to  20.  )  These  prophecies,  as  it 
is  common,  are  metaphorical,  and  by  the  destroying  and  treading  of 
the  nations  dov/n,  set  forth  the  final  and  total  overthrow  of  the  nature 
whkh  rules  over  the  whole,  the  cai'nal  mind,  which  is  enmity  against 
God,  and  must  be  utterly  rooted  out  from  all  v/ho  are  saved. .  All  the 
r;ations  have  to  be  broken  to  pieces,  before  they  will  become  subject  to 
ihe  goverma^ent  of  C  brist;  but  as  fast  as  they  are  thus  consumed,  brok- 


UO  OBJECTIONS 

en  off  from  the  old  creation  and  nviiwrc,  the  Redeemer  ca?i  come  to  Zion^ 
end  to  them  that  turn  from  ungodliness  w  Jacob,  and  to  none  else. 
Another  prophecy  will  serve  to  elucidate  this  subject,  and  show, 
that  the  dc-struciion  of  the  old  nature  is  represented  by  the  overthro>y 
of  the  people.  "  For,  behold,  the  day  cometh  that  shall  burn  as  an 
"  oven;  and  all  the  proud,  yea,  and  all  that  do  wickedly,  shall  be  as 
"•  stubble :  and  the  day  that  cometh  shall  burn  them  up,  sailh  the 
*■'•  Lord  of  hosts,  that  it  shall  leave  them  neither  root  nor  branch. 
"  But  to  you  that  fear  my  name  shall  the  Sun  of  righteousness  arise 
"  with  healing  in  his  wings;  *  *  *'  And  ye  shall  tread  down  the  wick- 
*'  ed ;  for  they  shall  be  ashes  under  the  soles  of  your  feet  in  the  day 
"  that  I  do  this,  saith  the  Lord  of  hosts."  It  is  not  the  Spirit  of  Chris- 
tianity to  use  the  sword  or  any  camal  weapon,  or  to  oppress  or  injure 
the  persons  of  men,  this  prophecy,  therefore,  as  well  as  the  former, 
relates  to  the  subduing  of  the  people  by  the  gospel,  when  the  Sun 
of  righteousness  shoiiid  arise,  and  the  Jledeemer  come  to  Zion,  and 
to  those  who  fear  God.  And  however  weak  and  soothing  some  may 
suppose  this  prospect  will  appear  to  men  in  nature,  it  is  found  in  ex- 
perience, that  the  prospect  of  being  brought  under  the  yoke  of 
Chi  ist,  is  of  a  more  deathly  nature  to  the  people  of  the  world,  than  the 
expectation,  of  any  of  God's  judgments:  it  takes  ti;eir  life: 

But  to  return  to  the  point  in  hand.    The  scriptures  which  we  have 
been  ccntehiplating  show  clearly,  that  Jesus  was  a  subject  of  warfare 
against  the  nature  of  sin  in  liimSelf,  and  did  actually  overcome,  and 
obtain  saltation  to  himself  first,  as  an  individual  m^an,  (but  the  parent 
and  example  of  his  subjects,)  and  that  he  gained  this  conquest  by 
overcoming  the  v/holc  world,  which  bent  its  v.hole  force  right  against 
him,  so  that  he  had  to  wade  through  the  whole  to  reach  the  throne 
of  God  -.  hence  the  warlike  and  victorious  appearances  described  by 
the' prophet.     He  hath  overcome  the  world:  in  himself  therefoi-e  ; 
for  it  was  not  yet  overcome  in  others.    Nevcrtholess: 
'    That  he  is  holy,  harmless,  undehled,  and  oeparate  from  sinners 
from  the  begir/ning,  end  so  remairs,  is  r.ct  contested  ;  but  that  is  no 
proof  that  he  had  not  to  contend  against  the  nature  of  sin  in  himself: 
Such  a  confnct  adds  greatly  to  the  lustre  of  his  glory  and  his  power 
in  overcorning  sin.     For  how  did  he  support  this  character  which  he 
so  honorably  sustains  ?     Not  by  having  no  trials  or  temptations,  but 
by  not  yielding  to  them.     He  was  holy,  harmless  and  ur^iefiied.  By 
being  wholly  devoted  to  God;  never  doing  any  thing  evil,  injurious, 
or  contrary  to  innocence,  in  the  least  instance  ;  never  uniting,  ccnscnt- 
ing,  or  meddling  with  siii  to  defile  himself  in  the  smallest  particle; 
2!rd  accordingly,  was  separate  from  smncrs,  because  he  never  par- 
look  v.ith  them,  in  their  ways,  who  do  their  onvn  nvill ;  but  on  the 
contrary  directed  his  couree  towards  Cod,  according  to  his  calling 
and  commission.  "  ■       '      "•  = 

To  suppose  that  the  man  Christ  Jesus,  was  separate  from  sin 
and  si.nerS,  in  such  a  manner  as  to  have  no  real  contact  with  sin', 
veal  conflict  against  it,  as  assaulting  him  in  his  own  person,  nor  real" 
temptation  to  sin,  is  not  only  contrary  to  scripture,  as  already  showii, 


ANSWERED.  U\ 

but  also  tends  to  rob  him  cf  much  of  the  honor  of  his  victory,  and 
jof  tne  glory  due  to  his  name,  as  well  as  to  derogate  from  the  glory 
of  GocJ  ill  tiie  great  work  of  man's  redemption.  Wiiat  honor  is 
there  m  a  combat  aiid  victory  where  there  is  no  antagonist  ?  Or  if  aii 
antagonist  be  admitted,  yet  such  an  one,  and  in  such  a  situation,  as  to 
have  no  room  in  his  superior  combatant,  to  ply  his  art  or  power 
against  liim,  no  place  in  him,  no  grip  on  him  of  which  to  avail  him- 
seit  J  I  say,  what  honor  is  attached  to  such  a  victory,  compared  with 
tnat  over  a  powerful  and  subtle  enemy  who  has  full  access  and  liber- 
ty to  ply  his  heaviest  artillery  ?  The  hovicr  and  glory  of  Christ's  vic- 
tory are  predicated  on  the  principle  of  l:is  taking  the  enemy  on  his 
own  ground,  and  there  beating  him,  after  he  had  become  weak 
througn  tiie  flesri  which  he  assumed  when  he  cama  on  the  battle 
ground,  that  is  into  the  world,  and  thus  exposed  himself  to  the  ene- 
my, subject  even  to  death.  "  For  though  he  v.-as  crucified  through 
"  weakness,  yet  he  liveth  by  t>.c  power  of  God."  (2  Cor.  13.  4.) 
"  But  we  see  Jesus,  who  was  m-jde  a  little  lower  than  tl\e  angels  for 
"  the  suffering  of  death,  crowned  with  glory  and  honor ;  that  he  by  tlie 
"  grace  of  God  should  taste  death  for  every  man.  For  it  became  him 
«  for  whom  are  all  things,  and  by  whom  are  ail  things,  in  bringing  many 
"  sons  to  glory,  to  make  the  captain  of  their  salvation  perfect  through 
"  sufferings.''  (Heb.  2.  9,  10.)  "  Who  being  in  the  form  of  God 
"  thou:^;ht  it  net  robber}'  to  be  equal  with  God,  for  as  God,]  but 
"  made  liimscif  of  no  reputation,  and  took  on  him  the  fcrni  of  a 
"  servant,  and  was  made  in  the  likeness  of  men  ;  and  being  found 
"  in  fa::nion  as  a  man,  he  humbled  nimself,  and  became  obedient  un- 
*'  to  death,  even  the  death  of  the  cross  ;  wherefore  God  also  hath 
*'  highly  exalted  him,  and  given  him  a  name  v.hich  is  above  every 
"  name  ;  that  in  the  name  of  Jesus  every  knee  should  bow,  of  those 
"  in  heaven,  and  those  on  earth,  and  thiosc  under  the  earth  ;  and  that 
"  everv  tongue  should  confess  that  Jesus  Christ  is  Lord  to  the  glcry 
«  of  God  the  Father."  [Phil.  2.  6  to  11.] 

A  man  may  in  justice  be  counted  iionorable  who  abstains  from 
drunkenness  and  every  other  vice,  when  he  has  no  opportunity  to  be 
drunken;  and  no  appetite  for  the  intoxicating  liquor  ;  but  his  honor 
is  greatly  augmented,  and  the  renown  of  his  name  magnified,  v.ho, 
being  po.ssessed  with  an  insatiable  thirst  for  spirits,  in  the  midst  of 
fiowuig  liquors  presented  to  him  on  every  hand,  faithfully  bears  his 
cross,  overcomes  his  appetite,  and  out  of  a  pure  principle  of  good- 
ness and  propriety,  leads  a  life  of  sobriety,  to  the  conviction  and  con- 
Tersion  of  many  to  the  same  honorable  life.  Not  as  though  it  were 
any  direct  honor  to  be  possessed  of  a  thirst  for  intoxicating  spirits  ; 
but  the  honoris  in  passing  through  unfoiled  when  beset  with  an  ene- 
rny  6r  pestilence.  God  is  essentially  and  intrinsically  glorious  in 
himself;  but  the  brightest  and  most  eminent  display  of  his  glory  is 
in  Christ,  who  as  already  seen,  became  man,  v/as  made  in  all  things 
like  his  brethren,  entered  the  list  with  the  eriemy,  was  tempted  in  all 
points  tike  as  v/e  are,  overcame  by  the  cross,  led  capdviiy  captive, 
3nd  gave  gifts  to  men,  and  thus  in  all  thiiigs  became  our  example, 
;ha^  v/e  should  follow  his  steps,  that  he  might  lead  us  to  God  by  his 


142  OBJECTIONS 

own  exarapie,  ia  the  new  and  living  ivay  which  he  hath  consecrated 
fbr  UB  through  the  vail,  that  is  to  say,  his  flesh.  In  him  the  power 
of  God  is  brought  into  contact  with  the  enemy,  that  the  real  con- 
trast between  holiness  and  sin,  between  the  obedience  of  faith  and 
rebellion,  might  be  manifested  to  the  utmost,  and  the  power  of  God, 
on  the  side  of  holiness  and  obedience,  prevails.  In  like  manner  as 
the  glory  of  God  is  displayed  in  Christ  Jesus  by  the  salvation  which 
he  wrought,  and  the  victory  Avhich  he  gained  over  sin  and  death,  and 
by  the  power  of  God  in  the  great  work  of  redemption,  the  same  dis- 
play of  his  glory  is  made  in  the  whole  body,  the  church,  of  whom 
he  is  the  head.  "  For  though  he  was  crucified  through  weakness, 
"  yet  he  livcth  by  the  power  of  God:  for  we  also  are  weak  in  him, 
"but  v.x  shall  live  with  him,  by  the  power  of  God."  "  And  he 
'•  said  unto  me,  My  grace  is  sufficient  for  thee  :  for  my  strength  is 
"  made  perfect  in  weakness."  [2  Cor.  13.  4.  and  12.  9*.] 

7th.  It  seems  an  insurmountable  difficulty  with  some,  against  the  ^ 
foregoing  doctrines,  particularly  that  of  the  unrestrained  privilege 
of  all  to  believe  and  obey.  That  faith  is  the  gift  of  God.,  it  is  there- 
fore certain  that  none  can  believe  or  obey  to  acceptance  until  they 
receive  that  gift  of  faith  from  God.  It  might  be  surprising  to  find 
it  asserted,  that  that  gift  is  already  nriade  to  all  who  hear  the  gospel. 
But  so  it  is;  for  the  gospel  is  not  a  m^re  rational  scheme  of  mor- 
~  rJ-S,  but  the  power  of  God.  It  is  alv/ays  ministered  in  the  Spirit ; 
for  the  Spirit  of  God  is  in  those  who  minister  it  wherever  thev 
preach  it,  to  convince  the  world  of  sin,  of  righteousness,  and  of 
judgment.  [Jno.  16.  7,  8.  2  Cor.  3.  6.]  That  preaching  which  doth 
n3t  minister  the  gift  of  faith,  or  the  privilege  of  believing,  unliiuit- 
edly  to  all  who  hear,  is  not  the  true  gospel.  Faitii  cometh,  or  is  pro- 
duced, by  hearing,  and  hearing  by  the  v/ord  of  God  ;  and  this  is 
the  ivord  which  by  the  gosfiel  is  preached  to  you. 

It  is  evident  that  the  term, /a'f?/i,i3  used  in  the  scriptures,  in  a  ' 
more  extensive  sense  than  that  which  is  included  in  its  simple  mean- 
ing, which  is,  the  believing  or  crediting  of  a  report  on  sufficient 
evidence.  But  it  is  also  evident,  that  the  simple  meaning  of  the  term 
is  included  wherever  it  is  used  throughout  the  sacred  writings.  Thus, 
*' Hast  thou  faith?  have  it  to  thyself  before  God;"  (Ro.  14.  22.) 
where  the  tevva  faith,  evidently  means  knovjledge,  or  the  understand- 
ing of  a  certain  matter  ;  which  was,  that  the  eating  of  meat  was  in- 
nocent if  done  without  offending  others  ;  but  the  simple  riicaning  of 
faith  is  fairly  included.  "  But  before  fahh  came  we  were  kept  un- 
"  der  the  law,  shut  up  to  the  faith  which  should  afterwards  be  re- 
"  vealed.  Wherefore  the  law  was  our  schoolmaster  to  bring  us  [or' 
"  pointing  us,]  to  Christ.  But  after  that  faith  is  come  we  are  no 
"  longer  under  a  schoolmaster."  (Gal.  3.  22— -25.)  New  it  is  evi- 
dent that  the  tcviv.  faith,  in  thin  passage,  inchides  more  thai)  its  sim- 
ple meaning  ;  for  Abraham  and  many  others  had  faith  before,  but 
not  the  faith  of  Christ,  (.rth?.t  faith  in  him  by  Avhich  men  are  final- 
ly and  perfectly  justified ;  for  that  faith  had  never  come  befcre. 
The  term  f?ith  then  in  this  passage  i?  tc  be  tindcrstood  as  iiicludiiig 


ANSWERED.  i43 

Christ  and  all  his  benefits,  ov  the  gospel  dispensation  as  contrasted 
■with  the  Jewish,  including  believing,  obeying  and  every  thing  per- 
taining to  the  life  of  a  christian,  "  Whosoever  bclieveth  that  Jcsr.s 
"  is  the  Christ,  is  born  of  God"  [or  hath  been  begotten,  Greek,  Jno. 
5.  1.  See  IMacnight  on  this  tcxt.J  Here  also  it  is  evident  that  be- 
lieving includes  more  than  the  simple  meaning  of  the  word,  because 
many  believe  that  point  with  an  unshaken  faith  while  ignorant  of 
the  spiritual  truth,  as  hath  been  already  shown.  But  in  this  place 
believing,  which  is  acting  faith,  can  include  nothing  less  than 
following  Jesus  as  the  Christ,  by  living  his  life,  without  which  no 
one  is  worthy  of  the  name  of  a  believer.  But  in  this  the  simple 
meaning  of  the  term  beiie-vcy  is  included  ;  for  no  man  would  follow 
Jesus  witho\it  believing  in  Mm  as  the  true  Savior.  Many  other  in- 
stances might  be  produced  of  the  use  of  the  term,  faith^  where  it 
includes  something  more  than  its  primary  and  simple  meaning  ;  but 
these  are  sufficient  for  our  present  purpose.  That  into  which  wc 
are  here  inquiring,  is  faith  in  its  primary  and  simple  meaning,  cr 
that  act  or  operation  in  the  spirit  by  which  a  man  ac'mo'.vledgcs 
Christ  in  his  hea)'t,  and  by  which  he  enters  on  the  christian  life. 

Now  that  faith  in  this  simple  meaning  is  the  immediate  or  direct 
gift  of  God,  is  not  easily  proved  ;  it  being  no  where  unequivocally 
assei-ted  in  the  scriptures  that  faith  is  the  gift  of  God,  at  least  in  this 
sense,  or  directly  so.  Some  have  argued  from  these  words,  "  Wherc- 
"  in  also  ye  are  risen  with  him  (Christ)  through  the  faith  of  tlie  opc- 
"  ration  of  God,  who  hath  raised  him  from  the  dead,"  that  faith  in  the 
creature  is  produced  by  the  same  direct  agency  of  God,  by  which  be 
raised  Jesus  from  the  dead.  But  the  most  natural  construction  of 
that  scripture  is,  that  by  the  influence  of  believing  that  operation  of 
God,  they  were  also  raised  from  the  dead.  (See  Doddridge  on  this 
text. 

But  the  almost  universal  scripture  on  this  point,  being,  as  I  may 
say,  the  only  one  which  comes  near  it,  is  this,  "  For  by  grace  ye  are 
"  saved  through  faith ;  and  that  not  of  yourselves ;  it  is  tbe  gift  of 
"  God,"  (Eph.  2.  8.)  Now,  waving  the  criticism  which  may  be 
made  on  the  original  text,  as  it  is  certain  the  Greek  language  is  not 
always  correct  to  its  common  rules,  let  us  consider  in  what  respect 
faith  can  be  the  gift  of  God  agreeably  to  the  scriptures.  That  Christ 
is  the  primary  and  chief  object  of  the  faith  of  christians  will  be 
granted  on  all  hands ;  and  that  he  is  the  gift  of  God  to  men  will  not 
be  contested  by  professed  christians,  "  For  God  so  loved  the  world, 
"  that  he  gave  his  only  begotten  Son,  that  wbasoever  believeth  in 
"him  should  not  perish,  but  have  everlasting  hfe."  (Jno.  3.  16.) 
Christ  then,  is  the  gift.of  God;  and  he  is  confessedly  the  true  object 
of  faith  ;  and  according  to  the  scriptures  he  is  given  for  the  express 
purpose  that  the  world  of  mankind  might  believe  and  have  eternal 
life.  He  is  not  given  for  those  to  believe  on  him  who^  are  distinctly 
enabled  one  side  of  the  preaching  of  the  word  ;  the  scriptures  rnake 
mention  of  no  such  matter,  "  For  it  pleased  God,  by  the  foolishness 
of  preaching,  to  save  them  that  believe;"  (l  Cov.  1.21.)  but  for  the 


141  OBJECTIONS 

express  purpose  that  eveiy  one  who  will  may  believe  without  niefi- 
tion  or  intimation  of  any  otiier  qualification,  or  authority,  than  what 
God    hath  included    in  the   gift    of  Christ.       If  any  man  be  of 
the   world,   if    he    belong   to  the  fallen    race  of  men,  he  hath  a 
right  to   believe.      <'  If  any  man  thirst    let  him  come  to   me  and 
"  drink."  (Jno.  7.  27.')     "  And  the  Spirit  and  the  Bride  say,  Come. 
«  And  let  him  that  heareth  say,  Come.     And  let  him  that  is  athirst 
"  come.     And  whosoever  will,  let  him  take  the  water  of  hfe  freely." 
(Rev.  22,  17.)     These  offers  are  not  made  to  a  people  incapable  of 
complying  with  them,  to  increase  their  condemnaticn.     "  For  God 
<'  sent  not  his  Son  into  the  world  to  condemn  Uie  world,'  but  that  the 
''  world  through  him  might  be  saved."  (v.  17.)     The  matter  is  then 
decided  that  he  is  given  that  the  ii-orld,  not  a  part-  but  whosoever 
v/ill,  may  believe  and  be  saved.     And  this   gift  of  God  is  actually 
made  wherever  the   gospel  is  preached.     "  But  faith  come.th  by 
"  hearing  and  hearing  by  the  \vord  of  God."  (Ro.  10.  17.)     This  is 
in  no  respect  different  from  what  is  already  stated,  that  it  is  the  un- 
questionable privilege  and  inalienable  right  of  every  man  wherever 
the  gospel  comes,  to  believe  and  be  saved.     For  that  word  by  which 
laith  ccm.eth,  oris  produced,  (for  in  tl-e  Greek  the  sentence   is  elip- 
tical,)   the  word  being  the  seed  which  bcj^ets  faith,  containing  Christ 
in  it,  as    it  is   written  of  those  who  preach  the  gospel,  or  Avord  of 
God,  "  But  we   preach  Christ  crucified."      And  again,,  "For  we 
"  preach  not  ourselves,  but  Christ  Jesus  the  Lord."  (1.  Cor.  1.  23.' 
2.  Cor.  4.  5.)     I  say  then,  that  the  word  by  wliich  faith  cometh  is  the 
same  word  by  which  Christ  is  preached  in  the  gcspel,  or  in  other 
words,  it  is  Christ  preached  to  the  people ;  for,  to  preach  Christ,  and 
to  preach  the  gospel,  are  tantamount.     To  these  things  also  agree 
the  words  of  Peter;  (1.  Pet.  1.  2,  5.)     "  But  the  v/ord  of  the  Lord 
"  endureth  forever.     And  this  is  the  word  which  by  the  gospel  is 
'*  preached  unto  you."     These  things  show  the   order  ard  line  in 
which  the  gift  of  faith  is  made,  and  also  prove,  that  that  gift  of  God, 
Jaiih,  is  already  made  indiscriminately  to  all  who  hear  the  gospel 
wherever  it  is  preached.     This  then  is  the  train  of  the  gift  of  God  ; 
he  sends  out  men  to  preach  Christ  for  the  belief  of  all  men  to  their 
salvation ;  they  preach,  the  people  hear  and  believe  ;  or  those  who. 
reject  the  testimony  or  disbelieve,  do  it  at  their  own  option  and  vo- 
luntary choice.     This  train  of  faith,  by  the  preaching  of  the  gospel^ 
is  handsomely  delineated  by  the  apostle  in  the  above  quoted  chapter 
to  the  Romans.  (10.  13  to  19.)  "  For  v/hcsoever  si- all  call  upon  the 
"  name  of  the  Lord  shall  be  saved.     How  then  shall  they  call  on  him 
"  in  whom  they  have  not  believed  ?  and  how  shall  they  believe  in 
"  him  of  whom  they  have  not  heard  ?  and  hovv'  shall  they  hear  v.'ith- 
*'  out  a  preacher  ^  and  how  shall  they  preach  except  they  be  sent  ? 
"  as  it  is  written,  How  beautiful  are  the  feet  of  them  that  preach 
"  the  gospel  of  peace,  and  bring  glad  tidings  of  good  things  !     But 
"  they  have  not  all  obeyed  the  "gospel;  for  Esaias  saith,  Lord,  who 
"  hath  believed  our  report  ?"     Which  by  the  way  shows  that  obedi- 
ence is  tlie  chief  matter  in  the  faith  of  the  gorpel,  and  that  if  one' 


ANSWERED.  Us 

ihould  believe  in  tlie  simple  and  primary  sense  of  the  word,  his  faith 
would  not  be  accounted  of  to  his  justification.     After  all  therefore 
which  can  be  said,  a  man's  reception  of  the  gospel  to  his  justification, 
ultimately  rests  upon  his  o\Vn  voluntary  choice  in  the  improvement 
of  the  gift  of  faith.     "  So  then  faith  cometh  by  hearing  and  hearing 
♦'  by  the  word  of  Gcjd."     This  then  is  the  only  sense  in  which  faith 
can  be  said  in  truth  to  be  the  gift  of  God,  that  Christ,  the  object  of 
faith,  in  whom  is  included  salvation,  for  he  is  the  salvation  of  God  lo 
the  ends  of  the  earth,  and  the  preaching  of  the  word  which  is  the 
mean  of  producing  faith,  are  the  gift  ol  God.     And  the  Greek  text 
of  that  solitary  scripture  which  is  so  often  adduced  to  prove  that  faith 
is  the  gift  of  God,  will  translate  in  perfect  consistency  with  the  same 
view;  "  For  by  grace  ye  are  saved  througli  faith  ;  and  that  (method 
"  of  being  saved)  is  not  of  yourselves  ;  it  is  the  gift  of  God."     The 
word  translated,  that,  being  neuter  gender,  doth  not  correctly  agree, 
according  to  the  rules  of  that  language,  with  the  word  translated, 
faith,^  which  is  femanine,  but  properly  agreeth  with  the  member  of 
the  sentence  including  salvation.     Also  the  Words,  "  and  not  of  yo\ir- 
selves,"  comprise  a  complete  member  of  a  sentence  which  is  eli])ti- 
cal,  leaving  room  for  the  verb,  /*,  as  it  is  common  with  that  language. 
But  waving  all  reliance  on  the  above  criticism,  however  just,  the 
scriptures  teach  clearly  enough,  that  faith,  as  it  exists  in  the  creature, 
is  "there  produced  by  the  hearing  of  the  word  preached,  and  that  it 
is  the  gift  of  God  in  no  other  sense  than,  that  the  object  and  means  cf 
faith  are  given.     Thus  also  repentance   may  be   called  the  gift   of 
God;    "Then   hath  God  also   to  the  gendles  granted  repentance 
*'  Vinto  life."     And  again  ;  "  Him  hath  God  exalted  with  his  right 
*'  hand  to  be  a  Prince  and  a  Saviour,  for  to  give  repentance  to  Israel, 
"  and  the  forgiveness  of  sins."  (Acts  11.  18.  and  5.  5.  31.)     But  the 
act  of  repentance  as  well  as  faith,  or  believing^  belongs  to  the  man  as 
his  duty  ;  hence  Christ  and  his  ministers  eiihorted  the  people  to  re- 
pentance and  faith,  each  of  which  was  their  particular  duty  accord- 
ing to  the  authority  which  God  had  given  them  by  the  gospel.     Ac- 
cordingly Jesus  went  forth  "  Preaching  the  gospel  of  the  kingdom 
"  of  God,  and  saying.  The  time  is  fulfilled  and  the  kingdom  of  God 
*'  is  at  hand  :  rejient  ye,  and  be/icve  the  gos^icl."     And  Paul  "  Tes- 
*'  tifying,  both  to  the  Jevv^s  and  also  to  the  Greeks,  repentance  to- 
*'  wards  God  and  faith  towards  our  Lord  Jesus  Christ."  (Mark  1.15. 
Acts  20.  21.)     But  as  the  evidence  of  the  tilings  to  be  believed  was 
laid  before  the  people  that  they  might  believe,  so  were  the  motives 
to  repentance,  that  they  might  repent.     Beth  therefore  are  the  gift 
of  God  in  the  first  place,  given  or  presented  to  all  who  hear  the  gos- 
pel, and  both  the  proper  duty  and  privilege  of  the  same  to  be  prac- 
tised in  receiving  the  gift  so  presented. 

The  gospel  therefore,  or  v/ord  preached,  is  the  proper  evidence, 
authority,  or  pov;er  of  believing,  given  of  God  to  all  mankind,  wher- 
ever, and  Avhenever,  it  is  prea.ched  in  truth,  without  the  co-operation 
of  any  additional  agency  or  power  of  God.  There  is,  therefore, 
ccither  justification,  excuse,  nor  even  plausible  pretest,  for  those 

T 


146  OBJECTIONS 

who  hear  tlie  gospel,  to  not  believe  and  obey,  saying  they  cannot  for 
the  want  of  the  gift  of  God  to  enable  them.  For  this  is  the  sin  of 
unbelief,  or  disobedience,  by  v.'hich  a  man  makes  God  a  liar  and 
excludes  himself  from  salvation,  the  not  believing  the  testimony  of 
God,  that  he  hath  given  him  eternal  life  in  Christ.  (As  properly  as  a 
matter  can  be  given  before  it  is  actually  received.)  "  He  that  be- 
"  ieiveth  not  God,  hath  made  him  a  liar ;  because  he  belicveth  not 
"  the  record  that  God  gave  of  his  Son."  How  doth  he  make  God  a 
liar  ?  by  disbelieving  an  untruth  ?  Not  so;  for  that  could  not  make 
God  a  liar,  unless  he  had  first  made  himself  a  liar,  by  testifying  a 
falsehood;  but  by  disbelieving  the  true  testimony  of  God  tov.'ard  us, 
concerning  his  Son.  "  And  this  is  the  record,  [or  testimony,)  that 
«  God  hath  given  to  us  eternal  life.;  and  this  life  is  in  his  Son." 
For  a  man,  therefore  to  not  believe,  that  God  hath  given  him,  as  an 
hidividual,  one  among  the  rest,  eternal  life  in  Christ,  is  the  sin  of 
unbelief,  or  making  God  a  liar,  (but  especially  his  not  laying  hold  of 
it  in  compliance  with  the  gift*)  and  thus  he  excludes  himself  from. 
eternal  life  ;  because  without  the  faith  that  eternal  life  is  freely  given, 
to  him  in  Christ,  he  will  not,  he  cannot  seek  in  faith  ;  "  For  he  that 
"  Cometh  to  God  must  believe  that  he  is,  and  that  he  is  a  rewarder 
"  of  them  that  diligently  seek  him.  [Hcb.  11.  6.] 

On  the  other  hand  ;  "  He  that  believetli  on  the  Son  of  God  hath 
"thcAvitness  in  himself ;"  he  hath  received  it  and  findeth  it  true 
in  experience,  and  as  expressed  by  the  same  apostle  in  another  place, 
from  the  mouth  of  John  the  baptist,  "  He  that  hath  received  his 
"  testimony  hath  set  to  his  seal  that  God  is  true."  [Jno.  3.  35.]  Such 
is  the  different  influence  of  faith  and  unbelief,  or  disobedience. 
Such  is  the  gift  of  God  to  us  ;  such  is  the  gift  of  faith  ;  and  such 
the  gift  of  his  Son,  and  eternal  life  in  him,  that  we  have  no  longer 
any  excuse  for  remaining  in  sin,  v.hen  once  we  are  found  by  the  gos- 
pel ;  unless  this  be  an  excuse  that  we  do  not  love  eternal  life  in  Christ, 
because  of  the  cross  ;  and  that  rather  than  crucify  the  flesh  with  its 
affections  and  lusts,  rather  than  confess  our  sins  and  forsake  them, 
rather  than  deny  ourselves  and  take  up  our  cross,  and  follow  Christ, 
not  doing  our  own  will  bvit  in  all  things  devoted  to  the  holy  will  cf 
God,  we  will  rerr.ain  in  death.     But  the  objections  are  not  done  ; 

8th.  It  will  be  alledgcd  that  some  cannot  beUeve,  even  of  those 
who  hear  the  gospel,  for  the  want  of  authority,  power  or  privilege, 
whatever  it  may  be  called,  through  the  express  appointment  of  God 
to  that  purpose  ;  in  defence  of  which  opinion  the  words  of  the  evan- 
gelist John  will  come  in  good  place.  [12.  37  to  40.]  "  But  though  he 
"  had  done  so  many  miracles  before  them,  yet  they  believed  not  on 
"  him :  that  the  saying  of  Esaias  the  prophet  might  be  fulfilled, 
"  vvhich  he  spake  ;  Lord,  who  hath  believed  our  report  ?  and  to 
"  whom  hath  the  arm  of  the  Lord  been  revealed  ?  Therefore  they 
"  could  not  believe,  because  that  Esaias  said  again,  He  hath  blinded 
"  their  eyes,  and  hardened  their  heart ;  that  they  should  not  see 
"  with  their  eyes,  nor  understand  with  their  heart,  and  be  converted, 
«  and  I  should  heal  them."     The  explication  of  this  passage  may  by 


ANSWERED.  147 

some,  be  thought  arbitrary  and  forced ;  but  those  who  are  acquaint- 
ed with  the  ancient  marmer  of  speech,  of  which  there  are  many  ex- 
amples in  the  scriptures,  as  before  shown,  will,  if  free  from  prejudi- 
cial influence,  have  more  correct  views. 

Now  it  is  inconsistent  in  the  nature  of  things,  that  these  words  of 
the  evangelist  should  be  understood  literally,  according  to  the  most 
familiar  forms  of  expression  amongst  moderns.  It  is  impossible 
that  those  Jews  should  have  rejected  Christ  and  his  doctrine,  in  the 
face  of  so  many  miracles  and  other  evidences,  for  the  sake  of  fulfill- 
ing that  prophecy  of  Esaias,  and  laying  themselves  open  to  convic- 
tion as  unbelievers.  They  had  no  such  intentions  ;  neither  did  they 
believe  that  saying  of  Esaias  to  be  applicable  in  the  case.  To  have 
believed  thatnmst  have  presupposed  the  belief  that  Jesus  was  the 
true  Messiah,  and  that  his  testimony  was  the  report  which  the  pro- 
phet complained  was  not  believed.  Neither  did  God  prevent  them 
from  believing  the  evidence  which  he  had  given  them  for  the  sake 
of  fulfilling  that  saying,  which  had  been  fulfilled  long  before,  among 
the  disobedient  Jev/s,  and  was  then  fulfilling  daily,  in  its  true  import 
as  relating  especially  to  that  day.  But  as  it  was  common  to  the 
Jews  to  use  the  strongest  language,  and  often  in  the  figurative, 
these  words,  "  That  the  saying  of  Esaias  the  prophet  might  be  ful- 
filled ;"  import  in  strong  terms,  that  that  saying  Vv'as  fulfilled  in  them 
and  with  great  justice  applied.     Again  ; 

It  was  not  possible  that  they  could  not  believe  because  that  Esaias 
said  again, "  He  hath  blinded  their  eyes  and  hardened  their  heart, 
"  that  they  should  not  see,  nor  understand."  For  in  the  first  place 
these  sayings  are  not  found  literally  in  Esaias  ;  the  meaning  there- 
fore is  not  to  be  confined  or  understood  in  the  letter  of  the  lan- 
guage ;  but  is  clearly  this  ;  They  could  not  believe,  because  they 
Were  possessed  of  that  spirit  of  blindness  and  hardness  of  which 
Esaias  spoke,  to  buch  a  degree,  as  to  blind  their  eyes  and  haixlen 
their  heart,  so  that  they  could  not  see  nor  understand  the  things 
which  pertained  to  their  salvation.  And  this  spirit  of  blindness  and 
heardness  which  prevented  them  from  believing  was  of  themselves 
and  not  of  God  ;  as  has  been  shown  before.  "  For  God  cannot  be 
"  tempted  of  evil,  neither  tempteth  he  any  man  :  but  every  man  is 
"  tempted  v/!ien  he  is  drawn  away  of  his  own  lust  and  enticed." 
[Jam.  1.  13,  14.]  But  for  God  to  give  the  people  over  to  their 
own  hearts'  lusts,  or  to  that  spirit  of  blindness  and  disobedience 
which  they  had  treasured  up  by  their  own  doings,  is  a  very  different 
thing  from  laying  it  upon  them  by  any  du'ect  agency,  without  any 
cause  in  them,  and  gives  matters  quite  another  aspect.  And  even 
the  v/ords  of  Isaiah,  strong  and  awful  as  they  are,  do  not  necessarily 
bear  any  such  meaning  as  that  God  had  sent  him  to  impose  any  such 
evil  condition  on  the  people,  v/hich  they  had  not  before,  but  to  shov/ 
them  what  kind  of  wicked  people  they  were,  as  he  had  shown  abun- 
dantly in  the  beginning  of  his  prophecy.  Thup,  "  Go,  and  tell  this 
'•  people.  Hear  ye  indeed,  but  understand  not ;  see  ye  indeed,  but 
'^  perceive  not.     Make  the  heart  of  this  peoplq  fat,  and  make  their 


143  OBJECTIONS 

"  cars  heavy,  and  shut  their  eyes  ;  lest  they  see  M'ith  their  eyes,  2.rid 
"  hear  with  their  ears,  and  undcrstar-d  with  their  heart,  and  cor.vevt, 
«  and  be  healed."  [Isa.  6.  9,  10.]  Make  the  heart  of  this  people  fat  j 
make  it  so  \x\  thy  language  to  them,  that  is,  tell  them  that  they  have 
made  it  so  ;  and  so  of  the  rest.  I  am  very  bold  in  this  interpreta- 
tion being  supported  by  the  apostle  Paul  who  hath  quoted  tliis  same 
jirophecy  in  the  same  construction,  correctly  in  the  words  of,  the 
Greek  scptuagint,  and  by  no  means  foreign  from  the  Hebrew ; 
[Acts  23.  25,  26,  27.J  and  then  the  words  are  illustrated  by  the  next 
quotation  below,  to  the,  same  purport.  "  Well  spake  the  Holy 
"■  Ghost  by  Esaias  the  prophet  unto  our  fathers,  saying,  Go  unto  this 
"  people,  and  say,  Hearing  ye  shall  hear,  and  shall  not  understand  ; 
"  and  seeing  ye  shall  sec,  and  not  perceive :  for  tlie  heart  of  thiii 
"  people  is  waxed  gross,  and  their  ears  are  dull  of  hearing,  and 
"  th^^ir  eyes  have  they  closed ;  lest  they  should  see  vith  their  eyes 
"  aiid  hear  with  their  ears."  Thus  they  have  done  these  things  to 
themselves,  by  their  own  conduct  to  defend  themselves  from  the 
galUng  evidence  and  influence  of  divine  truth  which  they  hated, 
and  such  people  still  hate,  instead  qf  that  spirit's  bciiig  impcsed  upon 
them  by  any  judicial  or  sovereign  act  of  God  to  prevent  ti.em  from 
believing  and  being  healed.  The  gospel  with  its  evidence  and  in- 
fluence, is  net  concealed  from  the  people  who  hear  it,  in  any  suqIi 
manner;  for  if  it  be  concealed  fromiav.y,  it  is  cnly  by  the  spirit  of  ini- 
quity in  thenrselves,  the  god  of  this  world,  to  keep  tluin  from  btii^g 
constrained  by  its  influence  to  enter  tiiat  path  of  hoar;ess  wi.ich  is  so. 
contrai'v  to  their  ^rature  and  inclination  ;  "  Bi't  if  our  gcsjei  he.  hid, 
"  it  is  hid  to  them  that  arc  lost,  fin  tlie  lost  state  of  sin,']  in  whom  ti;e 
"  god  of  this  world  hath  blinded  the  minds  of  them  who  beli:vc  not, 
"  lest  the  light  of  the  glorious  gospel  of  Christ,  who  is  the  image  of 
"  God,  should  shine  unto  thern."  [2  Cor.  4.  3,  4.]  Thustlie  god  of 
this  AV'orld  conceals  the  light  of  the  gospel  from  tho&e  who  believe 
not,  and  not  the  God  and  Father  of  our  Lord  Jesus  Christ,  the  C(  d 
of  mercy,  truth  and  love  :  the  testimony  of  God  therefore  remains 
unvailed  for  the  belief  of  all. 

9th.  Another  serious  and  heavy  objeclipn  with  some,  in  the  way 
of  the  unlimited  privilege  to  believe  and  lay  hold  on  eternal  life,  on 
the  authority  of  the  gospel  testimony,  is,  that  Jesus  said,  "  No  man 
"  can  come  to  me,  except  the  Father  who  hath  sent  me  draw  him." 
[Jno.  6.  44.]  And  this  drawing  is  supposed  to  mean  some  spiritual 
agency  of  the  Father  one  side  of  the  gospel  testimony,  or  ministry, 
or  in  addition  thereto,  to  give  the  gospel  efficiency.  Now  the  gos- 
pel is  the  pov.^er  of  God  to  salvation,  and  the  admission  of  such  a 
spiritual  drawing  necessarily  contradicts  its  efficiency ;  though  those 
of  that  faith  do  not  acknowledge  it.  But  it  cannot  consistently  be 
denied  that  whatever  needs  additional  agency  to  accopiplish  any  cer- 
tain effect  15  not  itself  equal  to  its  intention.  If  tlicreforp  any  agen- 
cy or  dra\\ing  of  the  Fatlicr,  in  addition  to  the  gospel,  or  one  side  of 
it,  be  necessary  to  enable  any  one  to  come  to  Christ  or  to  believe  in 


ANSWERED.  149 

him  for  salvation,  the  gospel  is  no  longer  the  power  of  God  to  sal- 
vation ;  it  is  no  longer  an  adequate  remedy  for  the  lost  race. 

It  may  be  said  that  this  necessary  drawing  of  the  Fatiier  is  not  in 
addition  to  the  gospel  or  one  side  of  it,  hut  is  a  part  of  the  gospel 
work  which  tne  Father  hath  reserved  in  his  own  hand  as  his  preroga- 
tive: and  such  it  is  accounted.  This  however  will  by  no  means  re- 
move the  difficulty  ;  for  if  this  drawing  of  the  Fatl:er  be  considered 
;is  being  a  part  of  the  gospel  or  pertauang  to  it,  and  is  not  contained 
in  the  ministration  ancj  commission  com  milted  to  those  who  preach, 
Christ's  ministers  are  no  longer  preachers  of  the  gospel,  and  have  no 
right  to  say,  "  We  pray  you  in  Christ's  stead,  be  ye  reconciled  to 
God;"  for  the  people  are  not  able  to  be  reconciled, and  they  are  not 
able  to  help  them  or  tell  them  the  way  ;  they  are  no  longer  i^blc  mi- 
nisters of  the  new  testament,  not  of  the  letter  but  of  tlic  Spirit ;  no 
longer  sent  to  the  people,  To  open  their  eyes,  and  to  turn  them  fiorn 
darkness  to  light,  and  from  the  power  of  sataii  to  God,  that  they  may- 
receive  forgiveness  of  sins,  and  inheritance  among  them  that  are 
sanctified  by  faith  ;  all  which  are  the  express  works  of  the  ministers 
of  Christ,  wiiich  God  hath  commiUed  to  them. 

Regeneration  is  attributed  to  God  as  his  own  work  ;  and  very  justly; 
hence  it  is  frequently  called,  being  born  of  God,  as  "  We  know  that 
*'  whosoever  is  bom  of  God  sinneth  not."  But  it  is  effected  by  the 
preaching  of  that  word  which  is  committed  to  men,  as  it  is  written, 
"  Of  his  own  will  begat  lie  us  by  the  word  of  truth."  "  Being  born 
*'  again,  not  of  corrufitiblc  seed',  but  of  incorruptible,  by  the  ivord  of 
"  God  which  liveth  and  abideth  forever."  "  ylnd  this  is  the  vjord 
"  nvhich  by  the  ^osficl  is  fireached  unto  you."  "  For  in  Christ  Jesn.s 
"  I  have  begotten  you  through  the  gospel."  (1  Jno.  5.  18.  Jam.  1. 
18.  1  Pet.  i;  23,  25.  1  Cor.  4.  15.  Again;  it  is  the  work  of  God  to 
call  men  out  of  darkness  into  the  light  of  his  kingdom.  "  Who  hath 
"  called  you  out  of  darkness  into  his  marvellous  light."  "  That  yc 
"  would  walk  worthy  of  God  who  hath  called  you  unto  his  kingdom 
"  and  glory."  (1  Pet.  2.  9.  1  Thes.  2.  12.)  But  he  calls  by  that  same 
gospel  which  he  hath  committed  to  his  ministers ;  ♦'  Whereunto  he 
"  called  vou  by  our  gospel  to  the  obtaining  of  the  glory  of  our  Lord 
"  Jesus  Christ."  (2  Thes.  2.  14.) 

In  like  manner,  it  is  the  work  of  God  to  draw  souls  to  Christ.  But 
it  is  evident  tliat  he  draws  them  by  t!ie  gospel,  or  in  other  words,  by 
Christ  himself  set  forth  in  the  gospel.  Christ  is  the  drawing  of  the 
Father,  the  loadstone  by  which  the  Father  draws  souls  to  himself; 
"  For  he  is  the  way,  the  truth,  and  the  life  ;  and  no  mw  cometh  to 
*'  the  Father  but  by  him."  Accordingly  said  Jesus  again  ;  "  And  I, 
"  if  I  be  lifted  up  from  the  earth,  will  draw  all  men  unto  me."  "  And 
"  as  Moses  lifted  up  tlic  serpent  in  the  wilderness,  even  so  mu.st  the 
"  Son  of  man  be  lifted  up ;  that  whosoever  belicveth  in  him  should 
"  not  perish  but  have  eternal  life."  (Jno.  14.  6.  and  12.  32.  and  3. 
14,  15."^  According  to  this  view  the  gospel  is  all  of  a  piece,  and  the 
plan  which  God  hath  hid  for  man's  redemption  is  perfect,  completely 
adapted  to  all  his  v/ants,  an  adequate  remedy,  "  And  all  things  are 


250  OBJECTIONS 

"  of  Go<J,  M  ]io  hath  reconciled  us  to  himself  by  Jesus  Christ,  and 
"  hath  given  to  us  the  ministry  of  reconciliation."  (2  Cor.  5.  IS.) 
Thus  the  drawing-  of  the  Father  is  treasured  up  in  Christ  and  5?iven 
to  his  ministers.  And  the  words  which  follow  as  an  explunaiion  of 
the  text  quoted  in  the  objection  are  by  no  means  inconsisteht  with 
this  view  of  the  subject;  "  It  is  written  in  the  prophets,  And  tney 
^^  shall  be  all  taught  of  God.  Every  man  therefore  that  hath  heard, 
"  and  hath  learned  of  the  Father  cometh  unto  me."  For  not  all  who 
hear,  not  ail  who  are  taught,  learn  of  the  Father ;  some  are  untract- 
able,  and  resist  his  Holy  Spirit,  as  we  shall  consider  shortly.  "  Not 
*'  that  any  man  hatli  seen  the  Father,  (none:  therefore  are  taught  by 
^'  him  immediately,)  save  he  who  is  of  God,  he  hath  seen  the  Father. 
(The  children  have  seen  him.)  Verily,  verily,  I  say  unto  you,  lie 
"that  believcth  on  me  hath  everlasting  life."  In  him  then  is"  the 
drawing  of  the  Father,  in  him  we  may  all  hear  and  learn  of  the  Fa- 
ther, and  so  be  all  taught  of  God,  and  he  is  found  and  knov.'n  in  the 
gospel  a  Savior  near  at  hand  and  not  far  off,  as  before  proved.  "  !  or 
"  the  righteousness  which  is  of  faith  speaketh  on  this  wise,  Say  not 
"  in  thine  heart,  "Who  shall  ascend  into  heaven  ?  (that  is  to  bring 
"  Christ  down  from  above,)  or  Who  shall  descend  into  the  deep  ? 
"  (that  is  to  bring  \\p  Christ  again  from  the  dead  :)  But  what  saith 
''■  it  ?  The  word  is  nigh  thee,  even  in  thy  mouth  and  in  thy  heart, 
"  that  is  the  word  of  faith  v/hich  we  preach."  (Ro.  10.  6,  7,  8.) 

On  this  view  of  th.c  subject,  the  dra'\\ings  and  teachings  of  the 
Fathei*,  ai'e  all  in  reach  of  those  v/ho  hear  the  gospel ;  all  things  be- 
ing ready  on  God's  part,  that  whosoever  will  may  ccme ;  aixl  they 
who  reject  have  r.o  excuse  because  they  do  it  of  their  own  voluntary 
choice,  refusing  to  be  persuaded  by  the  influence  and  authority  of 
Ciod.  For  it  is  proved  by  oqjrcsr.  scripture,  that  men  can, and  actu- 
ally ^o,  resist  the  Holy  Spirit  cf  Gcd  so  as  to  prevent  his  saving  ope- 
I'ations  on  the  heart.  Thus  said  Stephen  ;  "  Yc  stiff-necked  and  un- 
"  circumcised  in  heart  and  in  ears,  yc  do  always  resist  the  Holy 
"  Ghost ;  as  your  fathers  did  so  do  yc."  And  Paul ;  "  It  was  neces- 
*'-  sary  that  the  word  of  God  should  first  have  been  spoken  to  you  ; 
"  but  seeing  ye  put  it  from  you,  and  judge  yourselves  unvt-orthy  of 
"  everlasting-  life,  lo,  v/e  turn  to  the  Gentiles ;  for  so  hath  the  Lord 
"  commanded  us,  saying,  I  have  set  thee  to  be  a  light  of  the  Gentiles, 
"that  thou  shouldest  be  for  salvation  to  the  ends  of  the  earth."  (Acts 
7.  5!,  and  13.  46,  47.)  This  word  of  God  then,  which  those  Jews 
'  put  from  tliem,  contradicting  and  blaspheming,  was  that  word  which, 
tliough  preached  by  men,  contained  in  it  everlasting  life,  with  Christ 
the  salvation  of  God. 

But  on  the  other  liand  ;  to  suppose  that  God  reserves  that  special 
drawing,  or  effectual  calling,  as  it  is  frequently  denominated,  as  a 
p.'frogativc  hi  Iiis  o-^vn  hand,  without  which  all  other  means  and  en- 
deavors are  incfrectual  to  faith  and  justification,  they  who  do  not  be- 
lieve and  obey  are  not  ine::cusablc,  having  no  opportunity  of  ccrn- 
l>lying.  It  is  vain  to  ;Jfead  that  their  duty  is  to  believe  in  Christ,  and 
they  mus*-  necessarily  be  guilty  in  not  complying  with  their  duty ; 


AIS'SWERED.  151 

for  duty  implies  capability  ;  it  is  no  man's  duty  to  do  that  "whicii  is 
out  of  his  reach.  If  the  duty  of  all  is  to  believe  the  gospel  v/hca 
thoy  hear  it,  that  duty  requires  that  the  gospel  be  fuvnishedwith  sui- 
flci'ent  authority,-evcn  the  authority  of  God,  and  aiBpie  provision  for 
the  faith  and  obedience  of  every  man,  the  teachings  and  drawings  of 
the  Father,  not  excepted.  But  how  weak  !  liow  preposterous  is  it, 
for  men  to  insist  on  the  duty  of  all  men  to  believe  in  Christ,  as  many 
do,  w^ho  believe ;  not  only  that  it  is  impracticable  for  any,  except 
those  who  receive  that  special  drawing  which  they  cannot  resist,  but 
also,  that  should  any  man  suppose  he  wonld  gain  any  tiling  towards 
acceptance  vdth  God,  by  complying  with  his  duty,  the  duty  of  believ- 
ing in  Christ  not  excepted,  it  would  be  legality,  he  would  be  fallen 
from  grace,  and  Christ  should  profit  him  nothing  !  For  it  remains 
true,  that  "  Christ  is  become  of  no  effect  to  you,  whosoever  of  you 
"  are  justified  by  the  law,  ye  are  fallen  from  grace."  (Gal.  5.  4.) 
And  "  Those  whom  God  eftectually  calleth,  he  also  freely  justifieth," 
Sf.y  they,  "  not  for  any  tlung  wrought  in  them,  but  for  Christ's  sake 
'«  alone :  not  by  imputing  faith  itself,  the  act  of  believing,  or  ar.y 
"  other  evangelical  obedience  to  them,  as  their  righteousness."  (Sco 
Conf 'n.  Faith.  Chap.  XI.  Sect.  I.)  Strange  language  this,  to  be 
used  by  a  people  who  profess  to  be  directed  by  the  scriptures,  in 
which  tlicy  never  once  read  of  any  thing  being  imputed  to  any  man 
except  his  own  faith  or  works  !  "  For  we  say  that  faith  was  reckoned, 
*'  [or  imputed ]to  Abraham  for  righteousness."  "Nov.-,  it  was  not  writ- 
*'  ten  for  his  sake  alone,  that  it  was  imputed  to  him  ;  but  for  us  aLo, 
*'  to  whom  it  shall  be  imputed  if  ivt  bdic~cc  on  him  that  raised  up 
"  Jesus  our  Lord  from  the  dead."  (Ro.  4.  9,  23,  24.) 

But  such  ])lain  declarations  need  not  be  misunderstocd.  The  doc- 
trines stated  above  relating  to  the  unlimited  privilege  and  duty  of  ail 
to  believe  and  obey,  grounded  in  the  authority  of  God  as  proclaimed 
in  the  gospel ;  and  the  impropriety  of  looking  for  any  special  opera- 
tion or  drawing  of  the  Father  in  addition,  beyond,  or  anywise  ab- 
stractedly from  the  provision  made  in  the  gospel,  and  committed  to 
those  who  are  sent  to  preach  it,  as  being  necessary  before  souls  can 
believe  and  set  out  to  follow  Cln'ist;  I  say  these  doctrines,  as  often 
intimated,  relate  to  those  who  hear  the  gospel,  that  is,  those  whom 
the  true  and  perfect  gospel  hath  actually  found,  and  they  know  what 
it  is  and  where,  or  at  least  have  the  opportunity  of  knowing  by  sufT;- 
cient  evidence.  Apd  by  this  also  the  gespel  may  be  known.  What- 
ever may  be  called  gospel  or  the  preaching  thereof,  which  doth  net 
relieve  all  honestly  enquiring  minds  of  all  difficulty  on  these  sub- 
jects, and  set  them  at  full  liberty  to  make  their  choice  for  life  or 
death,  is  not  to  be  received  as  the  true  gospel :  I  say  honestly  en- 
quiring minds;  and  there  is  no  reason  why  those  who  are  aw'akened 
enough  to  be  honestly  in  qxiest  of  salvation  should  not  he  able  to 
judge  pretty  correctly  of  their  own  honesty,  v.'hen  they  hcu.r  the  gos- 
pel. I  give  this  rule  as  perfectly  according  with  the  scriptures  ;  fnr 
according  to  these,  the  ministers  of  Christ  are  the  ipiiristcrs  of  tlie 


152  OBJECTIONS 

Spirit ;  for  the  Lord  is  that  Spirit ;  and  where  the  Spirit  of  the- Lord 
is,  there  is  liberty.  (2  Cor,  3.  6,  17.) 

But  some  farther  observations  are  necessary  relative  to  the  above 
doctrines.  It  will  be  alledt^ed,  that  it  is  true  enough,  all  may  believer 
and  come  to  Christ  who  will,  on  the  authority  of  the  gospel  invitation; 
but  here  is  the  point  on  which  the  matter  rests,  that  the  people  will 
not  conic,  and  have  no  power  to  will  any  thing  of  the  kind,  and  those 
special  drawings  of  the  Father  are  unavoidably  the  pivot  6t\  which 
the  wliole  matter  finally  must  turn.  And  here  it  will  be  insisted  that 
God  is  clear  and  the  souls  who  perish  guilty,  because  th6  reason  why 
they  do  not  believe  and  come  to  Christ  is  that  they  will  not,  and  how 
can  they  be  more  completely  without  excuse  ?  But  this  kind  of 
reasoiiing  affords  no  resolution  of  tne  attending  difficulties,  or  relief 
to  the  nnnd  ;  because  man's  incapability  to  be  willing  is  confessedly 
as  great  as  his  incapability  to  believe  or  come  to  Christ,  and  his  pow- 
er as  much  out  of  liis  reach,  being  unattainable  except  by  the  afore- 
said special  drawing,  which  God  gave  to  others  and  not  to  tlicm> 
when  there  was  no  reason  pertaining  to  the  others  why  they  should 
be  preferred,  and  no  reason  in  those  who  are  left  why  they  should 
not  have  received  said  special  gift  as  well  as  those  who  received  it.- 
They  are  therefore  no  more  inexcusable. 

But  it  hath  been  aliedged  that  God  hath  promised  to  make  the 
people  willing.     Admitting  that  to  be  true,  that  he  hath  promised 
and  will  do  it,  unless  he  make  all  wiiling,  after  such  unreserved  in- 
vitations as  are  contained  in  the  gospel  offers,  his  character  is  by  no 
means  exculpated  from  the  charge  of  injustice,  wliile  any  one  is  con- 
demned on  the  principle  stated  in  the  scripture  ;  "  Because  he  hath 
■not  belifved"     But  it  is  not  true,  that  God  promised  fo  make  the 
people  willing  to  believe  or  come  to  Christ,  especially  by  any  such, 
special  gift  or  drawing.     To  prove  that  promise  the  words  of  David 
are  often  aliedged.  (Psm.  110.  3.)     "  Thy  people  (shall  be)  willing 
in  the  day  of  thy  power."     But  these  words  have  nothing  in  thenx 
from  which  such  a  promise  can  be  inferred,  being  simply  a  prophecy 
expressing  the  character  of  God's  people  in  the  time  of  the   gospel 
kingdom,  as  a  willing  people,  who  follow  and  serve   him  of  choice. 
As  to  the  words  shall  tV,  they  are  not  i^  the  Hebrew,  and  are  simply 
expressive  of  futurity,  as  that  which  should  take   place   in   time  to 
come.     Another  scripture  ulledged  in  defence. of  the  aforesaid  pro- 
mise, or  the  doctrines  connected  with  it,  is  the  saying  of  the  apos- 
tle, "  ^Vcrll  out  your  own  salvation  with  fear  and  trembling ;  for  it 
*■'■  is  God  who  worketh  in  you  to  will    and  to   do  of  h.is    pleasure." 
[Phil.  2.  12,  13.]  But  it  is  to  be  observed  that  this  was  not  writteii. 
to  unbelievers  as  a  promise  of  helping   them  into  the  faith,  but  to 
those  in  the  iaitb,  for  the  encouragement  and  help  of  tb.ose  who  liad 
already  complied  with  the  gospel  call,  had  believed  and  been  sca'ed 
V.  ilh  the  lioly  Spirit  of  promise.     "  In  whom   ye  alr.o   trusted,  after 
«'  that  ye  l.earcd  tlic  Avord  of  truth,  the  gospel  of  your  salvation  :  \x\ 
*<  \\  horn  also  alter  that  ye  believed,  ye  were    scaled    with  that  J^cly 
"  S^writ  of  piumiGc.*'     Tlicy  were  also  such  as  l\ad  kept  their  jus- 


ANSWERED.  153 

llncatioTi  by  obedience;  the  necessity  of  which  we  continually  main- 
tain. "■  Wiicrcfore  my  beloved  ;  as  yc  liavc  always  obeyed,  not  as  ia 
*'  my  presence  cn^h'.,  but  now  much  more  in  my  absence,  work  out 
"  your  own  salvaiioi>  with  fear  and  trembjinfj;.  For  it  is  God  who 
"  workcth  in  you,  both  to  will  and  to  do  of  his  good  pleasure." 
Promises  made  to  believers  do  not  belon^j  to  unbelievers  ^vho  refuse 
to  comply  with  the  simple  and  reasonable  request  of  submitting;  to 
the  gospel  ia  the  obedience  of  faith.  Believers  receive  the  Spirit  ; 
they  keep  the  sayir.<2;s  of  Clirist;  and  the  Father  and  the  Son  come 
to  them  and  make  their  abode  with  them;  they  arc  the  temple  of 
the  living  God,  and  there  he  dwells  according  to  his  promise ;  /  ■:vii'l 
dwfl!  in  them  and  v.mlk  in  (htm,  and  they  shall  be  viy  people  and  I 
iv'ill  be  their  God^  a7id  I  vjill  be  a  Father  to'  tJiem^  'caith  the  L,ohd 
Jhnlg'hty.  These  then,  who  believe  and  obey,  are  the  proper  sub- 
jects of  his  saving  work  and  special  power.  Thcf^e  have  the  pj'o- 
misc  ot  eternal  life,  in  Christ,  in  whom  they  have  believed,  and  are 
kept  by  the  power  of  God  thronp;h  faith  to  salvation.  And  others 
are  freely  welcome  to  the  same  privileges  and  blessings;  whosoever 
will  submit  to  the  same  door  of  access;  faith  and~ obedience :  but 
without  that  submission  they  are  excluded. 

Hut  I  shall  not  dispute  the  fact,  that  God  makelh.  the  people 
vriiling,  for  the  ^York  is  ail  of  God.  Not  by  any  special  agency  or 
drawiiig  beyond  the  mhiisf.y  of  the  gospel,  but  by  inducing  them  by 
gospei  motives.  Accordingly,  that  Avork  is  committed  to  his  minis- 
ters; "  And  all  things  are  of  God,  who  hath  reconciled  us  to  himself 
"  by  .Tcs\)s  Christ,  and  hath  given  to  us  the  ministry  of  reconciliation  ; 
"to  wit,  that  God  was  in  Christ  reconciling  the  world  to  himself,  net 
"  imputing  their  trespasses  to  th.cm;  and  hath  committed  to  us  the 
"  word  of  reconciliation.  Now  then  we  are  ambassadors  for  Chrirt, 
''  ^or,  in  Christ's  stead,  or,  in  the  behalf  of  Christ;  vCfp  A'ujy;]  as 
"  though  God  did  beseech  you  by  us :  ive  firay  you  in  Chrif;('s  .ftead, 
'■'  for  in  the  l)ehalf  of  Christ,  v^fp  Xf,c^[i,  as  above,]  be  yc  reconciled 
"  to  God.  (■:!  Cor.  5.  18,  19,  20.)  And  saith  Paul,  in  another  place;- 
"  For  t'-.ough  I  be  free  from  all  men,  yet  have  I  made  myself  serv- 
*■'  ant  to  all,  that  I  mlgh.tgain  t'.ic  more.  And  to  the  JcvVs  I  became  as 
"  a  Jew,  that  I  might  gain  the  Jews :  to  them  that  are  under  tlic  law,. 
"  as  under  the  lav/,  that  I  might  gain  them  that  arc  under  liie  law ; 
*'  to  th.em  that  are  witliout  law,  a;:;  without  law,  (Ijeing  not  withovit-  liw 
"  to  God,  i)ut  lUider  the  lav.'  to  Clirist,)  that  I  niiglit  gain  thenr  that' 
"  are  withoi't  lav/  ;  to  the  weak  became  I  as  weak,  that  1  might  gain 
♦'•  the  weak:  I  am  made  all  tilings  to  all  men,  that  I  might  by  all 
»«  means  save  some."    [!' Cor.  D.  19  to  22.] 

Again  ;  I  will  not  deny  that  God  dotli  work  a  preparatory  work 
among  the  people  who  know  not  the  gospel,  fitting  and  prepanng 
iheir  minds  lor  its  rcceiition.  ^  Mankind  are  so  fur  lost  from  God  in 
ignorance  of  his  true  nature,  aiid  in  the  carnal  mind  which  is  er.mity 
■against  Gcd,  because  not' subject  to  hisLaw  neither  can  be,  that  tio 
vospel  never  could  have  access  to  tiiem,,  %vithotit  such  a  work,  bl\i! 
V  ould  prove  a  curse  instead  of  a  blessing,    "  Behold,  I  v.il!  send  y-oiv 

V 


154  OBJECTIONS 

<'  Vllijah  the  prophet  before  the  commg  of  the  great  and  dreadful 
"■  day  of  the  Lord:  and  he  shall  turn  the  heart  of  the  fatl.ers  to  the 
"  children,  and  the  heart  of  the  children  to  the  fathers,  lest  I  come 
"  and  smite  the  earth  with  a  curse."  (Mai.  4.  5,  6.)  This  prepara- 
tory work  is  carried  on  either  more  immediately  by  the  Spirit  of  Gcd 
through  the  ministration  of  unbodied  spirits,  or  more  ordinarily  by 
communicating  it  from  one  to  another  by  the  ministration  of  those 
who  are  in  the  same  work,  while  all  the  time,  God  is  carrying  on  the 
■work,  making  his  angels  ministers  therein.  Thus  John  tlie  baptist 
was  sent  of  God  to  do  a  preparatory  work  before  Jesus  Christ  who 
brought  in  the  true  gospel,  as  it  is  written  of  him;  "  And  many  of 
"  the  children  of  Israel  shall  he  turn  to  the  Lord  their  God.  And  lie 
"  shall  go  before  him  in  the  spirit  and  power  of  Elias,  to  turn  the 
"  hearts  of  the  fathers  to  the  children,  and  the  disobedient  to  the  wis- 
"  dom  of  the  just,  to  m.ake  ready  a  people  prepared  for  the  Lord." 
(Luk.  1.  16,  17.)  Thus  also  Paul  was  convinced  by  a  revelation 
from  Jesus  Christ  to  break  him  down  in  the  midst  of  his  opposition 
and  prepare  his  mind  for  hearing  the  gospel  by  Ananias,  a  minister 
of  Christ,  and  member  of  his  body.  Cornelius  also  had  an  angel 
sent  to  him,  to  tell  him  by  whom  he  might  hear  the  gospel,  or  hear 
Avords  whereby  he  and  his  house  might  be  saved  ;  by  which  also 
many  of  his  kinsmen  and  near  friends  were  put  into  a  situation  to  re- 
ceive the  same  gospel.  In  like  manner  the  eunuch  had  his  mind 
awakened,  and  prepared  by  the  Jewish  worship,  and  the  reading  of 
the  prophets,  to  receive  the  gospel  by  Philip  the  evangelist. 

But  this  preparatory  work  is  a  very  different  thing  from  that  sup- 
posed special  work,  or  drawing  of  the  Father,  beyond  the  limits  of 
that  gospel  which  is  committed  to  his  ministers,  to  give  it  an  appli- 
cation, and  make  it  effectual.  For  this  preparatory  work  is  wrought 
in  those  v.'ho  know  not  the  gospel,  although  they  live  in  the  land 
•where  it  is,  as  did  Paul.  Besides,  in  this  preparatory  work  there  is 
nothing  saving ;  although  in  it  there  is  often  a  ministration  of  much 
light  and  power  from  God.  John  was  a  burning  and  shining  light, 
but  v/as  not  the  true,  or  perfect  light  ;  "  The  same  came  for  a  Avit- 
"  ness  to  bear  witness  of  that  Light,  that  all  men  might  believe 
"  through  him.  He  was  not  that  Light,  but  was  sent  to  bear  witness 
"  of  that  Light ;"  [Jno.  1.  7,  8.]  and  led  the  people  so  far  out  of  their 
eld  system,  that  they  were  able  to  reach  the  new  dispcvssalion,  in 
Christ.  Apolos  also  being  an  eloquent  man,  was  mighty  in  the 
scriptures,  was  instructed  in  the  way  of  the  Lord,  was  fervent  in  the 
Spirit,  and  spoke  and  taught  diligently  the  things  of  the  Lord,  know- 
ing only  the  baptism  of  John.  [Acts  18.  24,  25.]  The  seventy 
disciples  also,  who  were  yet  in  the  preparatory  work,  returned  from 
tlueir  mission,  saying,  "Lord,  even  the  devils  arc  subject  to  us 
"through  thy  name  ;"  [Luke  10.  17.J  while  entirely  ignorant  of  the 
true  spirit  and  inward  work  of  the  gospel.  But  Christ  the  salvation 
of  God,  is  known  in  the  goaj.el  alone.  'J7te  goa/icl  is  the  pov;er  of 
God  to  salvation. 


ANSWERED,  153 

In  tliis  preparatory  work  then  people  often  have  great  exercises, 
deep  convictions,  and  much  rejoicing.  "  John  was  a  burning-  and 
"  a  shining  light ;  and  ye  Avere  willing  for  a  season  to  rejoice  in  his 
"  light."  [Jno.  5.  35.]  Many  in  the  deep  labor  and  travail  of  their 
aouls,  have  felt  the  burden  and  guilt  of  their  sins  to  an  enormr.us 
size  ;  have  seen  much  of  their  lost  estate  by  sin  ;  have  contemplated 
much  of  the  contrariety  and  enmity  of  their  nature  against  God, 
seeing  much  of  their  pollution  and  unholiness ;  have  seen  their 
pride  in  the  things  of  the  earth  ;  h.ave  seen  the  ])ollution  of 'the  cere, 
and  source  of  their  existence  and  nativity,  in  their  natural  state,  the 
work  of  natural  generation,  as  being  a  work  in  which  God  is  not 
known,  in  which  there  is  notiiing  of  God,  nor  any  thing  with  AvhicJi 
God  can  have  any  fellowship,  and  that  they  who  live  in  it  can  have 
no  savor  for  the  nature  of  Gcd  ;  have  been  brought  into  the  very 
borders  of  despair,  and  felt  themselves  as  it  were  already  eternally 
excluded  from  the  notice  and  favor  of  God,  on  account  of,their 
own  internal  and  practical  wickedness.  After  such  scenes  of  dis- 
tress, some  have  returned  to  their  former  course  of  wickedness  or 
rather  worse,  some  have  leavened  down  into  an  almost,  or  quite  in- 
sensible stupidity,  having  none  to  show  them  the  way  of  life.  Some 
in  the  midst  of  their  distress,  or  point  of  despondency,  have  been 
led  to  contemplate  the  freenessand  fulness  of  the  sahation  of  God 
in  Christ,  with  which  their  hearts  have  closed  in,  and  as  fa.r  as  they 
have  understood  it,  they  have  dcli;;^htcd  in  the  law  of  Ciod  in  tlie  in- 
ner man  ;  witli  this  their  souls  have  been  greatly  releaved,  and  over- 
whelmed with  a  sense  of  God's  goodness  and  love  to  them,  not  for- 
getting the  freedom  of  the  same  to  all  who  will  come:  for  wher- 
ever an;thiiig  of  this  kind  comes  from  the  Spirit  of  God,  it  repre- 
sents the  true  salvation  of  God  unreservedly  free  to  all  who  will 
come. 

Much  might  be  said,  and  has  often  been,  on  the  exercises  cf  those 
who  have  experienced  such  a  change  in  the  state  of  their  mind  ;  but 
this  is  not  the  object  here.  It  is  unnecessary  to  biiikl  up  that  which 
cannot  stand.  With  all  these  exercises,  th.ough  an  Inuidred  fold 
more  than  are  here  stated,  the  nature  of  evil  is  not  destroyed  ;  the 
soul  is  not  renovated  ;  the  root  of  bitterness,  the  carnal  mind,  is  still 
within.  The  man  is  still  an  old  bottle,  and  though  filled  with  new 
wine  a  thousand  times,  it  would  all  run  out  in  time.  Hence  the  con- 
fession of  indwelling  sin,  and  the  hardness  and  other  plagues  of  an 
evil  heart,  with  which  those  say  they  have  to  contend,  who  count 
themselves  converted  to  Christ  in  some  of  those  scenes  which  they 
have  experienced.  In  these'  exercises  people  are  apt  to  form 
their  language  greatly  according  to  their  previous  education  ;  (some 
howevei-  are  led  in  them  to  a  better  understanding  of  things ;)  some 
thank  God  for  his  distinguishing  love  to  them,  (meaning  that  he 
hath  included  them  in  his  special  election,)  rejoicing  in  the  right- 
eousness of  Christ  imputed  to  them,  or  that  God  hath  forgiven  their 
sins  for  Christ's  sake,  meaning,  as  their  surety,  who  has  paid  their 
debt.      Not   considering  that  this  is  all   unsciiptural:    but  these  arc 


156  OBJECTIONS 

the  impressions  of  their  previous  eriucr.tion.  But  r/hcthcr  they 
talk  of  the  rightcousjicss  (A  Chrir.t  iuiputcd,  or  opplied,  or  «jf  th€ 
benefits  of  Xhrist  received  by  faith,  v^iiile  they  expect,  or  believe 
they  have  received  justification  directly  l)y  f?.ith,  it  amounts  to  the 
same  thing  iu  substance.  No  justification  v/ill  stand  the  judgment  of 
God,  ■wliich  l-.ath  already  gone  fortli  as  the  law  out  of  Zion,  only  thctt 
v.'lnch  is  l)uilt  on  the  obeclience  of  faith  ;  or  havir.g  the  faith  of 
CliHst  and  iivintj  hi;^  life,  v/aiking  even  as  he  walked  ;  as  is  proved  in 
its  place. 

In  this  preparatory  Avork,  as  before  stated,  many  have  had  great 
Vii^ht  and  pev^'or ;  clear  views  of  many  scriptures,  so  as  to  see 
things  in  the  light  of  God,  or  in  the  light  which  tlie  prophets  and 
apostles  had  wt)cn  they  wrote  them;  or  if  they  should  in  some  cases 
<;vcn  exceed  in  the  gift  of  revelation,  all  this  would  not  prove  any 
thing  more  than  a  preparatory  work.  "  Ar.d  though  I  have  the  gift 
*'  of  prophecy,  (as  many  have  had  who  weie  only  in  a  preparatory 
"  work)  and  understand  all  mysteries  and  all  knowledge,  and  though 
"  I  have  ail  faith,  so  that  I  could  remove  mountains,  and  have  not 
*'  charity,  I  am  nothing."  (1  Cor.  13.  2.)  Having  these  things  given 
or  revealed  to  them  by  the  Spirit,  they  have  been  able  to  speak  with 
great  clearness,  and  to  preach  with  great  pov.^cr  and  great  success, 
so  as  to  convert  many  into  the  same  circle  of  light  and  beginning 
liberty. 

Avacng  these,  some  conclude  t-iey  arc  in  the  safe  path,  they  are 
now  converted,  are  now  in  Christ  and  expect  in  the  end  to  land  safe 
in  heaven  ;  but  not  being  ingrafted  in  the  true  vine,  which  is  Christ,, 
they  arc  exposed  to  leaven  back  into  the  manners,  the  customs,  the 
]>ridc  and  lusts  of  the  v/orld,  and  by  degrees  lose  their  iive'ty  sense 
of  sin,  especially  in  the  source  of  it,  arid  can  live  after  the  course  of 
the  v.!orld  v-ith  little  or  no  remorse.  If  they  can  keep  out  of  the 
commonly  condemned,  gross  iniquities,  can  support  a  name  in  tlvc 
cliurch,  can  remember  their  conversion,  and  on  some  particular 
occasions  have  some  lively,  melting  feelings  of  somewhat  the  same 
cast,  although  they  find  sin  in  t!\em  able  to  lift  up  its  head  fiom  day 
to  d'AA-,  they  hope  to  be  saved  in  the  end,  aud  that  Christ  will  make 
amends  for  all  their  failings. 

But  others  cannot  rest  so  ;  nothing  v/ill  do  them  but  full  deliver- 
aricc  ;  nothing  short  of  the  clearest  evidence  of  eternal  life  ;  no- 
tlung  short  of  the  death  and  final  removal  of  that  v/hich  they  have 
found  to  separate  their  sovils  from  God,  vvh.ich  is  sin  in  the  very  root 
and  nature  as  well  as  its  works.  And  though  they  may  have  Icen 
converted  a  thousand  times  as  is  cc-mmoi.iy  couijled  coaversicn  ; 
while  sin  is  there,  its  wages  are  inevitably  death  ;  Avherever  it  is,  it 
unavoidably  carries  with  it  darkness,  guilt  and  proportior.ate  ccn- 
denmation  ;  and  there  is  no  peace  saith  my  God,  to  the  wicked,  is 
the  etevnaliy  haunthig  sound  in  those  who  commit  sin,  and  arc 
av.'ake  tp  see  it  :  t/iesc  mutft  have  the  truth  and  the  onbutnKcc. 
Therefore  as  the  prayerE  and  alms  of  Cornelius  came  up  for  a  me- 
iTJOvial  before  God,  and  he  sent  him  help,  so  doth  God   Irol:    ou   the 


ANSWERED.  l-^r 

ronditlon  of  those  who  cannot  do  without  the  perfect  and  everlasting- 
gospel,  and  send  it  to  them.  And  -when  it  ccnuth,  li  is  with  lull  au- 
thority tor  tiicir  fidih,  and  full  provision  for  ail  th.cir  \\ar.t.s,  as  aiieady 
stated. 

But  not  all  who  partalie  in  the  preparatory  work  receive  the  gos- 
pel when  they  hear  it.  Of  the  multitudes  wiio  followed  John,  and 
crowded  after  Jesus  and  his  disciples,  few  would  endure  tlie  doc- 
trines of  the  cross.  Hence  it  is  said  on  a  certain  occasion,  after  he 
had  been  teachin^j  the  necessity  of  eatinsj;  his  flesli  and  drinking-  his 
blood,  "  Fro7n  that  time  many  of  his  diacifiles  went  back,  and  ivalkcd 
110  more  ivith  him."  (Jno.  6.  60.)  And  of  those  who  have  great 
anxiety  to  be  saved,  all  do  nut  obey  the  gospel  when  they  find  it : 
«omc  stumble  at  tbe  cress.  Hence  also  the  younp;  man  of  vvhoni 
the  cvangclists^j^lve  spol;en,  who  had  such  anxiety  to  be  saved,  when 
he  h.eard  of  thf  cross,  the  i^-iving  of  all  he  had  to  the  f.oor,  avd  tak- 
ing u/i  his  cro^s  a?id  folloiving  Christ,  was  sad  at  the  saying,  and 
though  .lorro-sful,  yet  he  went  away.  In  like  manner,  hundreds,  net 
to  say  thousands  of  the  people  wi)o  were  more  or  less  partakers  of 
the  preparatory  v.'ork  in  Kentucky,  and  the  adjacent  states,  rcarjy  of 
whom  too,  had  great  desires  and  earnest  labors  ibr  eternal  life,  ar^d 
cried  with  great  anxiety  fc>r  dciiverancc  from  the  lant  and  least  re- 
mains- of  fiin^  yet  when  tl;c  gospel  appeared  and  opened  the  way  of 
deliverance  hy  t]:e  cross,  with  full  power  to  save,  s';cn  dcacried  the 
cro3!i  end  iur?ic.d  CKvai/.  LSomc  turnirt'^  like  the  dog  to  his  vomit,  cr 
the  sowthat  was  Avashcd  to  her  wallov.-ir.g  in  the  mire  ;  while  others 
concluded  the}^  were  on  safe  ground,  and  woidd  there  remain  ;  and 
some  openly  renounced  the  light  whicl:  they  had  received  ar.d  tc::ti- 
fied  to  be  of  God,  tliat  they  might  be;  furnisiicd  with  a  more  plausible 
pretext  for  rejecting  the  testimony  of  the  cross. 

But  on  the  other  hand  ;  the  true  gospel,  v/hcn  it  opens,  is  not  con- 
fined to  those  wh.o  have  been  actual  subjects  of  the  prcpaiatory 
work  ;  for  after  the  way  has  been  once  prepared  to  let  it  among  the 
people,  and  it  hath  made  its  entrance,  its  invitations  are  extended  to 
all  who  have  been  av/akencd,  cr  now  V;  ill  take  the  alarm,  and  its  pro- 
visions are  equally  sufficient  for  all  who  will  come.  So  that  all  being' 
in  the  reach  of  salvation  wlicre  the  gospel  comes,  are  left  without 
excuse. 

Farther ;  It  i:;  true  that  men  cannot  believe  without  evidence ; 
and  they  cannot  he  expected  to  believe  witliout  understanding  or  see- 
ing into  the  evidence  of  the  gospel,  so  far  at  least,  as  to  produce  con- 
viction of  its  truth,  on  fair  and  reasonable  grounds.  But  this  is  so 
far  fi  om  exculpating  those  v/ho  believe  not,  that  on  this  grour.d  they 
arc  fairly  and  readily  criminated ;  especially  because  they  yield  not 
so  far  as  to  give  the  evidence  or  testimony  a  fair  mvcstigation,  having 
descried  the  cross  of  Christ  on  v^'hich  they  are  to  be  cruciiied  with 
him,  and  at  which  they  stumble.  Those  v>'ho  honestly  contemplate 
the  gospel  testimony,  receivinp;  the  word  with  an  honest  and  good 
heart,  and  are  willing  to  obey  the  truth  wherever  it  is  found,  will  not 
be  iackinc;  for  cvidcn.ce.     No.t  or>!y  because   the  testimor.y  cf  the 


15?  OBJECTIONS 

gospel  is  rational  and  coubistent  Avith  the  understanding ;  but  because 
God  is  ahvays  ready  to  assist  those  who  honestly  serve  hhn  to  tlie 
best  of  their  knowledge,  whether  Jews  or  Gentiles,  whether  after 
they  have  received  the  true  gospel,  or  in  a  preparatory  work,  and 
yet  in  nature.  Thus  Cornelius  being  honest  to  the  light  Mhich  he 
had,  God  sent  him  farther  instructions.  Thus  also  Lydia  beiisg  a 
worshiper  of  God,  came  to  hear  the  gospel,  "  Whose  heart  the 
"  Lord  opened  that  she  attended  to  the  things  which  v/ere  spoken  of 
"  Paul ;"  and  having  heard  she  believed  and  was  baptized.  "  So  then 
«  faith  Cometh  by  hearing  and  hearing  by  the  word  of  God."  (Acts 
16. 14,  15.  Ro.  10.  17.)  But  those  who  do  not  improve,  but  reject  the 
light  and  opportunity  wliich  they  have  given  to  them,  need  not  ex- 
pect to  receive  farther  help  from  God,  but  to  lose  what  they  have. 
*'  For  to  him  that  hath  shall  be  given ;  and  from  him  •Apt  hath  net  even 
"  that  he  hath  shall  be  taken  away."  (Luk.  19.  26.)  In  many  other 
respects  God  works  more  remotely  in  the  course  of  his  providence, 
by  aiFiictions,  crosses,  and  distresses,  or  by  setting  bounds  to  men's 
habitations  to  prepare  the  mind  for  the  reception  of  the.gospci  as  it 
is  written  ;  "  And  hath  determined  the  times  before  appointed  ar.d  the 
"  bounds  of  their  habitation  ;  that  they  should  seel:  the  Lord,  if  hap- 
"  ly  they  might  feel  after  him  and  find  him."  (Acts  17.  26,  27.) 
But  none  of  these  things  amount  to  a  saving  work  until  the  Lcspel 
is  known,  believed  and  obeyed  ;  for  it  is  eke  power  of  God  to  salva^ 
Hon. 

10th.  From  the  doctrines  before  treated  of  and  the  answers  to  the 
foregoing  objections,  another  may  arise  ;  Tl.at  the  plan  appears  alto- 
gether legal,  calculated  to  engage  the  attention  of  mankind  to  the 
gospel  by  motives  of  self-interest ;  whereas  a  true  gospel  motive  is 
the  glory  of  God — It  is  truly  the  work  of  antichrist  to  subvert  order. 
Eut  God  is  a  God  of  order  and  not  of  confusion.  That  the  glory  of 
God  is  the  ultimate  and  highest  end  of  all  his  works  is  not  contested  ; 
and  that  the  happiness  of  his  creatures  is  in  subordination  thereto. 
But  the  happiness  of  his  creatures  is  also  subservient  to  the  glory  of 
God.  "  Fraisc  vjaiteth  for  thee^  O  Gcd,  in  Zion."  "  That  w'g 
"  should  be  to  the  praise  of  his  glory,  Avho  first  trusted  in  Christ." 
"  And  that  every  tongue  should  confess  that  Jesus  Christ  is  Lord,  to 
*'  the  glory  of  God  the  Fatlier,"  "  And  I  will  place  salvation  in 
«  7Aon(oY  Israel  my  glory."  (Psm.  65.  1.  Eph.  1.  12.  Phil.  2.  11. 
Isa.  46.  13.)  Thus  the  Israel  or  church  of  God  is  his  glory.  If 
tlicn  the  liappiness  of  his  creatures  subserves  the  purposes  of  God's 
glory  and  is  connected  with  it,  tiieir  happiness  is  a  justifiable  motive 
and  justifiable  pursuit.  And  men  must  attain  to  the  less  before  they 
can  reach  the  greater;  it  is  therefore  justifiable  and  proper  to  invite 
and  stimulate  men  to  obedience  with  a  view  to  their  ov.n  ha])pincss.. 
But  God  of  his  own  free  mercy  and  love  hath  regard  to  the  creature's 
happiness,  "  According  to '  his  mercy  he  hath  savqd  us."  "In  this 
"  was  manifested  the  love  of  God  toward  us,  because  that  God  sent 
"  his  only  begotten  Son  into  the  world,  that  w^  miglit  live  through 
<'  him."    "  We  love  him  because  he  first  loved  us."  (Tit.  '^.  5.   I, 


ANSWERED.  159 

Jno.  4.  9,  19.)  To  love  God  therefore  in  gratitude  for  his  love  to  us 
is  a  justifiable  exercise;  besides,  that  the  love  of  God  to  us  hatli 
paved  ihe  way  and  laid  the  foundation  of  our  love  to  him. 

I  must  confess,  I  have  no  faith  that  I  ever  saw  a  christian  legalist, 
a  christian  professor  who  depended  on  the  excluded  law  of  works 
for  life  or  justification.  No  law  instituted  by  CJod  was  ever  exclud- 
ed from  the  faith  of  a  christian  after  the  ceremonial  law  of  iMoses ; 
and  who  ever  saw  any  man,  not  a  professed  Jew,  make  the 
least  attempt  to  gain  life  by  that  law  ?  Or  if  in  some  countries  some 
have  endeavored  to  combine  the  Jewish  law  with  Christianity,  or  con- 
solidate them  into  one,  tliey  are  by  no  means  en  equal  standing  with 
those  who  expect  justification  and  life,  solely  by  the  obedience  of 
faith,  even  the  faith  of  Christ. 

But  the  dealings  of  God  with  men  every  where,  show  that  he 
esteems  it  justifiable  and  proper  to  engage  them  to  obedience,  by  a 
respect  to  their  own  safety  and  happiness.  The  truth  of  this  Avjll 
appear  to  all  who  \vill  consult  the  scriptures  without  partiality ; 
wherein,  notwithstanding  that  the  glory  of  God  is  preferred,  as  be- 
ing the  highest  end  and  final  result  of  all,  yet  the  happiness  of  men 
is  not  only  secured,  but  presented  to  them,  as  the  first  moving  cause, 
to  stimulate  them  to  obedience.  "  Come  now,  and  let  us  reason  to- 
*<  gether,  saith  the  Lord  ;  Though  your  sins  be  as  scarlet,  they  shjdl 
*'  be  as  white  as  snov/ ;  though  they  be  red  like  crimson,  they  shall 
•'  be  as  wool.  If  ye  be  willing  and  obedient  ye  shall  eat  the  good  of 
"  the  land ;  but  if  ye  refuse  and  relicl  ye  shall  be  devoured  with  the 
«  sword  ;  for  the  mouth  of  the  Lord  hath  spoken  it."  (Isa.  1.18,  Sec.) 
And  to  suppose  it  legal,  or  anti-evangelical,  to  use  the  rev/ai-ds  held 
forth  in  the  gospel  to  influence  men  to  consult  their  own  happiness, 
is  wild  and  firejiosterous  in  the  extreme^  if  we  consider  but  for  a 
moment  the  manner  in  which  Jesus  and  his  disciples  addressed  them- 
selves to  the  people.  "  Come  unto  me,  all  ye  tl:at  labor  and  are 
«'  heavy  laden,  and  I  nvill  give  ijou  rest.  Take  my  yoke  upon  you, 
*'  and  learn  of  me ;  for  I  am  meek  and  lov/Iy  in  heart :  and  ye  shall 
find  rest  unto  your  souls.  For  my  yoke  is  easy,  and  my  burden  is 
"light."  (Matt.  11.23,20.)  "  Now  when  they  heard,' they  were 
«'  pricked  in  their  heart  and  said  unto  Peter  and  X\\&  rest  of  the  apos- 
^'  ties.  Men  and  brethren,  what  shall  we  do  !  Then  Peter  said  unto 
"  them,  Repent,  and  be  baptized  every  one  of  you  in  the  name  of 
*'  Jesus  Christ  for  the.  remission  of  sins,  and  ye  shall  receive  the  gift 
"  of  the  Holy  Ghost.  For  the  promise  is  to  you,  and  to  your  chil- 
*  dren,  and  to  all  that  arc  afar  off,  even  as  many  as  the  Lord  our  God 
**  shall  call.  And  with  many  other  words  ditl  he  testify  and  exhort 
*'  saying.  Save  yourselves  from  this  untoward  generation  ;"  "  Repent 
•'  ye,  therefore,  and  be  converted,  that  your  sins  may  be  blotted  out, 
"  that  the  times  of  refrehsing  may  come  from  the  presence  of  the 
"  Lord."  (Acts  2.  37,  to  41.  3.  9.)  Thus  the  first  counsel  to  man- 
kind is  to  consult  their  own  safety ;  not  only  to  those  who  have  just 
heard  the  gospel,  to  gain  their  attention  and  compliance,  but  to  those 
^so  who  J^ave  ali'cady  believed  and  begun  to  partake  of  its  grace. 


ICu  OBJECTIONS 

''  Wherefore  they  rather,  brethren,  give  dcli^ence  to  make  your 
"  calling  and  election  sure  ;  tor  if  ye  do  these  things,  fccrtain  duties 
"  beibre  enjoined,)  ye  shall  never  faiL  For  no  an  entrance  snail  be 
'»  minisicrtd  unto  you  abundantly  into  the  everlasting  kinjc^dum  pf  cur 
«  Lord  and  Savior  Jesus  Christ."  (2  Pet.  1.  iO,  11.)  "  Work  out 
<'  your  ov/n  salvation  with  fear  and  trembling."  But  io  instaccc 
Uii  the  examples,  would  be  to  recite  almost  the  v/hoic  of  all  the  ex- 
hortations and  counsels  given  in  the  scriptures. 

See  also  with  ^v'^.at  care  ar.d  perseverance  the  Faitl;  of  Abraham 
and  of  Moses  was  hxed  on  tlse  rc.vard.  "  By  faith  Abraliam,  v.dien 
"  he  was  called  to  go  unto  a  place  wluch  liC  should  after  receive  for 
"  a:"i  inheritance,  obeyed  ;  (he  did  not  only  believe  ;\ar.d  he  went  out, 
"  nut  knowing  wl.ither  he  went.  By  faith  lie  sujouMied  in  the  land 
'■•  of  promise,  as- m  a  strange  country,  dv/elling  in  tabernacles  with 
"  Isaac  and  Jacob,  tiie  heirs  with  him  of  the  same  promise :  for  he 
"  looked  for  a  city  which  hath  four.datier.s,  whose  builder  and  maker 
"  is  God."  "  By  faith  Pvloses,  when  he  vv'as  come  to  )eais,  refused 
"  to  be  called  the  son  of  Fharaolvs  daughter ;  choosing  rather  to 
"  suffer  affliction  wilh  the  people  of  God,  than  to  enjoy  the  pleasures 
'•  of  sin  for  a  season  ;  esteeming  the  reproach  of  Christ  greater  ridies 
<'  than  the  treasures  of  Egypt :  for  he  bad  respect  to  the  recompense 
"  of  regard"  Thus  that  faith  is  reco]Timc;;ded  which  had  respect 
to  the  best  recompense  of  reward,  net  only  in  Moses,  but  in  Abraham 
and  others  wh.o  waited,  for  the  blessing  ccn'ained  in  the  promises; 
"  These  all  died  in  faith,  not  having  received  the  premises,  but  ka- 
«  ving  seen  them  afar  ofi',  and  were  i)ersuaded  of  theiri,  and  embraced 
"  them,  and  confessed  that  they  were  strangeis  and  pilgrims  en  the 
"  earth.  For  tiiey  that  say  such  things  declare  plainly  that  they  seek 
<•  a  country.  Aiid  truly  if  they  liad  been  mindful  of  that  country 
"  from  whence  they  came  out,  tliey  might  have  had  opportunity  to 
"•have  returned:  but  now  theij  desire  a  better  countri/,  that  /*,  a7i 
"  heavenly :  ivherefore  God  is  not  ashamed  to  be  called  their  God  ; 
for  he  hcJ.il  prepared  for  them  a  city"  Thiis  God  approved  their  zeal 
in  seeking  abetter  country, a  better  inheritance,  at  the  expense  of  that 
V.  hich  was  inferior ;  and  he  is  not  ashamed  of  them.  "Wherefore,  Eee- 
"  higwc  also  are  compassed  a!)out  with  so  great  a  cloud  of  witness- 
"  es,  let  us  lay  aside  every  weight,  and  the  sin  which  doth  so  ea?ii}r 
"beset  us,  arid  let  us  run  with  patience  the  lacc  that  is  set  bc- 
"  fore  us,  looking  to  Jesus  the  author  and  finisher  [fust  leader 
"  and  perfecter]  of  faith  ;  ivho  for  the  joy  that  r.-as  set  b.fcre 
"  hiin.  endured  th.e  cress,  despising  the  shame,  and  is  set  down 
«  at  the  right  hand  of  the  throne  of  God."  (Heb.  12.  I,  2.) 
As  we  have  the  exan:ple  cf  ail  the  faithful  and  of  Jesus  the 
Ford  and  Master  of  all,  the  author  and  finisiierof  the  true  faith,  in 
havhig  respect  to  the  recompenst!  of  reward  set  bcf<M-e,  let  us  no 
more  call  it  ler;  aiily  to  invite  and  stimulate  matikind  by  the  hope  cf 
eternal  life  to  fill  up  the'iuimber  of  the  blessed — let  us  no  more 
f!amp  the  zeal  of  those  who  would  feel  after  (red  and  seel;  eieiTial 
Lfe,  bv  persuading  them  tlrat  the v  must  ber^in  i.;  ihe   highest   gvado 


ANSWERED.  16! 

of  a  perfect  man  in  Christ — or  that  all  attempts  to  gain  eternal  life 
are  useless,  until  that  point  is  obtained.  How  weak  would  it  be 
to  feed  with  the  strongest  meat,  the  child  who  is  scarcely  able  to  use 
the  mildest  milk  ? 

Mankind  in  their  natural  state,  entirely  pursue  their  own  desires 
and  their  own  will,  until  checked  by  some  adequate  cause,  and  have 
nothing  in  them,  to  influence  them  at  all,  to  seek  the  glory  of  God. 
But  when  men  have  learned  to  know  God  in  some  good  degree,  to 
experience  the  benefit  of  his  grace  .  and  salvation,  and  view  him  as 
being  in  reality  superior  to  all  other  beings,  his  nature  and  will  as 
being  truly  best,  they  are  then  capable  of  being  led  to  seek  the  glory 
of  God  .and  feel  interested  in  it.  "  We  love  him  because  he  first 
loved  us."  But  it  is  not  possible  that,  any  man  should  love  his  cne- 
riy  and  seek  his  honor,  in  that  charac'cr;  it  is  therefore  impossible 
that  men  should  be  induced  to  have  a  oimpie  respect  to  the  glory  of 
God,  until  they  come  to  know  the  real  excellence  of  his  character, 
God  is  love.  "  Greater  Uwe  hath  no  man  than  this,  that  a  man  lay 
"  down  his  life  for  his  fi-iend."  "  But  God  commendeth  his  lovei 
"  toward  us,  in  that,  while  we  were  yet  enemies  Christ  died  for  us.'^ 
Accordingly,  the  first  proposals  of  God  to  men,  towards  bringing 
them  to  serve  him  and  seek  his  glory,  are  those  which  respect  thcii* 
own  happiness.  In  tliis  way  men  are  gained  to  subject  themselves 
to  the  will  of  God,  to  deny  themselves,  renouncing  their  own  wills^ 
and  to  crucify  the  carnal  mind  Avhich  is  enmity  against  God,  that 
God  may  eventually  be  all  in  all. 

To  object,  therefore,  to  the  foregoing  doctrines  as  being  legal, 
because  men  are  invited  and  urged  to  considt  their  own  safety  by 
believing  and  obeying,  is  altogether  weak  and  unreasonable,  worthy 
of  those  only  who  oppose  the  gospel,  which  calls  for  men  to  deny 
themselves  and  take  up  their  cross  and  follow  Christ. 

I  should  now  proceed  to  the  last  of  the  principal  and  most  inter- 
esting objections  to  be  stated  in  this  place,  relating  to  the  election; 
but  as  it  will  recjuire  considerable  scope  to  investigate  it  freely,  I  shall 
refer  it  to  the  next  chaptei's,  and  close  this  with  a  compendious  state- 
ment and  vindication  (partly  by  way  of  recapitulation)  of  some  of  the 
leading  points  against  which  these  objections  are  raised.  For  we  have 
so  far  answered  the  heaviest  objections  against  the  practical  doctrine 
of  justification  by  the  obedience  of  faith,  that  we  have  full  liberty  to 
consider  it  unhurt.  What  therefore  is  now  to  he  stated  and  proved j 
is,  that  obedience  is  as  properly  the  character  of  a  christian  as  tjcliev- 
ing.  And  in  this  part  it  will  be  considered  that  a  man's  justification 
before  God,  and  ui  his  own  conscience,  depends  on  the  very  same  effi- 
cient cause,  as  the  appellation  of  christian,  in  all  cases  where  the  term 
is  justly  applied.  For  no  man  hath  any  right  to  the  appellation  of  a 
christianf  vmlesb  he  can  show  tlie  grounds  of  his  justification  on  all 
proper  occasions ;  for  the  righteousness  of  God,  v/ithout  the  law, 
v.hich  was  attested  by  the  iaw  and  the  prophets,  even  the  righteous- 
ness of  God  through  the  faith  of  Jesus  Christ,  is  manifested,  not  only 
:'i  all  but  al'so  'ujion  all  them,  that  believe.    This  is  that  righteonsnes*^ 


162  OBJECTIONS 

which  is  declared,  through  the  forbearance  of  God,  and  not  by  im- 
putation, for  the  remission  of  sin.  This  righteousness  then,  is  that 
which  God  will  accept,  Avhich  also  consists  in  each  one's  doing  the 
v.iil  of  God  as  Jesus  did  it,  as  hath  been  already  proved ;  for  "  He 
"  tliat  docth  righteousness  is  righteous  even  as  he  is  righteous." 

It  is  true,  that  faith,  or  believing,  is  more  commonly  used  to  ex- 
press the  character  of  christians,  or  rather  to  nominate  them  as  a 
people  distinct  from  the  rest  of  hiankind,  as  well  as  to  point  to  the 
grounds  of  their  justification  ;  for  which  these  obvious  reasons  may 
be  given.  That  genuine  faith,  kept  alive  to  the  support  of  genuine 
Christianity,  always  included  obedience;  and  there  could  be  no  true 
obedience  or  Christianity  without  .faith  ;  for  without  faith  it  is  impossi- 
ble to  please  God.  Besides;  No  man  could  be  induced  to  follow 
Christ  bearing  the  cross  and  •  practising  the  self-denial  which  he 
taught,  under  all  the  persecution  and  reproaches  which  attached  to 
that  life  without  faith  to  support  him.  Faith  is  a  true  shield  hi  the 
armor  of  God,  which  his  people  wear;  "Above  all,  taking  the 
"  shield  of  faith  v/herewith  ye  shall  be  able  toquei^ch  all  the  fiery 
"  darts  of  the  wicked."  "  And  this  is  the  victory  v/hich  overcometh 
"  the  world,  even  our  faith."  [Eph.  6.  1 6.  1  Jno.  5.  4.]  Add  to  these 
things,  that  the  doctrine  of  justification  and  salvation,  by  the  faith  of 
Jesus  Christ  was  contrary  to  the  ceremonies  of  Moses,  and  so  new' 
and  strange  in  the  early  days  of  Christianity,  to  those  Avho  had  been 
inuied  to  that  law,  that  there  was  in  many  a  great  propensity  to  turn 
back  to  thosej  beggarly  elements,  it  was  therefore  necessary  to  keep 
the  sentiment  alive. 

And  such  was  the  necessity  of  supporting  the  doctrine  of  faith  hi 
Christ  by  those  scriptures  which  the  people  believed,  particularly 
the  Jews,  some  of  whom  were  found  in  all  the  churches,  and  were 
according  to  the  order  of  their  calling  required  to  stand  as  it  were 
the  first  pillars  of  the  church  of  the  Messiah,  that  the  apostle  collect- 
ed almost  every  word  in  the  writings  of  the  old  testament,  which 
could  subserve  his  purpose  ;  and  amongst  them  all  did  not  find  one 
to  teach  justification  by  faith  without  obedience.  And  indeed  that 
was  impossible  ;  for  the  whole  Mosaic  dispensation  stood  in  the  prin- 
ciple of  obedience ;  although  faith  was  necessary  then  as  well  as 
after  Christ  appeared.  But  faith  and  obedience,  in  the  christian  dis- 
pensation, are  in  a  different  train  from  what  they  were  in  the  Mosaic, 
being  directed  more  towards  the  spirit  and  substance.  But  the  apos- 
tle was  ingenious  enough,  according  to  the  wisdom  given  to  him,  to 
leave  out  the  character  and  works  of  the  persons  justified,  when  he 
would  prove  justification  by  faith,  without  the  deeds  of  the  law, 
though  these  were  the  proximate  and  procuring  cause  of  their  jus- 
tification, lest  his  hearers  should  thereby  be  induced  to  cleave  to  the 
same  law,  or  lest  his  reasoning  should  not  appear  sufficiently  plain  to 
those  who  did  not  understand  as  clearly  as  he.  But  the  apostles  and 
the  evangelists  who  recorded  the  words  of  Christ,  ha>e  not  left  us  in 
such  penury  of  proof  for  the  necessity  of  obedience  to  constitute  us 
real  christians,  or  as  the  grou.nds  and  maintenance  of  our  acceptance 


AN-SWERED.  163 

"With  God.  While  not  one  word  is  said  in  all  their  writings  of  the 
righteousness  of  Christ  being  imputed  to  ns  for  our  justification, 
much  is  said  of  the  necessity  of  obedience,  and  of  their  being  ac- 
ceptable and  safe  who  render  it  to  God.  For  in  every  nation,  he 
that  feareth  God  and  worketh  righteousness  (not  hath  righteousness 
imputed  to  him,)  is  accepted  of  him. 

A  mighty  outcry  is  raised  against  the  notion  of  any  one  inheriting 
righteousness  in  himself,  or  in  his  own  character  and  works,  us 
though  that  nran  must  certainly  fail  of  being  saved  and  be  ultimate- 
ly ruined,  who  expects  God  will  accept  him  in  his  own  personal 
works  of  righteousness,  his  own  doings  or  obedience.  But  none  of 
these  things  move  the  christian,  who  understands  the  law  of  faith  in 
Christ  Jesus.  For  he  knows  that  without  obedience  no  faith  m  ill  jus- 
tify any  man  before  God  ;  and  supported  by  the  words  of  Christ,  he 
is  not  afraid  to  say,  Jix-cejii  your  righteousness  (not  the  righteous- 
ness of  another  impute<l  to  you,)  shall  exceed  the  vighteousriess  of  the 
•tvribes  and  Jiharisees^yc  shall  in  no  case  enter  into  the  kingdom  of 
■heaven.  Thus  Jesus  who  came  to  do  the  will  of  God  as  it  was  writ- 
ten of  him  in  the  volifme  of  the  book,  and  to  establish  the  doing  of 
the  will  of  God,  as  that  in  which  he  would  take  delight,  in  the  room 
of  the  sacrifices  which  were  offered  by  the  law,  as  before  shown, 
hath  not  only  set  us  that  example,  but  hath  taught  by  his  words  that 
he  Avho  docth  the  will  of  God,  (not  who  hath  the  doing  of  his  will 
Ly  another  imputed  to  him,)  shall  d\vell  Avith  God  in  the  kingdom 
of  heaven.  "  Not  every  one  that  saith  unto  me.  Lord,  Lord,  shall 
"  enter  into  the  kingdom  of  heaven,  but  he  v/ho  doeth  the  will  of  my 
*<  Father  who  is  in  heaven.  "  Weil  done  good  and  faithful  servant ; 
"  thon  hast  been  faithful  over  a  few  things,  I  will  make  thee  ruler 
*'  over  many  things:  enter  thou  into  the  joy  of  thy  Lord." 

A  christian  is  not  afraid  of  being  blessed  in  his  doings,  provided 
his  deeds  be  (as  tliose  of  a  christian  are)  according  to  the  perfect 
law  of  liberty;  "  But  whoso  looketh  into  the  perfect  law  of  liberty, 
*'  and  continueth  therein,  he  being  not  a  forgetful  heart,  but  a  doer  of 
*' the  work,  this  man  shall  be  blessed  in  his  deed."  [Jam.  1.  25.] 
And  of  such  iiTiportance  is  obedience  and  so  essential  to  the  very 
existence  of  Christianity,  that  it  is  given  by  the  apostle  as  the  very 
criterion  of  the  true  christianu  *'  Know  ye  not  that  to  whom  ye 
^'  yield  yourselves  servants  to  obey,  his  sci-vants  ye  are,  to  whom  ye 
"*'  obey,  wliether  of  sin  unto  death  or  of  obedience  unto  rigliteous- 
"  ness.  But  ye  have  obeyed  from  the  heart,  that  form  of  doctrine 
''  which  was  delivered  you."  [Ro.  6.  16,  17.]  And  not  only  so;  but 
the  gospel  was  also  sent  and  the  apostles  commissioned  to  the  people 
to  bring  them  to  obedience,  without  which  it  is  evident  their  faith 
would  have  done  them  no  good.  •'<  By  whom,  saith  Paul,  we  have 
»'  received  grace,  and  apostleship,  for  ol>edience  to  the  faith  among 
•'^  all  nations  for  his  name."  "  To  make  the  Gentlies  obedient  by  word 
•'  and  deed."  [Ro.  1.  5.  and  15.  18.]  Hence  the  increase  of  the  gos- 
pel is  marked  by  the  numbers  who  obeyed  ;  "  And  the  word  of  God 
■*'  increased  :  and  the  number  of  the  disciples  multiplied  in  Jerusa- 


J  64  OBJECTIONS 

"  lem  greatly ;  and  a  great  company  of  the  priests  v/ere  obedient  to 
"  the  faith."  [Acts  6.  V".]  And  the  gospel  which  is  to  bring  all  na- 
tions to  obedience  in  Christ,  even  to  the  obedience  of  faith  is  express- 
ly the  mystery  which  was  kept  secret  until  Christ  came,  as  taught  by 
Panl  to  the  Romans  in  the  close  of  his  epistle,  after  all  he  had  said 
of  the  use  of  faith  for  justification.  "  Now,  to  him  that  is  of  power 
"  to  establish  you  according  to  my  gospel,  and  the  preaching  of  Jesus 
"  Christ,,  (according  to  the  revelation  of  the  mystery,  which  was  kept 
"  secret  since  the  v.orld  began,  but  now  is  made  manifest,  and  by  the 
'<  scriptures  of  the  prophets,  according  to  the  commandment  of  the 
<'  everlasting  God,  made  known  to  all  nations  for  the  obedience  of 
"  faith,)  to  God  only  wise,  be  glory  through  Jesus  Christ  for  ever, 
"  Am.en.",  [Ro.  16.  25  to  27.] 

Accordingly  God,  even  the  Father,  judgeth  every  man  according 
to  his  works,  as  saith  the  apostle ;  "And.it  ye  call  on  the  Father 
"who  without  respect  of  persons,  judgeth  according  to  every  man's 
"  works,  pass  the  time  of  your  sojoiu'ning  here  in  fear."  And  the 
declaration  of  Christ  isi,  "  Behold,  I  come  quickly;  and  my  reward 
"  is  vt'ith  me,  to  give  every  man  according  as  his  works  shall  be." 
[1  Pet.  1.  17.  Rev.  22.  12.]  And  in  that  striking  description  winch 
Jesus  gave  of  the  last  judgment,  a  little  before  his  crucifixion,  the 
character  and  reward  of  each  class,  are  determined  by  their  works. 
[Matt.  25.  31,  Sec]  "  When  the  Son  of  man  shall  come  in  hisglc- 
"  ry,  and  all  the  holy  angels  Avith  him,  then  shall  he  sit  upon  the 
"  throne  of  his  glory;  and  befoi-e  hini  shall  be  gathered  all  nation^ 
"  and  he  shall  separate  them  one  from  another,  as  a  shepherd  divideth 
"  his  sheep  from  the  goats  ;  and  he  shall  set  the  sheep  on  his  right 
'^  hand,  but  the  goats  on  the  left.  Then  shall  the  King  say  unto 
"  them  on  his  right  hand,  Come  ye  blessed  of  my  Father,  inherit 
"  the  kingdom  prepared  for  you  from  the  foundation  of  the  world  ; 
"  for  I  Avas  an  hungrcd,  and  ye  gave  me  meat:  I  was  thirsty,  and 
'•'  ye  gave  me  drink :  I  was  a  stranger,  and  ye  took  me  in  :  na- 
"  ked,  and  ye  clothed  me  :  I  was  sick,  and  ye  visited  me  :  I  was  in 
"  prison,  and  ye  came  unto  me."  To  the  best  of  my  remembrance, 
the  famous  George  Whitefiekl,  in  a  sermon  on  justification,  ackncv- 
ledges  this  to  be  the  most  favorable  argument  for  justification  by 
works,  which  he  had  heard,  but  objects  that  it  will  not  caiTy  through, 
because  the  righteous  disclaimed  the  performance  of  those  deeds  ; 
"  Then  shall  the  righteous  answer  him,  saying,  Lord,  when  saw  we 
"  thee  an  hungrcd,  and  fed  thee  ?  or  thirsty,  and  gave  thee  drink  ? 
"  When  saw  v/e  thee  a  stranger,  and  took  thee  in  ?  or  naked,  and 
"  clothed  thee  ?  or  when  saw  v/e  thee  sick,  or  in  prison  and  came  nn- 
"  to  thee?"  But  bis  objection  is  indeed  weak  enough,  considering 
the  light  and  abilities  Avliich  he  l;ad,and  shows  the  hifluencc  of  sys- 
tematic prepossession  over  the  judgment.  How  easy  if*  it  to  see, 
that  what  the  righteous  disclaimed  was  not  the  principle,  or 
grounds  of  their  acceptance,  but  that  they  did  not  understand,  how 
or  wherein  they  had  done  ttic^e  good  deeds  ?  When  did  we  see  thee 
in  these  conditions  and  perfcrm  these  things  to  ihce  ?  But  the  Judge 


ANSWERED.  1 63 

nnravels  the  mystery  by  letting  them  know,  that  to  do  good  to  his 
people  is  the  same  as  to  do  good  to  himself.  "  And  the  king 
«  shall  answer  and  say  unto  them,  Verily  I  say  unto  you,  Inas- 
"  much  as  ye  have  done  it  to  one  of  the  least  of  these  iny  breth- 
"  ren,  ye  have  done  it  to  me ;"  and  on  this  they  are  silent,  and 
the  judgment  is  decided  in  their  favor,  on  the  principle  on 
which  it  was  first  proposed.  On  the  same  principle  the  wicked 
are  rejected  as  not  having  done  those  deeds  cf  righteousness 
which  the  righteous  had  done,  and  Avhich  it  was  also  their  duty  to  dp. 
These  also  object  to  the  charge  of  treating  him  with  such  unkind- 
ness,  as  not  knowing  wherein.  But  the  Judge  shows  them,  tliat  the 
neglect,  the  cold  indifterence,  or  cruelty,  which  they  had  showed 
to  his  people  was  shown  to  him.  "  I'hen  he  answered  thcni  say- 
"  ing,  Verily,  I  say  unto  you,  Inasmuch  as  ye  did  it  not  to  one  of 
*'  the  least  of  these,  ye  did  it  not  to  me".  And  these  (vj/io  had  not 
"  done  righteousjiess^)  shall  go  away  into  everlasting  punishment : 
"  but  the  righteous  (who  had  dmip  righteoiisnessj  into  life  eternal." 
And  these  things  are  Avritten  for  our  edification,  that  wc  may  have  no 
want  of  information  and  evidence,  on  what  prmciple  our  acceptimce 
with  God  is  finally  to  stand. 

Therefore,  however  indispensable  faith  is  to  our  acceptance  with 
God,  and  being  initiated  into  the  gospel  of  Christ,  in  whom  alone 
perfect  justification  is  found,  it  is  evident  that  faith  cannot  justify  a 
single  whit  farther  than  it  is  accompanied  by  works :  it  is  the  obedi- 
ence of  faith,  or  a  faithful  obedience  Ijy  v/hich  a  man's  acceptance,  or 
safe  standing  in  the  sight  of  Gcd,  is  secured  from  first  to  last;  for 
"  He  that  doeth  righteousness  is  righteous  even  as  he  is  righteous," 
and  "  In  every  nation,  he  that  feareth  God  and  worketh  righteousness 
is  accepted  of  him."  "  But  without  faith  it  is  impossible  to  please 
him."  Why  ?  Because  without  the  belief  that  Gcd  will  accept  the 
man  who  seeketh  him  he  will  not  seek,  without  the  belief  that  God 
vvill  accept  him  in  the  performance  of  his  duty,  there  is  no  encou- 
ragement to  perform  :  "  For  he  that  com.eth  to  God  must  believe  that 
"  he  is,  and  that  he  is  a  rewarder  of  them  that  deligently  seek  him." 
(Heb.  11.6.)  Again  ;  "  It  is  impossible  to  please  God  without  faith, 
because  to  discredit  God  is  to  blaspheme  his  name  ;  "  He  that  be- 
lieveth  hot  God  hath  made  him  a  liar  :"  This  is  offensive  to  God,  and 
leaves  the  man  under  sensible  guilt,  by  which  his  soul  is  separated 
from  God.  The  principle,  therefore,  on  v/hich  faith  justifies  is  its 
being  an  act  of  obedience  and  subjection,  and  its  being  introductory 
to  other  acts  of  the  same  kind.  Accordingly,  although  faith  is  so 
often  mentioned  as  the  mean  by  which  men  close  in  with  Christ  as 
offered  in  the  gospel,  and  are  introduced  into  the  way  of  life,  and  in- 
deed supported.all  along,  being  kept  by  the  power  of  Gcd  through 
faith  unto  salvation,  yet  every  man's  character  and  final  reward  is 
decided  by  his  works,  accoi'ding  to  what  he  hath  done,  and  not  ac- 
cording to  vv'hat  he  hath  believed ;  "  For  we  must  all  appear  before 
''  tlie  judgment  seat  of  Christ ;  that  every  one  may  receive   the 


165  OBJECTIONS 

* 

*'  things  dbnc  in  the  body,  according  to  that  he  hath  done,  whether  it 
"  be  good  or  bad."  (2  Cor,  5.  10.) 

Another  consideration  of  great  and  serious  importance  presents 
itself;  that  every  man  will  just  get  as  much  reward,  or  as  much  sal- 
vation as  he  gains  by  his  own  obedience  to  the  gospel  of  God,  and  no 
more.  Many  are  built  up  with  an  expectation,  that  although  they 
live  in  sin  all  their  days  and  do  nothing  tridy  acceptable  with  God, 
nothing  that  he  Mill  own  as  being  lit  to  stand,  and  though  they  never 
knov/  any  thing  savingly  of  Christ  until  about  their  dying  day,  they 
may  be  saved,  and  be  as  bright  in  the  kingdom  of  God  as  any  ;  for 
Jesus  Christ  will  answer  for  all  their  deficiencies  and  their  wrongs. 
But  where  do  the  words  of  revelation  say  that  Christ  will  answer  to 
God  for  the  people  ?  Christ  will  no  doubt  confess  them  that  confess 
him  ;  but  they  do  not  confess  him  who  do  wickedly ;  they  may  profess 
that  they  know  God,  but  in  works  deny  him.  And  as  for  those  who 
commit  iniquity  he  hath  in  plain  terms  declared  that  he  will  utterly 
disown  them,  no  matter  what  their  profession  or  works  may  otherwise 
have  been,  "  Many  will  say  to  me  in  that  day,  Lord,  Lord,  have  we 
*'  not  prophesied  in  thy  name  ?  and  in  thy  name  have  cast  out  deviia  ? 
•■'  and  in  thy  name  done  many  wonderful  works  ?  And  then  will  I 
■*'  profess  unto  them,  1  never  knew  you  :  depart  from  me,  ye  that 
"  work  iniquity."  "  But  those  mine  enemies  who  would  not  that 
*'  I  should  reign  over  them,  bring  hither,  and  slay  them  before  me.'"' 
(INIatt.  7.  22,  23,  Luk.  19,  27.)  These  sayings  show  us  how  he  vill 
answer  for  tliose  whose  works  are  not  in  uprightness  and  obedience. 
But  the  scripture  is  also  express  enough,  that  every  one  will  have  to 
answer  for  himself,  "  So  then,  everyone  of  us  shall  give  account  of 
himself  to  God,"  (Ro.  14,  12,)  Those,  therefore,  who  expect  that 
Christ  will  confess  them  and  ansv/er  for  them  and  make  good  their 
character,  while  they  are  not  doing  the  things  which  are  answera- 
ble to  the  character  of  Christ,  walking  worthy  of  the  vocation  where- 
with they  are  called,  may  surely  lay  their  accounts  to  meet  with  a 
grievous  disappointment. 

For  not  only  the  character  and  reward  of  every  man  will  in  the 
classification  among  the  righteous  or  wicked,  be  according  to  his 
works,  but  every  degree  of  honor  and  glory  in  the  righteous,  or  of 
death  and  the  curse  in  the  wicked,  v/ill  be  according  to  the  works  of 
each.  '■^  A  good  man  out  of  the  good  treasure  of  his  heart,  bringeth 
"  forth  good  things  :  and  an  evil  man  out  of  th«  evil  treasure,  bring- 
"  eth  forth  evil  things.  But  I  say  iinto  you,  that  every  idle  word 
*'  that  men  shall  speak  they  shall  give  an  account  thereof  in  the  day 
"  of  judgment."  "  Woe  unto  you,  scribes,  and  pharisees,  hypo- 
"  critcs;  for  ye  devour  Avidows'  houses,  and  for  a  pretence  make 
"  long  prayer :  therefore  ye  shall  receive  the  greater  damnation." 
(Matt.  12.  35,  36.  and  23,  14.)  But  on  the  other  hand  every  thing- 
done  and  suffered  by  the  righteous  according  to  the  will  of  God,  and 
for  the  gospel  and  name  of  Christ,  shall  stand  in  full  account  to  thcni 
in  their  crown  of  rig-htcousness  and  glory.  "  He  that  receiveth  a 
"  prophet  in  the  ncinie  of  a  prophet,  slvall  receive  a  prophet's  reV 


ANSWERED.  167 

<f  ward  ;  and  he  that  receiveth  a  righteous  man  in  the  name  of  a  right- 
"  eous  man,  shall  receive  a  righteous  man's  i-eward.  And  Avhosoev- 
<'  er  shall  give  to  drink  unto  one  of  these  little  ones  a  cup  of  cold 
"  water  only  in  the  name  of  a  disciple,  verily  I  say  mito  you,  he  sliall 
<'  in  no  Avise  lose  his  reward."  "  For  God  is  not  unrighteous  to 
"  forget  your  work  of  labor  and  love,  which  ye  have  sh.ewed  toward 
«  his  name,  in  that  ye  have  ministered  to  the  saints,  and  do  minister." 
"  For  this  is  thank-worthy,  if  a  man  for  conscience  toward  God, 
♦*  endure  grief,  suffering  wrongfully.  For  what  glory  is  it,  if  when 
"  ye  be  buffeted  for  your  faults  yc  shall  take  it  patiently  ?  but  if, 
<'  when  ye  do  well,  aiid  suffer  for  it,  ye  take  it  patiently,  this  is  ac- 
*'  ceptable  with  God.  For  even  hereunto  were  ye  called :  because 
*'  Christ  also  suffered  for  us,  leaving  us  an  example,  that  ye  should 
*'  follow  his  steps."  "  But,  and  if  ye  suffer  for  righteousness'  sake, 
«  happy  are  ye."  (Matt.  10.  41,  42.'  Fleb.  6.  10.  1  Pet.  3.  19,  20,  21. 
and  4.  14.")  Ikit  such  is  the  superior  excellence  of  that  gracious  re- 
ward, which  hath  respect  to  our  union  and  communion  Avith  God  in 
eternal  life,  that  all  we  can  do  and  suffer  in 'the  cause  hath  no  com- 
parison or  equality  with  it  in  that  respect.  "  For  I  reckon  that  the 
"  sufferings  of  this  present  time  are  not  worthy  to  be  compared  with 
"  the  glory  which  shall  be  revealed  in  us."  "  For  our  light  alBiction, 
"  which  is  but  for  a  moment,  workcth  for  us  a  far  more  exceeding 
"  and  eternal  weight  of  glory  ;  while  we  look  not  at  the  things  w  hich 
«'  are  seen,  but  at  the  things  which  are  not  seen  ;  for  the  things  which 
"  are  seen  are  temporal,  but  the  things  w  hich  are  not  seen  are  eter- 
«  nal."  (Ro.  8.  18.  2  Cor.  4.  17,  18.) 

But  finally  here.  This  is  the  testimony  which  we  have  of  Christ 
Jesus,  that  "  Being  made  perfect  he  became  the  author  of  eternal  sal- 
vation to  all  them  that  obey  him."  (Heb.  5,  9.)  Obedience  there- 
fore, as  properly  expresses  the  character  of  a  christian  as  believinp-. 
The  same  also  is  fairly  inferred  from  disobedience,  as  being  the 
proper  characteristic  of  the  wicked.  Accordingly  Christ  is  declared, 
as  "  Taking  vengeance  on  them  that  know  not  God,  and  that  obev 
''  not  the  gospel  of  our  Lord  Jesus  Christ."  And  again ;  "  What 
**  shall  the  end  be  of  them  that  obey  not  the  gospel  of  Godr"  (2 
Thess.  1.8.  1  Pet.  4.  17.)  And  the  wicked  arc  in  different  places 
called  the  children  of  disobedience,  and  the  wrath  of  God  is  said  to 
come  on  them  for  wicked  actions.  "  Let  no  man  deceive  you  with 
"  vain  words  :  for  because  of  these  things  corneth  the  wrath  of  God 
*'  upon  the  children  of  disobedience."  (Eph.  5.  6.)  And  by  the 
obedience  of  faith,  even  that  faith  which  is  in  Christ,  leading  to  obe- 
dience, we  may  in  the  freedom  of  God's  righteous  love,  escape  the 
wrath  of  God  and  inherit  eternal  life  in  him,  "  Who  will  render  to 
*'  every  man  according  to  his  deeds :  to  them  who  by  patient  contin- 
*'  uance  in  well-doing,  seek  for  glory  and  honor,  and  immortalitv, 
*'  eternal  life.  But  to  them  that  are  contentious,  and  do  not  obev  the 
*'  truth,  but  obey  unrighteousness,  indignation  and  wratli,  tribulation 
♦'  and  anguish,  upon  every  soul  of  man  that  doeth  evil ;  of  the  Jew  Hrst, 
'<  and  also  of  the  Gentile  :  but  glory,  honor  and  pracc,  to  e^  erv  man 


leti  OF  ELECTION 

»  tliat  -\vorketh  good  ;  to  txhe  Jew  first  and  also  to  the  Gentile :  for 
''  there  is  no  respect  of  persons  with  God."  "  Now,  to  him  that  is 
"  of  power  to  establish  you  according  to  my  gospel  and  the  preach- 
*'  ing  of  Jesus  Christ,  (according  to  t!ie  revelation  of  the  mystery, 
"  which  was  kept  secret  since  the  world  began,  but  now  is  made  ma- 
"  nifest,  and  by  the  scriptures  of  the  prophets,  according  to  the  com- 
"  mahdment  of  the  everlasting  God,  made  known  to  all  nations  for 
"the  obedience  of  faith,)  To  God  only  wise,  be  glory  through  Jesus 
"Christ  for  ever.  Amen  "  (Ro.  2.  6,  to  1 1.  and  16,  25,  26,  27.) 


CHAPTER  XL 

llic  Doctr'vdc  of  Election^  and  the  For  ekiio^v  ledge  of  God. 

THE  sentiments  which  many  professors  entertain,  I'clative  to  the 
doctrine  of  Election,  furnish  a  serious  objection  against  the  foregoing 
doctrines,  of  the  unlimited  privilege  of  all  men  who  hear  the  gospel 
to  believe  on  its  own  evidence,  and  of  justification  by  the  obedience 
of  faith.  And  to  minister  all  the  satisfection  possible  on  this  subject, 
it  will  be  necessary  to  investigate  this  doctrine  with  freedom;  and 
the  more  so,  because  in  it  will  be  comprised  the  burden  of  what  is  to 
bo  said  on  the  decrees  of  God,  what  has  been  said  heretofore,  being 
calculated  to  pi-epare  the  way,  as  being  intimately  connected  with  the 
main  subject.  For  the  decrees  of  God  are  considered  as  having  a 
very  special  relation  to  the  elect,  who  are  finally  to  compose  the 
church  of  God  in  its  happy  and  glorified  state,  in  whom  the  decrees 
are  to  receive  their  special  and  final  accomplishment. 

And  here  let  us  inquire  ;  Who  are  the  Elect  ?  and  what  is  their 
character  ?  A  twofold  answer  will  be  requisite  to  afford  full  satis- 
faction on  this  subject.     And,  in  the  first  place  ; 

The  elect  of  God  are  they  who  Avorship  him  in  the  spirit,  calling 
upon  him  day  and  night.  "  But  the  hour  cometh,  and  now  is,  when 
"  the  true  worshipers  shall  worship  the  Father  in  spirit  and  in  truth : 
"  for  the  Father  sseketh  such  to  worship  hiai."  (Jno.  4.  23.)  And  if 
the  Father  seeketh  such,  no  doubt  but  these  are  his  elect,  whom  he 
chooscth  out  fro ■11  among  otliers,  even  as  they  are  expressly  called 
his  elect  Avho  call  on  him  day  and  night,  saying;  "And  shall  not 
"  God  avenge  his  oAvn  elect,  who  cry  day  and  night  unto  him  !"  (Luk. 
"  18.  7.)  These  therefore,  are  the  elect  of  God,  who  arc  honestly 
devoted  to  his  service,  and  have  for  that  purpose  come  out  from  the 
rest  of  the  world,  arid  separated  themselves  from  th'.'sc  who  live  in 
iniquity  and  defilement,  as  it  is  again  written ;  "  Wherefore,  come 
"  out  from  among  them,  and  be  yc  separate,  saith  the  Lord,  and  touch 
"  not  the  unclean  thing ;  and  I  will  receive  you,  and  will  be  a  Fathei' 
"  to  you,  and  ye  sliall  be  ^ly  sons  and  daughters,  saith  the  Lord  Al- 
"  mighty."  (2  Cor.  6.  17,  18.)  These  things  show  ])lainly  enough 
who  arc  the  elect  of  God,  and  what  is  their  character.   They  arc  suclx. 


AND  FOREKNOWLEDGE.  IG5 

as  live  not  as  the  v/orld  live,  according  to  the  course  of  this  v/oikl, 
und  are  not  of  the  world,  but  have  come  out  from  among  them ;  ac- 
cording to  what  was  said  of  old  time;  "  Lo,  the  people  shall  dwell 
alone,  and  shall  not  be  reckoned  among  the  nations."  (Num.  23.  O.j 
And  as  Jesus  himself  also  said;  "  If  ye  were  of  the  Avorld,  the  world 
*'  would  love  his  own :  but  because  ye  are  not  of  the  world,  but  T 
•'  have  chosen  you  out  of  the  world,  thcretore  the  world  hateth'you.'' 
(Jno,  15.  12.)  From  this  view  of  these  pointed  testimonies  of  the 
scriptures,  it  is  easy  to  see,  that  none  are  to  be  accounted  God's  elect 
while  living  in  the  practice  of  sin ;  none  but  those  v/ho  deny  them- 
selves and  take  up  their  cress  and  follow  Christ,  d-cnyhig  all  ungodji- 
ness  and  woi-ldly  lusts,  and  living  soberly,  righteously  and  pionslv,  in 
this  present  world,  while  in  it ;  and  that  as  fast  as  ariy  Vkill  thus  deny 
themselves  and  take  up  their  cross,  God  Vvill  own  them  as  beipg  of 
the  number  of  his  elect. 

But  it  is  asserted,  that  God's  election  is  made  unconditional  and 
eternal,  "  Without  any  foresight  of  faith,  or  good  works,  or  perseve- 
"  ranee  in  either  of  them",  or  any  other  good  thing  in  tiie  creature, 
*'  as  conditions,  moving  him  thereto."  But  as  the  scriptures  s]5cak 
so  pointedly  of  God's  elect  as  bcins;  "  Elect  according  to  the  fore- 
*'  knowledge  of  God  the  Father,"  and  of  God,  as  predestinating  those 
whom  he  forcknev/,  v/e  shall  not  hesiiate  to  conclude  that  he  saw  in 
them  all  something  worthy  of  his  clicice,  previously  to  his  making  it, 
whether  we  say  from  everlasting  or  after  that  excellence  tak^s  place. 
And  as  for  the  intimation  often  given,  that  it  argues  weakness  in 
God  to  suppose  that  he  hath  any  respect  to  the  character  or  works- 
of  men  in  his  purposes  concerning  them  and  his  appointing  of  them 
to  happiness  or  misery,  as  making  his  purposes  and  works  dcpericl 
more  or  less  on  the  creature,  none  need  be  burdened  with  it,  as  long 
as  it  stands  written  that  In  every  nation,  he  that  feareth  him  and 
ivorketh  righteousness  is  accepted  of  him.  It  reflects  no  dishonor 
on  God  to  say  that  his  acceptance  of  men  now,  as  well  as  his  final 
judgment  and  awards,  rest  on  the  character  and  vvorks  of  each  indivi- 
dual, for  it  is  true  that  he  judgcth  every  man  according  to  his  works. 
It  ai'gues  no  weakness  in  God  to  do  justice.  God  is  under  no  obli- 
gation, in  his  own  nature,  or  from  any  other  law,  to  do  every  thing 
Avliich  he  hath  positive  or  inherent  power  to  do.  This  position  ca:i 
no  man,  with  any  consistency  or  plausibility,  deny ;  neitlicr  doth  tliis 
argue  any  Aveakness  in  him.  But  he  is  invariably  fixed  in  all  his  pur- 
poses and  works,  not  to  say,  bound  by  his  own  nature,  to  do  in  all 
thing-.,  that  which  is  just,  even  to  the  meanest  creature.  Arid  to  nx 
any  man's  final  state  without  respect  to  his  peisonal  character  or 
works,  can  never  be  reconciled  with  justice.  "And  that  the  rightc- 
"  ous  should  be  as  the  wicked,  tnat  be  far  from  thee.  Shall  not  the 
"  Jiidge  of  all  the  earth  do  right?  (Gen.  12.  25.,)  It  argues  no' 
weakness  in  God;  it  reflects  no  dishonor  on  his  character  to  have 
created  and  to  govern  a  race  of  conscious  beings,  aiid  accountable  to' 
him  as  free  agents,  and  then  to  award  them,  each  one  acco:--'ing  w 
Uis.  works ;,  after  giving  llicm  f^.ir  warning,  as  lie  hoiii  done. 

Y 


170  OF  ELECTION 

But  for  the  sake  of  chasing  the  darkness  out  of  every  secret  cor- 
nel', the  silencing  argument,  that  God  appoints  men  to  life  or  to 
■wrath  without  respect  to  their  works,  is,  proposed.  That  with  God  is  no 
succession  of  time,  consequently  no  foreknowledge,  because  times, 
past,  present  and  to  come,  are  all  present  Avith  him  ;  therefore  when 
he  appoints  or  elects  men  to  eternal  life,  from  everlasting,  it  is  not 
done  according  to  his  foreknowledge  of  their  faith  or  good  works,  for 
they  are  all  present  to  his  view  ;  or  when  he  passes  by,  or  appoints 
to  wrath,  it  is  not  according  to  his  foreknouiedge  of  their  unbelief 
or  disobedience,  for  these  also  are  all  present  to  his  view,  with  all  their 
characters.  This  argument  is  indeed  weak  enough  towards  the  de- 
fence of  that  point,  as  it  implicitly,  though  effectually,  confirms  the 
Contrary,  that  the  reward  of  eternal  life  or  death,  and  consequently, 
the  justification  of  individuals  now,  rests  on  their  works. 

But  the  impossibility  of  justifying  the  principle  of  decreeing  some 
raen  to  eternal  life  and  others  to  eternal  death,  without  respect  to 
their  personal  characters  and  works,  leads  those  who  believe  it,  or 
alTect  so  to  believe,  to  use  Aveak  and  unreasonable  measures.  The 
above  argument  of  no  foreknowledge  in  God,  hath  been  used  with 
greater  propriety  on  the  other  sid-e  of  the  question,  to  show  that,  ad- 
mitting the  state  of  all  men  to  be  fixed  in  the  mind  of  God,  even 
before  their  existence,  that  state  is  fixed  by  the  just  judgment  of  God 
according  to  their  personal  character  and  works,  God  having  all  these 
before  him  as  the  foundation  of  his  judgment.  And  tins  view  of  the 
■matter  is  infinitely  preferable  to  that  which  supposes  Gcd  to  have 
from  eternity  fixed  the  state  of  all  men,  without  respect  to  their  works; 
as  it  exonerates  the  character  of  God  from  the  charge  of  arbitrarily 
anpointing  some  men  to  life  and  excluding  others,  arid  so  ordaining 
them  to  wrath,  without  any  possible  opportunity  of  doing  ju&tice  to 
God  by  obeying,  or  to  themselves  by  laying  hold  on  eternal  life  ;  God 
actings  in  all  these  things,  according  to  what  men  call  his  sovereign 
will:  an  attribute  xmknown  to  God.  We  read  of  The  purfiose  of 
him  (of  God  no  doubt)  ivho  nvorketh  all  tilings  accordiug  to  the  coun- 
sel of  his  own  will :  but  counsel,  in  a  wise  being,  implies  rational  de- 
liberation and  a  reasoiiable  conclusion.  But  to  say  there  is  no  fore- 
knowledge in  God,  is  improper.  It  is  contrary  to  the  scripture,  and 
represents  God  as  an  inconsistent  being,  always  consulting  and  p\u'- 
fyosing  to  do  things  which  are  already  done,  or  in  the  state  of  doing. 
For  if  no  futurity,  because  no  succession,  then  no  anteriority  ;  God  is 
therefore  represented  as  now,  and  lor  ever  to  remain,  consulting  and 
purposing  to  create  this  world  and  all  others ;  to  create  man  and  all 
ether  works  which  are  already  done. 

But  in  the  second  place.  It  is  not  unreasonable,  neitlier  is  it  un- 
scriptural,  that  G-od  hath  an  election  of  certain  individuals  to  fill 
certain  lots  or  places,  to  execute  certain  labors  in  carrying  on  the 
work  of  redenjption  for  the  v/iiole.  Every  duly  or  work  necessary  for 
the  edification  of  the  whole,  must  be  done  by  sonie  one  or  more  ; 
and  every  man  is  not  capable  of  filling  every  place.  It  is  therefore 
no  injury,  but  a  real  advantage  to  the  whole,  that  God  should  select 
and  furnish  with  suitable  comniii;sion  and  eifts  to  lead  tlic  wa>  and  be 


AND  FOREKNOWLEDGE.  171 

helpers  of  the  faith  of  others,  those  who  are  capable  of  performins^ 
such  duties.  These  are  often  called  to  hear  many  burdens  and  to 
endure  many  sufferings,  or  to  perform  duties  of  which  the  physical 
powers  of  mind,  accordin?^  to  natural  creation,  render  others  incapa- 
ble. And  whatever  privilege  such  may  be  supposed  to  have,  in 
8eing  chosen  to  such  duties,  their  election  and  calling  cannot  at  all 
be  any  hindrance  to  the  free  access  of  others,  to  the  same  salvation, 
or  to  their  receiving  a  full  reward  according  to  the  utmost  of  their 
obedience  of  faith  ;  but  on  the  contrary,  these  are  necessary  to  pro- 
raote  the  good  of  the  whole,  and  without  them  the  church  could  not 
be  built  up  in  gospel  order.  "  And  he  gave  some,  (that  is,  some  of 
"  those  whom  he  gave  were,)  apostles;  and  some,  prophets;  and 
"  some,  pastors  and  teachers;  for  the  perfecting  of  the  saints,  for  the 
"  work  of  the  ministry^for  the  edifying  of  the  body  of  Christ,  till  we 
"  all  come  in  the  unity  of  the  faith,  and  of  the  knowledge  of  the  Son 
"  of  God,  unto  a  perfect  man,  unto  the  measui'e  of  the  stature  of  the 
"  fulness  of  Christ." 

.Should  God  therefore  send  a  special  message  or  angel  to  these  tej 
waken  them  up  and  prepare  their  minds  for  the  gospel,  and  so  pre- 
pare the  way  for  its  introduction  to  any  laiid  or  people,  who  are  com- 
ing to  a  readiness  for  its  I'eception  ;  tr.is  could  be  no  injustice  to  the 
rest  but  a  real  privilege  ;  for  the  light  which  they  would  receive,  they 
•would  unfold  to  others  as  being  free  to  all  :  Freely  ye  have  received., 
freely  give.  When  the  gospel  is  to  be  introduced  among  any  peo- 
ple who  are  in  readiness  for  it,  that  introduction  must  be  effected 
through  some  means  ;  there  must  be  an  instrument  or  more  to  bring 
it  in,  and  room  in  the  heart  of  some  to  receive  it,  a  sanctuary  where 
the  testimony  might  rest,  until  borne  to  all,  a  people  made  ready  and 
■prepared  for  the  Lord  ;  as  the  few  Avho  first  believed  at  Ephesvis 
were  a  sanctuary  to  the  gospel  testimony,  while  Paul  disputed  for 
two  years  in  the  school  of  Tyrannus,  until  all  they  of  Asia  heard 
the  word  of  the  Lord  Jesus.  ("Acts  19.  10.)  It  is  not  expected  for 
a  nation  to  be  born  at  once.  If  God  therefore  should  send  a  special 
message  of  the  gospel  to  those  who  are  the  most  likely  to  receive 
it,  and  give  it  room,  ariiong  a  people  prepared  for  it ;  that  could  be 
no  injury  to  the  rest,  neither  could  it  at  all  stand  in  competition  with 
their  salvation,  but  on  the  contrary  tend  to  promote  it  by  establishing 
the  gospel  among  them,  "  For  therein  is  the  righteousness  of  God 
"  revealed  from  'faith  to  faith."  (Ro.  1 .  17.) 

But  in  all  these  things  there  is  nothing  to  contradict  that  God 
should  have  respect  to  qualifications,  natural  and  moral,  to  the  char- 
acter and  works  of  those  whom  he  thus  elects,  making  choice  of 
those  who  are  best  calculated  to  be  of  use  to  others  while  they  secure 
their  own  salvation.  And  who  can  say  there  is  any  weakness  or  dis- 
honor attached  to  God,  by  supposing  that  he  fixes  on  the  most  capa- 
ble instruments  to  perform  so  important  a  work,  as  leading  the  way 
"in  the  gospel,  and  bearing  it  to  others  ?  It  would  seem  by  the  senti- 
ments of  some,  that  reasonable  dealings  in  God,  tovvards  his  creatures 
would  be  a  disp-race. 


\72  OF  ELECTION 

But  to  cor.stltiite  a  real  subject  of  the  kinr;(lom  of  grace  and  cf 
glory,  itifi  necessary  to  be  called,  ap.d  chosen,  and  faithful.  Not  ail 
the  called  and  chosen  are  found  faitiiful  on  trial.  "  Have  not  I  cho- 
"  sen  you  twelve  and  one  of  you  is  a  devil  r"  (Jno.  6.  70.)  In  like 
Kianncr  many  v/ho  have  been  called,  and  chosen,  and  prepared,  with 
i;reat  light  and  power,  have  tasted  of  the  good  word  of  God  and  of 
th.e  powers  of  the  world  to  come,  in  the  preparatory  work  of  the  gos- 
pel, in  Kentucky  and  the  adjacent  states,  and  some  of  them  public 
teachers  and  leaders  of  tlie  people,  who  were  called  to  stand  as  door- 
keepei's  to  open  to  the  true  shepherd,  on  trial  proved  unfaithful, 
haviog  stumbled  at  the  cross,  under  which  the  shepherd  appeared. 

Further.  It  was  necessary  that  a  proper  train  should  be  laid,  and 
the  way  prepared  for  the  introduction  of  the  gospel  into  the  world 
at  the  first,  against  the  fulness  of  time  should  come  ;  it  was  neces- 
sary that  the  name  and  worship  of  the  true  God  should  be  preserv- 
ed on  the  earth,  among  a  people  to  whom  promises  should  be  made 
and  proper  testimony  deposited  with  them,  of  the  work  which  God 
■was  about  to  do,  to  be  a  vritness  of  its  truth  when  it  should  appear, 
according  to  the  times  and  seasons  before  appointed  and  foretold  ; 
that  men  might  believe  on  rational  piinciples  which  they  could  also 
present  to  others  for  their  conviction;  principles  establii^hcd  by  their 
duration,  their  continued  testimony,  and  theip  fulfilment,  as  well  as 
the  evidence  which  should  attend  the  v.-ork  vVhcn  it  should  appear. 
For  thi^  purpose  God  chose  Abraham,  to  be  the  father  of  the  faith- 
ful ;  that  in  him  and  in  his  seed  through  Isaac  all  nations  might  be 
blessed  ;  as  it  is  written  ;  "  And  in  thee  shall  all  nations  be  blessed." 
and  again  ;  "  For  in  Isaac  slrall  thy  seed  be  called."  [Gen,  12.  3,  and 
21.  12.n  These  are  they,  "  Who  are  Israelites;  to  v/hcm  pertain  the 
"  adoption,  and  the  gloty,  and  the  covenanits,  and  the  givings  of  the 
'•  law,  and  the  service  of  God,  an.d  the  promises  ;  whose  are  the 
"  fathers,  and  of  W'hom,  as  concerning  the  flesh  Christ  came,  wh.o  is 
"  over  all,  God  blcvSsed  for  ever.  Amen."  Thus  the  calling  cf  Abra- 
ham and  blessing  him,  furnished  a  people  to  preserve  the  name  and 
v.cvship  of  tlic  true  God,  and  ako  to  be  a  figiu'c  of  the  work  of  the 
gospel  when  it  should  appear.  "  For  they  are  not  all  Israel  who 
*>  are  of  Israel,  L>ut  the  children  of  the  promise  are  counted  for  the 
"  seed."  "  And  if  ye  be  Christ's  then  are  yc  Abraham's  seed,  and 
'' heirs  according  to  the  promise."    [Ro.  8.  4,  5,  6,  8.     Gail.    3.29.] 

These  things  being  so,  were  a  great  advantage  to  the  Jews  who 
v.ere  the  seed  of  Abraham  according  to  the  llesh,  because  they  had 
the  writings  of  IMoses,  and  the  other  oracles  of  God  to  be  to  them 
a  Avitness-e-f  the  character  of  Christ  wlien  he  appeared.  "  What  ad- 
"  vantage  then  hath  th.e  Jew  ?  or  what  profit  is  there  of  circumcis- 
"  sion  ?  IMuch  every  way  ;  chiefly,  because  to  them  were  ccmmittcd 
*'  the  oracles  of  God.  For  Avhatif  some  did  not  believe  ?  shall  their 
"  unbelief  make  the  failh  of  Gcd  without  eliect  ?  Gcd  forbid."  [Ro. 
3.  1,2.]  By  this  arrangement  of  things,  the  Jews  v.  eie  prepared  to 
stand  as  the  first  living  temple  of  Gcd,  in  whom  his  C-uist  should  af*^ 
pear  and  find  an  habitation,  the  lir;;t  deposit  cf  the  treasures  of  the 


AND  FOREKNOWLEDGE.  173 

gospel  of  salvation  among-  men.  Accordingly  the  t^ospel  is  called 
the  power  of  God  to  salvation  to  every  one  that  bclicvcth,  but  to  the 
Jew  first. 

But  this  first  benefit  to  the  Jew  is  no  disadvantap;e  to  the  Gentile ; 
for  the  same  jjospel  is  the  pov/cr  of  God  to  salvation  to  every  one 
who  believetn  ;  To  the  Jew  first,  and  also  to  the  Gentile.  And  the 
special  election  and  calling- of  Abrahafa  and  his  family  from  among 
the  nations  who  were  all  lost  in  idolatry,  were  no  injury  to  any  indi- 
vidual among- them,  but  on  the  coiitrary  prepared  the  v/ay  for  the 
greatest  blessings, /'oj-  in  thee  shall  all  the fumilies  of  the  carlh  he 
blessed.  This  election,  therefore,  of  Abraham  is  not  partial  to  ll.c 
e:iclusion  of  any  one,  Jew,  or  Gentile,  from  eternal  life  ;  and  the  pass- 
ing by  of  any  other  man  cr  men,  or  not  choosing  them  into  the  lot 
into  which  Ab-raham  was  called,  can  by  no  means  intercept  their  free 
access  to  eternal  life  in  Chri"..t,  as  being  of  Abraham's  family  ;  "For 
"  they  who  are  of  faith  are  blessed  witli  faithful  Abraham."  [Gal.  1. 
3,  6.]  This  is  that  Abraham  whom  God  fcreknesi',  as  he  saith,  "  For 
"  I  know  him,  that  he  will  command  his  children  and  his  household 
"  after  him,  and  they  shall  keep  the  way  of  the  Lord."  [Gen.  18.  I9.J 
Thus  God  found  Abraham,  a  man  according  to  his  mind. 

Now  when  Christ  had  appeared  and  ti:e  gcspel  began  to  be  preach- 
ed, if  God,  according  to  the  purpose  of  his  grace  which  he  ])urpcsed 
in  Christ,  and  according  to  the  plan  and  order  provided,  calied  and 
chose  Paul  whoui  he  had  separated  from  his  mother's  womb  for  that 
purpose,  and  the  rest  of  the  apostles,  together  with  tlic  great  num- 
ber of  Jews  who  at  first  believed,  having  predestinated  them  to  tre 
adoption  of  sons,  whom  he  foreknew ;  tins  election  and  calling  did 
not  imply  the  rejection  of  any  others,  or  that  any  others  should  not 
enjoy  the  same  privilege  of  being  called  and  predestinated  to  etcrral 
life  with  them,  but  actually  prepared  the  way  for  It ;  "  That,  in  the 
"  dispensation  of  the  fulness  of  times,  he  might  gather  together  iii 
"  one,  all  things  in  Christ,  both  wl>ic!i  are  in  heaven  and  which  arc 
"  on  earth,  even  in  him  ;  (as  fast  as  intelligent  beings  submit  to  ti'.e 
"  faith  of  Chiist,  ail  things  become  subjected  to  that  Oi-der ;)  in 
*'  whom  also  we  have  obtained  an  inheritance,  being  prede.':t!nai  od 
"  according  to  the  purpose  of  him  wba  worketh  all  things  according 
•"  to  the  counsel  of  his  ov.-n  will ;  that  we  should  be  to  the  praise  cf 
•  '*  his  glory,  who  first  trusted  in  Christ ;  in  ivhorn  ye  also  trusted^  aficr 
"  tliat  ye  heard  the  Kvord  rf  truth^  the  gospel  of  your  salvation ;  in 
"  whom  also,  after  that  ye  believed,  ye  were  sealed  with  that  hoiy 
"  Spirit  of  promise,  which  is  the  earnest  of  our  inheritance,  until  the 
"■'  redemption  of  the  purchased  possession,  to  the  praise  of  his  glory.''* 
(Eph.  1.10  to  14.)  To  carry  the  matter  farther  yet ;  Christ  is  the 
first  elect  of  God ;  "  Behold  my  servant  whom  I  uphold !  Inline 
*'  elect,  in  whom  my  soul  deiighteth.'"  ("Isa.  42.  1.)  He  was  the 
elect  of  God  Vt'hen  there  were  none  besides  him.  But  shall  this 
election  be  to  the  rejection  of  any  who  believe  in  him,  or  put  tlicir 
ti-ust  in  God  as  he  did?  Not  one.  But  on  tlie  contrary;  God  in 
chooeine;  and  laying  thJs  foundation,  hath  made  full  provision  for  the 


m  OF  ELECTION 

cicrnal  life  of  all  who  ■\viil  put  their  trust  in  him,  "  For  he  that  be- 
licvcth  on  him  shall  not  be  ashamed."  (Ro.  9.  22.)  After  Christ 
came  his  apostles,  whom  he  cliose,  as  he  said,  "  Ye  ha\e  not  chosen 
"  me, but  I  have  chosen  you,  and  ordained  you,  that  ye  siiouid  go  aiid 
••'  brinij  forth  fruit."  Next  come  those  who  should  believe  tlrrough 
"  their  ministry  ;  "  Ncitlier  pray  I  for  these  alone,  but  for  them  also 
"  who  shall  believe  on  me  through  their  word."  (Jno.  15.  16.  ar;d 
17.  20.)  Thus  in  the  order  of  God's  elect,  from  the  man  Christ  Je- 
sus to  all  tliat  foUoAv  him,  there  is  provision  made  for  others  to  inhe- 
rit the  same  salvation,  and  be  united  in  the  same  spirit  as  long  as  one 
iioul  can  be  found  that  is  willing  to  be  saved. 

These  statements  may  be  satisfying  to  the  candid  and  unbiased, 
what  is  the  true  intention  of  God's  election.  But  as  many,  believe, 
or  aiTect  to  believe,  that  God  hath  elected  and  ordained  a  certain 
number  of  the  human  race,  who  are  individually  specified  in  said 
election,  to  eternal  life,  and  that  these,  and  these  only,  will  certainly 
be  saved,  and  the  rest  consequently  and  inevitably  left  and  ordained 
lo  destruction  and  wrath,  vvithout  respect  to  character  or  works  on 
cither  side,  as  the  cause  of  such  ordination,  remote  or  proximate, 
and  as  many  scriptures  are  adduced  in  svipport  of  this  opinion,  we 
shall  consider  the  most  conspicuous  of  them  in  order,  as  far  as  shall 
appear  to  be  for  edification  and  consistent  with  the  limits  of  the  pre- 
sent work. 

Several  chapters  of  the  epistle  lo  the  Remans  are  viewed  as  con- 
taining silencing  arguments  to  that  effect ;  among  which  are  the  fol- 
lowing words  ;  "  And  v.'c  know  that  all  things  shall  v.-ork  togetijer  for 
"  good  to  them  that  love  God,lo  them  who  are  the  called  according 
'*■  to  his  purpose.  For  whom  lie  did  foreknow  he  also  did  predesti- 
"  natc  to  be  conformed  to  the  image  of  his  Son,  that  he  might  he  the 
"••  first  born  among  niany  brethren.  Moreover  whom  he  did  predes- 
"  tinatc,  them  he  also  called  ;  and  whom  he  called,  them  he  also  jus- 
^*  tificd  ;  aiul  whom  he  justified,  them  he  also  glorified."  (8.  29,  30.) 
In  this  place  the  apostle,  a^  every  uni>iased  mind  sees,  according  to 
the  plain  order  of  the  words,  hath  built  the  whole  on  the  forekncw- 
Icdge  of  God;  IVhora  he  did  jvrcknow  he  also  did  preder,t.lnate  ;  to 
be  conformed  to  the  image  of  his  Son  :  thus  in  God's  foreknowledge. 
And  Avhalever  may  be  disputed  as  to  the  propriety  of  the  word  ]ire- 
dcstinate.)  in  that  use  of  it,  the  apostle,  with  all  his  learning  and  in 
the  gift  and  inspiration  of  the  Spirit  hath  so  used  it :  And  there  is  no 
more  impropriety  in  this  viev>^  of  this  subject,  than  for  a  man  going 
to  build  an  house,  to  look  out  suitable  timber  and  mark  it  before 
hand  :  he  hath  thus  predestinated  that  timber.  Thus  God  predestin- 
ated to  eternal  life  in  Christ  Jesus  all  who  believe  in  him  and  obey 
him  ;  and  for  the  cirecting  of  this  purpose,  and  calling  all  who  will 
come,  he  predestinated  a  people  to  answer  this  piupose,  in  the  first 
entrance  of  the  gospel,  that  he  migh.t  gather  together  in  one  all 
tilings  in  Christ ;  as  befor*  sho'.vn.  And  in  like  manner  he  hath  pre- 
destinated a  people  in  every  part  under  heaven,  to  give  the  gcspel  a 
full  and  free  exhibition  to  all,  wherever  it  cometh.     These  are  in  tlie 


AND  FOREKNOWLEDGE.  175 

Erst  place  the   elect  of  God,  ar.d  in  the  next  place  ail  who  call  en 
him  and  obey  him,  as  before  described. 

But  granting  that  these  are  predestinated  without  any  respect  to 
their  character  or  works,  and  as  exclusively  irovn  all  foreknowledge 
as  any  consistent  hypothesis  can  admit,  as  in  the  epistle  to  the  Ephc- 
sians,  where  nothing  is  said  of  foreknowledge,  the  apostle  is  express 
in  the  purpose  of  their  predestination,  one  part  of  whicli  is  to  gather 
others  into  Christ  with  them,  that  all  miglit  be  one  in  Christ  as  tiieir 
head:  "  That  in  the  dispensation  of  the  fulness  of  times  he  might 
"  concentrate  or  gather  into  one  head  in  Christ  all  things  which  aie 
"  in  heaven  and  which  ai'e  on  earth."  (1.  10.)  These  scriptures  there- 
fore afford  no  proof  that  any  soul  is  reprobated  by  God's  predestina- 
tion or  decrees,  so  as  to  be  excluded  from  salvation,  orfmaliy  passed 
by,  who  doth  not  exclude  himself,  by  vbluntarily  rejecting  that  gcspel 
which  is  as  accessible  by  him  as  any  other. 

A  little  farther  on,  (Ro.  9.  9,  Sec.)  the  apostle  shows  that  the  elect 
are  limited  to  Isaac  and  then  to  Jacob.  "  For  this  is  the  word  of 
"  promise.  At  this  time  will  I  come,  and  Sara  shall  have  a  son.  And 
"  not  only  this,  but  when  Rebecca  had  conceived  by  one,  even  bv  ov.r 
"  father  Isaac,  (For  the  children  being  not  yet  Ijorn,  neither  l:avir.c; 
"  done  any  good  or  evil,  that  the  purpose  of  Gcd  accciding  to  clec- 
"  tion  might  stand,  not  of  works,  but  of  him  that  calleth,)  it  Vv'as  said 
*'  unto  her.  The  elder  shall  serve  the  younger.  As  it  is  writlcn, 
"  Jacob  have  I  loved,  but  Esau  have  I  hatf^d."  These  words  aie 
esteemed  an  incontrovertible  proof  that  God  hath  unchangeably,  pre- 
destinated, or  elected,  every  man  to  eternal  life,  or  eternal  death, 
without  any  previous  respect  to  his  character.  "  For,  doth  not  the 
"  scripture  say,  the  children  being  not  yet  born,  neith.er  Laving  dene 
<'  any  good  or  evil,  that  the  purpose  of  God  accordiv^-  toeicctKr.i 
"  might  stand,  not  ofvjorks^  (sec  how  works  h.ave  no  part  in  the  bu- 
"  siness,)  but  of  him  that  calleth,  (just  by  the  sovereign  will  and  a])- 
"  pointment  of  God,)  it  was  said  to  her."  And  what  vras  said? 
"  The  elder  shall  serve  the  younger."  And  because  the  elder,  Esau, 
should  serve  the  younger,  Jacob,  is  that  to  prove  that  tlx  person  or 
soul  of  Esau,  is  by  that  election  of  God,  w  itliout  ref;pect  to  his  ac- 
tions, as  having  done  neither  good  r.or  evil,  unalterably  set  cff  for 
eternal  damnation  ?  Or  did  Esau  in  person  ever  serve  Jacob  ? 
Never;  not  a  hint  of  any  such  thing  in  tlic  history  of  the  two  men, 
but  qiiits  the  reverse.  The  subject  then  iv.'.ist  inevitably  rcialc  to 
something  else;  and  the  aayhig,  Jacob  Iia-ve  I lovecl^  and  ICsau  /:c;vc 
I  hated^  relates  to  something  very  difierent  from  the  pei-sona  of  these 
two  men,  of  which  they  v.ere  but  the  figure. 

Now  it  is  proved  above,  that  the  seed  of  the  piomise,  or  the  true 
elect,  are  not  found  in  the  fanrlly  of  Abraham,  Isaac  and  Jacob  aftei' 
the  flesh,  or  in  their  natural  line,  even  though  Christ  as  pertainini--  to 
the  flesh  came  of  that  family.  "  For  they  are  not  all  Israel  who  are 
«  of  Israel :  neither  because  they  are  the  seed  of  Aljrai-.am,  arc  they 
"  all  children  :  but,  in  Isaac  shall  thy  seed  be  culled.  That  is,  They 
*'  who  are  the  children  of  the  flesh,  these  arc  ret  the  children  of 


ITG  OF  ELECTION 

«'  God  :  but  the  children  of  the  promise  are  counted  for  the  seed." 
So  that  Abraham's  natural  seed  are  not,  on  that  account,  of  the  elect 
or  seed  of  the  promise,  allhoujjh  ho  v/as  one  whom  God  chose  and 
called  in  an  especial  manner  and  aj)pointetl  him  the  father  of  tlic 
faitl]ful.  "  As  it  is  written,  I  have  made  thee  a  father  of  many  na- 
tions."- (Ro.  4.  17.)  "  For  this  is  the  word  of  promise,  At  this 'time 
"  will  I  come,  and  Sara  shall  have  a  son."  (So  that  even  Abraham's 
r,ced  separatelf  from  Isaac  were  not  to  inherit  with  Isaac.)  "  And  not 
"  only  this,  but  when  Rebecca  also  had  conceived  by  one,  even  by 
<'  our  father  Isaac,  it  was  said  unto  her  the  eider  sliall  serve  the 
«  younger."  Thus  a  part  of  the  seed  of  Isaac  is  also  rejected. 
And  above  ;  <'  For  they  are  not  all  Israel  who  are  of  Israel,  that  is 
Jacob ;"  so  that  not  even  all  the  natural  seed  of  Jacob  are  on  that 
riccount  oi  the  true  elect,  as  it  is  again  Written,  "  Israel  hath  not  ob- 
«<  tained  tliat  which  he  seeketh  for ;  but  the  election  hath  obtjuned  it, 
*'  and  the  rest  were  blinded."  (II.  7.) 

And  besides  all  this,  some  of  the  true  elect  of  God,  or  children 
of  the  premise,  are  found  am.ong  the  nations  who  are  not  Israelites 
by  nature,  being  uncircumcised,  who  are  nevertheless  the  children 
of  Abraham.  "  And  he  received  the  sign  of  crrcumcission,  a  seal  of 
«'  the  righteousness  of  the  faith  which  he  had  being  yet  uncircum- 
*'•  cised  ;  that  he  might  be  the  father  of  all  them  that  believe,  though 
"  they  be  not  circumcised;  that  righteousness  might  be  imputed  to 
"  them  also."  (4.  i  1 .) 

It  ir>  therefore  evident,  that  the  rejecting  of  Esau  from  that  certain 
lot  to  which  Jacob  was  called,  is  so  far  from  proving  that  his  soul  was 
Tcprobatcd  of  God  to  damnation,  the  whole  atfair  will  not  prove  that 
either  Abraham,  Isaac,  or  Jacob,  or  all  of  them  together,  were  the 
true  elect  of  God,  or  the  true  centre  in  whom  the  elect  are  found: 
it  is  even  certain  they  were  not,  for  none  of  them'lived  according  to 
the  fcith  of  the  promised  elect  v.hcn  he  came.  They  were,  all  of 
ti:cm,  orily  types  at  best.  For  although  Abraham  is  called  the  father 
of  the  faithful,  as  being  himself  faithful  and  called  of  God,  to  be  the 
father  of  those  among  whom  the  name  and  Avorship  of  the  true  God 
were  for  a  time  preserved  in  the  world,  until  the  true  elect  appeared,^ 
he  was  not  so  in  reality,  but  only  in  a  figure,  before  him  whom  h.e  be- 
lieved. And  though  Isaac  is  called  the  promised  seed,  he  was  not 
so  in  reality,  but  Christ,  as  it  is  Avritten,  "  And  to  thy  seed  v/hich  is 
Christ."  He  is  the  seed  to  whom  the  promise  was  made.  And 
though  Jacob  is  called  Israel,  or  the  prince  of  God,  he  was  not  the 
true  substance,  for  his  children  were  not  all  faithful.  "  For  they  arc 
*'■  not  all  Israel  who  are  of  Israel ;  that  is,  they  who  are  the  children 
"  cf  the  flesh,  these  are  not  the  children  of  God."  (Ro.  9.  6,  8.)  If 
then  Jacob  w^as  the  elect  of  God,  whcm  he  loved  in  preference  to 
j^.s  lu,  "  That  the  purpose  of  God  according  to  election  might  stand," 
and  he  v.'as  that  elect  only  in  a  figure,  as  it  is  proved,  he  represented 
tlvxt  v.'hich  God  loved,  in*cntnist  with  that  which  he  hated,  and  which 
J^sau  rep-.coonted.  Now  what  are  the  things  which  are  i-adirally  and 
e'jscniiailv  contrasted  with  c;ich  other  before  God,  the  one  being  an 


AND  FOREKNOWLEDGE.  177 

ol>ject  of  his  love  and  the  other  of  hatred  ?  The  Spirit  and  the  flesh ;. 
*'  For  the  flesh  lusteth  against  the  Spirit  and  the  Spirit  against  the 
"flesh;  and  these  are  contrary  the  one  to  the  other."  (Gal.  3.  17.) 
God  therefore  loveth  tlie  Spirit  and  all  the  sph'itual  seed,  and  hatel'i 
the  flesh.  And  to  this  agree  the  v/oi'ds  of  the  apostle,  as  he  saith  ; 
*'  They  who  are  the  children  of  the  flesh,  these  are  not  the  children 
<'  of  God  :  but  the  children  of  the  promise  are  cou.".ted  for  the  seed."' 
That  is,  the  children  of  Christ,  who  are  born  of  tlie  Spirit;  for  to 
him  the  promise  was  made.  Jacob,  therefore,  is  the  Spirit  in  a  figure, - 
wliom  God  loveth  with  all  the  seed,  and  Esau  is  the  flesh  in  a  figure, 
which  God  hateth  with  all  its  works. 

Jacob  and  Esau,  therefore,  viewed  as  representing  the  Spirit  and 
the  llesli,  or  the  children  of  God  and  the  children  of  this  world,  are 
important  characters,  and  set  forth  the  condition  of  the  lineages  v^^hich 
they  represent,  in  striking  colors.  But  tiiat  Esau  was  consigned  to 
eternal  wrath  by  that  election,  \Vithout  respect  to  his  works,  lliereis 
not  one  word  in  all  the  account,  or  any  where  else,  to  prove.  For' 
admitting  the  fact,  th.at  he  lived  wicked  and  died  the  same,  his  wicked- 
ness  is  not  ascribed  to  his  being  reprobated  on  the  principle  of  having 
done  neither  good  nor  evil.  And  when  he  is  called  a  profane  person, 
it  is  on  the  principle  of  neglecting  that  priviiegs  which  was  his  by 
i-ight  of  inheritance.,  lie  had  by  birth  a  right  to  the  blessing,  and 
would  not  have  lost  it,  had  he  not  sold  it  as  he  did,  for  a  mcrcsc!  of 
meat.  Thus  many  sell  the  spirit  for  the  flesh:  this  Avas  Esau's  sin  ; 
"  A  fornicator,  or  profane  person."  (Heb.  12.  16.) 

And  the  scriptures  show  plainly  enough,  that  to  love  Jacob  and  hate 
Esau,  (which  the  apostle  quoted  from  the  prophet  ivlalachi,)  had  no 
respect  to  the  persons  of  Jacob  and  Esau,  much  less  to  their  being 
predestinated,  the  one  to  eternal  life  and  the  other  to  damnation  wit!\- 
out  regard  to  their  character  and  works.  "  Was  not  Esau  Jacob's 
"  brother,  saith  the  Lord  ?  yet  I  loved  Jacob,  and  hated  Esau,  and 
♦'  laid  his  mountains  and  his  heritage  waste  for  the  dragons  of  the 
"  v/ilderness."  (Mai.  1.  2,  3.)  B-ut  this  desolating  of  Esau  did  not 
come  to  pass  until  Jacob  and  Esau  had  long  deceased ;  and  his  pos- 
verity  brought  it  on  themselves  by  their  own  \vicked  and  cruel  con- 
duct. "  For  thy  violence  against  thy  brother  Jacob  shame  shall  cover 
thee,  and  tlioa  shalt  be  cvit  off  for  ever."  (Ob.  10.)  And  the  grand 
purpose  which  the  quotation  from  jMalachi  serveth  in  the  apostle's 
discourse,  is  to  show  that  the  election  of  God  is  permanently  fixed, 
and  that  such  also  is  the  result,  not  in  the  person  of  Jacob  and  his 
posterity  according  to  the  flesh,  to  eternal  life,  and  in  the  person  of 
Esau  and  his  posterity  according  to  the  flesh,  to  eternal  damnation  ; 
but  in  the  Spirit  and  the  children  of  the  Spirit,  whom  Jacob  repre- 
sented, to  eternal  life,  and  the  flesh  and  all  its  v,^orks  and  children  who 
so  remain,  to  inevitable  and  eternal  damnation.  For  as  afoi'esaid,  these 
things  can  never  apply  to  Jacob  and  Esau  in  person  ;  for  Esau  never 
served  Jacob,  but  Jacob  rather  served  him,  being  always  afraid  of  hlivxy 
ur.til  they  were  well  advanced  in  years,  when  they  were  in  good 
friendship  together,  and  each  one  took  fus  inheritance  without  any 

7, 


I7d  or  ELECTION 

difnculty.  Bat  the  fate  of  Esau's  posterity  outwavdly,  is  a  striking  re- 
presentation of  the  end  of  the  flesh,  which  is  to  be  utterly  abolished. 
"  Whereas  Edom  saith,  We  arc  impoverished,  but  we  will  return  and 
"  build  the  desolate  places  ;  thus  saith  the  Lord  of  hosts ;  They  shall 
"  build,  Init  I  will  tlirow  down:  and  they  shall  call  them,  the  border 
'<  of  Vvickedness,  and  The  people  against  whom  the  Loiiu  hath  indig- 
"  nation  for  ever."  (Mai.  1.  4.) 

Now  there  was  truly  no  occasion  for  God  to  have  respect  to  the 
works  of  any  individuals  for  a  reason  to  condemn  the  nature  of  evil, 
or  the  flesh,  which  lusteth  against  the  Spirit,  and  by  consequence,  all 
who  would  cleave  to  it.  Neither  was  there  any  need,  that  God  should 
wait  until  the  children  Avere  born,  or  had  done  good  or  evil  actioVis, 
before  he  shonld  make  a  choice,  according  to  his  own  wisdom,  who 
should  represent  the  flesh  in  a  figure,  and  who  the  Spirit ;  "  Not  of 
v/urks  but  of  him  that  calleth."  For  in  that  election,  Esau  who  was 
hated,  as  representing  the  flesh,  was  no  mere  excluded,  as  an  indivi- 
dual man,  neither  any  one  of  lus  posterity,  from  the  salvation  of  his 
soul,  than  Jacob.  "  That  the  purpose  of  God  according  to  election 
might  stand,  not  of  him  that  calleth,  it  was  said  unto  her.  The  eider 
shall  serve  the  younger."  Now  the  election  of  God  was  the  up- 
building of  the  Spirit,  and  the  rejection  of  the  flesh.  But  the  flesh 
is  first ;  that  is,  all  men  have  an  existence  in  the  flesh  before 
they  become  spiritual.  x\dam,  or  the  old  creation,  is  foremost 
in  the  generation  of  men ;  afterwards  Christ,  in  the  regeneration,  or 
work  of  the  Spirit,  as  saith  the  apostle  ;  "  There  is  a  natural  body 
'•  and  there  is  a  spiritual  body.  And  so  it  is  written.  The  first  man 
"  Adam  was  made  a  living  soul ;  the  last  Adam  was  made  a  quick- 
'»  cning  Spirit.  Ilowbeit  tliat  was  not  first  which  is  spiritual,  but  that 
"  which  is  natural ;  and  afterward  that  which  is  spiritual."  (1  Cor.  15. 
44,  45,  46.)  Accordingly  the  purpose  of  God  was  with  great  wis- 
dom, that  the  elder  should  serve  the  younger;  that  the  flesh  should 
serve  the  Spirit,  being  in  subjection  to  it,  and  not  rule  over  it,  as  hath 
been  the  case  in  the  family  of  the  first  Adam  ever  since  the  first 
trausgression. 

Jacob  and  Esau  are  not  the  only  two  who  have  been  types  of  the 
Spirit  and  the  flesh,  in  whom  it  may  be  seen  that  the  elder  serveth  the 
younger,  or  that  the  Spirit  will  finally  supplant  the  flesh  and  root  it 
out  forever.  Ishmael  was  the  elder  and  Isaac  the  younger;  but  Ish- 
mael  v.asborn  after  the  flesh,  ofabond  v/oman, and  Isaac  by  promise, 
of  a  free  woman;  and  "  What  saith  the  scripture?  Cast  out  the  bond 
"  woman  and  her  son  ;  for  the  son  of  the  bond  woman  shall  not  be  heir 
*'  with  the  son  of  the  free  woman."  (Gal.  4.  30.)  Saul  was  the  first 
king  of  Israel,  l)ut  David  who  kept  covenant  with  God,  took  the 
kingdom.  And  in  many  things  hath  God  shown  that  the  old  creation 
which  is  according  to  the  flesh,  is  to  be  dissolved,  and  the  new  crea- 
tion in  Christ,  which  is  according  to  the  Spirit  to  remain  for  ever. 

But  the  apostle  prcceec^p  ;  "  "What  shall  wc  say  then  ?  Is  there 
"  vunighteousness  vnih  God  ?  God  forbid."  Doth  God  appoint  a-'V 
j)uu5  to  Vi'rath  without  any  cause  in  the  man  as  the   reason  of  it  ?  or 


AND  FOREKNOWLEDGE.  ir9 

doth  he  select  seme  to  eternal  life,  and  leave  the  rest  to  perish,  until 
they  first  make  choice  of  the  road  to__  destruction  ?  Never.  God 
doethno  such  things  ;  for  there  is  no  unrighteousness  in  him.  But  is 
it  unrighteousness  in  God  to  condemn  the  flesh  which  lusteth  against 
the  Spirit,  and  to  promote  the  Spirit  to  eternal  life  ?  By  no  means  ; 
Who  can  gainsay  him  ?  Might  not  God  purpose,  without  unright- 
eousness, in  the  first  creation  of  man  according  to  the  natural  order 
of  the  fiesh,  to  bring  that  order  to  a  close  ;  but  especially  now  when 
it  and  its  cliildren  are  corrupted,  Avhen  it  is  become  the  cage  of  every 
unclean  and  hateful  bird,  may  he  not  in  righteousness  have  decreed 
its  dissolution,  and  proniote  the  Spirit  as  the  superior  state  of  hap])i- 
ness  for  men,  in  the  new  creation,' to  eternal  glory  :_^It  is  uncriception- 
able. 

"  For  he  saith  unto  Moses,  I  will  have  mercy  on  whom  I  will 
have  mercy,  [or  on  v/hom  I  have  mercy,  in  the  Greek,]  and  I  will 
have  compassion  on  whom  I  will  have  compassion,  [cv  on  whom  I 
have  compassion.]  So  then  it  is  not  of  him  that  willeth  nor  of 
him  that  runr.eth,  but  of  God  that  showeth  mercy."  And  who  ever 
thought  any  thing  else  than  that  salvation  is  all  of  God  ?  Would  ;viy 
man,  by  his  willing  or  running  ever  have  found  the  way  to  be  saved  ? 
Would  any  ever  -have  thought  of  everlastingly  condemning  the 
flesh  for  the  final  redemption  of  the  spirit?  Not  one.  All  woakl  have 
gone  their  own  way,  in  the  flesh — they  would  all   have  v/illed  its  life. 

With  respect  to  the  use  wh.ich  some  make  of  this  saying  of  God 
to  Moses,  as  if  in  the  hajuls  of  the  apostle  it  proved,  that  God  ap- 
points men  to  life  or  to  wrath,  without  respect  to  their  proper  char- 
acter, it  only  exposes  the  v/cakness  of  such  a  plan.  The  work  of 
the  ministers  of  Christ  is,  after  his  own  example,  to  set  forth  the 
righteousness  of  God  to  men,  and  :;hov/  them  that  in  all  his  dealings 
v.'ith  them  he  is  just,  consistently  with  that  reason  with  which  he  has 
endued  them.  Come,  saith  the  Lord,  let  Jis  reaso7t  together.  But 
the  argument  is  forced  and  arbitrary  indeed  to  prove  that  it  is  right- 
eousness in  God  to  dispose  of  men  in  that  sovereign  or  absolute  man- 
ner, to  say.  He  said  he  tvould  do  ii.  This  kind  of  reasoning  ivculd 
not  justify  the  character  of  a  man,  but  highly  criminate  him  as  a  v.il- 
ful,  unreasonable  being,  and  how  shall  it  justify  that  conduct  in  God, 
from  whom  more  justice  is  expected  than  from  men  ?  And  what 
is  in  that  saying  as  deliv'ered  to  Moses,  to  show  that  (lod  would  deal 
with  the  souls  of  men  in  that  absolute  manner?  Moses  had  been 
pleading  with  him  to  continue  his  favors  to  the  people  of  Israel,  and 
to  show  him  his  glory,  and  he  promised  to  do  so  ;  "  And  he  said,  I 
"  Avill  make  all  my  goodness  pass  before  thee,  and  I  will  proclaim 
<'  the  name  of  the  Lord  before  thee  ;  and  will  be  gracious  to  whom 
"  I  will  be  gracious,  and  will  show  mercy  on  whom  1  will  show  mer- 
"  cy,"  (Exod.  33.  19.)  as  much  as  to  say,  What  I  have  promised  I 
will  do — I  will  keep  my  covenant.  Accordingly  he  kept  covenant 
Avith  Israel,  wicked  as  they  were,  because  he  had  made  promise  to 
their  fathers,  and  they  kept  the  remembrance  of  the  name  of  God 
i-nd  his  cliuvch,  uruil  out  of  them,  as  pertaining  to  the  flesh,  Christ 


l&o  OF  ELECTION 

came,  whose  seed  are  tlie  faithful  only.  But  what  have  these  things 
to  do  with  appointing  any  man  to  eternal  wrath,  without  respect  to 
his  real  or  personal  character?  Nothing  at  all.  Hence  when  God 
came  to  make  himself  known  to  Moses  according  to  premise,  it  was 
to  this  purpose  ;  "  The  Lord,  The  Lord  God,  merciful  and  gra- 
"  cious,  long-suffering,  and  abundant  in  goodness  and  truth  ;  keep- 
'•  ing  mercy  for  thousands,  forgiving  iniquity  and  transgression  and 
"  sin,  and  that  will  by  no  means  clear  (the  guilty.")  So  in  this  procla- 
mation of  dread  sovereignty, so  reputed, to  Moses,  tlie  guilty  alone,  and 
they  only  by  remaining  impenitent,  are  excluded  from  the  favor  of 
God;  for  he  forgiveth  iniquity,  transgression  and  sin,  and  will  not,  clear 
certain  who  are  called  the  guilty.  The  word  guilty  is  not  in  the 
Hebrew,  but  seems  to  be  a  very  proper  supplemejit.  (Excd.  34. 
6,  7-)  In  like  manner  the  apostle's  reasoning  will  terminate,  as  Ave 
shall  see,  that  they  only  are  rejected  who  do  not  coi^^iply  with  God's 
offers  in  the  gospel. 

"  For  the  scripture  saith  unto  Pharaoh,  Even  for  this  same  pur- 
*'  pose  have  I  raised  thee  up,  that  I  might  shoAv  my  power  in  thee, 
"  .^nd  that  my  name  might  be  declared  throughout  all  the  earth. 
"  Therefore  hath  he  mercy  on  whom  he  will  have  mercy,  and  whom 
"  he  will  he  hardeneth."  And  whom  will  he  harden  ?  the  obedient 
and  disobedient  without  discrimination  ?  God  forbid.  But  the  dis- 
obedient and  profane  as  Pharaoh  was ;  and  wlio  could  say,  "  Who  is 
the  Loud  that  I  should  obey  his  voice  ;"  and  who  harden  tliem- 
sclvcs  as  Phoraoh  did.  But  who  will  produce  an  example  of  an  obe- 
dient man,  or  one  who  doeth  the  best  he  knoweth,  or  can  know, 
whom  God  hath  set  aside  to  wrath  by  this  abetted  sovereignty  which 
men  ]-:avc  palmed  upon  God  ?  Where  is  the  w  ise  man  ?  Where  is 
the  disputer  of  this  world  ?  Where  is  the  philosopher  ?  Who  is  able 
to  establish  such  a  notion  of  God's  dealings  with  men.  Hath  not 
Gcd  in  these  last  days  confounded  such  wisdom  ?  "  The  soul  that  sin- 
ncth,  it  shall  die." 

"  Thou  wilt  say  tlien  unto  me,  Why  doth  he  yet  find  fault  ?  for 
"  who  hath  resisted  his  will?"  True  enough — if  God  appointeth 
every  man  to  this  condition  or  that,  without  regard  to  the  faith  oi' 
•works  of  any  one,  who  hath  resisted  his  will  ?  or  w  ho  can  ?  Come 
forth  Paul,  and  vindicate  the  character  of  God,  on  that  plan.  But 
as  thou  hast  no  reason  to  give,  I  will  give  thee  an  answer  according 
to  truth  and  righteousness,  and  clear  th.c  character  of  God,  before  all 
men,  mitil  they  shall  .ail  confess  that  the  Avay  of  the  Lord  is  equal. 
The  soul  that  sinneth it  shall  die.  And  therefore  doth  he  justly 
find  fault,  because  all  they  v/ho  are  not  saved  jhave  resisted  his  will ; 
for  he  is,  "Not  willing  that  any  should  perish,  but  tliat  all  should  come 
"  to  repentance."  "  Who  will  have  all  men  to  be  saved  and  come 
«  to  the  knowledge  of  the  truth."  "  Ye  stiff-necked  and  uncircum- 
<'  ciscd  in  j.eart  and  ears,  ye  do  always  resist  the  Hoiy  Ghost ;  as  your 
"  fathers  did,  so  do  ye."  (2  Pet.  1.9.      1  Tim.  2.  4.'     Acts  7.  5 1'.) 

"  Nay  but.  O  man,  who  art  thou  that  repliest  against  God  ?  Shall 
"  the  thing  ibrmed,  say  to  him  that  formed  it,   W^hy  hast  thou  made 


AND  FOREKNOWLEDGE.  18  i 

«  mc  thus  ?"  What  now,  Paul  ?  Avilt  thou  confound  a  oaii  by  sove- 
reign mandates,  without  rendering  him  a  reason  (  God  forbid,  that 
any  man  shoukl  be  so  foolish  as  to  yield,  so  far  as  to  conckide  that 
God  forms  men  for  wrath  mitil  they  first  form  themselves  !  "  This 
"  only  ha\-e  I  found,"  said  Solomon,  (and  that  will  relieve  us  now,) 
"  that  God  made  man  upright ;  dui  i/icy,"  (not  God  tor  them)  "  have 
"  sought  out  many  inventions."  [Eccl.  7.  29.]  "  As  I  live  saith  the 
"  Lord  God,  I  have  no  pleasure  in  the  death  of  the  Avickcd  ;  but  that 
"  the  wicked  turn  from  his  way  and  live."  [Esek.  33.  1  L]  Now 
Paul  yield  ;  and  we  also  will  grant  to  thee,  that  a  man  needeth  not 
reply'against  God,  until  God  doeth  something  unfair,  which  will 
never  be. 

'•  Hath  not  the  potter  power  over  the  clay,  of  the  same  lump,  to 
"  make  one  vessel  to  honor  and  another  to  dishonor."'  Nov>f  I'aiil,  I 
win  answer  thee  again,  out  of  the  book  of  God.  [Jer.  IS.  1,  2,  &c.] 
"  The  word  which  cam.e  to  Jeremiah  from  t!ie  Lord,  saying.  Arise, 
"  and  go  down  to  the  potter's  house,  and  there  Avill  I  cause  thee  to 
"  hear  my  words.  Then  I  ^vx;nt  down  to  the  potter's  house;  and 
<'  behold,  he  wrought  a  work  on  the  wheels.  And  the  vessel  that  he 
"  made  of  clay  Avas  marred  in  the  hand  of  the  potter  ;  so  he  made  it 
*'  again  another  vessel,  as  seemed  good  to  the  potter  to  make  it." 
(such  as  it  appeared  to  him  fit  to  make.)  "  Then  the  word  of  the 
"  Lord  came  to  me,  saying,  O  house  of  Israel,  cannot  I  do  Avith  you 
"  as  this  potter  ?  saith  the  Lord  Gcd.  Behold,  as  the  clay  is  in  the 
"  potter's  hand,  so  are  ye  in  my  hand,  ()  house  of  Israel.  At  what 
"  instant  I  shall  speak  concerning  a  nation,  and  concc.ning  a  king- 
^'  dom,  to  pluck  up,  and  to  pull  dov/n,  and  to  destroy  it :  if  that  nation 
"  agajnst  whom  I  h.ave  pronounced,  turn  from  their  evil,  I  will  rc- 
"  pent  of  the  evil  that  I  thought  to  do  unto  them.  And  at  what  time 
"  I  speak  concerning  a  nation,  and  concerning  a  kingdom,  to  build  and 
"•'  to  plant ;  if  it  do  eyil  in  my  sight,  that  it  obey  not  my  voice,  then 
*'  I  will  rcperit  of  the  good  wherewith  I  said  I  would  benefit  them." 
So  much  power  then  hath  the  potter  oAer  the  clay,  to  make  a  mean 
vessel  of  the  clay  which  will  not  form  into  an  honorable  one.  And 
so  hath  God  power  over  the  people  (the  m.ass  v^as  the  v/liolc  house 
of  Israel,  and  under  the  gospel,  it  is  the  vvrhole  v,'orld,)to  do  evil  against 
those  who  do  Avickedncss.  Noav  Paul  Avilt  thou  not  be  sat'sficd ;  espe- 
cially after  thou  hast  thyself  acknov.iedged  that,  "  In  a  great  house 
«'  there  are  not  only  vesscla  of  gold  and  of  silver,  but  also  of  AA'ocd 
"  and  of  eftrth ;  and  some  to  honor,  and  some  to  disiioncr.  If  a  man 
''  therefore  purge  himself  from  these,  he  shall  be  a  vessel  unto  honor, 
*<  sanctifiied,  and  meet  for  the  master's  use,  prepared  to  every  good 
"  Avork."  It  is  therefore  decided  by  thy  own  Avords  that  the  vessel 
to  dishonor  or  toAvrath,  may  purge  liimsclf  from  his  connection  Avith 
these  vessels  of  Avrath,  and  become  a  vessel  to  honor  and  mercy  :  for 
a  man  cannot  purge  himself  from  that  Avhich  is  not  attached  to  him. 

Nay;  but  let  me  plead  once  more,  at  least  thu*  far;  "  What  if 
*'  God,  Avilling-  to  shcAv  his  v/rath,  and  to  make  his  poAver  knoAvn,  en- 
"  dured  with  much  long-suifering  the  vessels  of  wrath  fitted  to  des- 


1S2  OF  ELECTION 

"  truction  ;  iuvl  that  he  might  make  kno'.vn  the  riches  cf  his  g!ory~on 
*'  the  vessels  of  mercy,  v/hich  he  had  afore  prepared  unto  glory,  even 
"us,  Avhom  he  hath  called,  not  of  the  Jcavs  only,  but  also  of  the 
"  Gentiles."  Yea,  Paul,  that  reasoning  will  do.  There  is  no  tniriglu- 
eousness  in  the  thought,  that  God  should  endure  long  with  those  who 
are  already  vessels  of  v/ralh  fitted  for  destruction,  that  he  may  show 
his  wrath  against  sin,  or  the  flesh  which  they  serve,  and  make  known 
his  power  eventually  in  their  destruction,  as  in  the  case  of  Pharaoh, 
that  his  name  may  be  known  and  feared  throughout  the  earth  ;  or  that 
he  should  long  preserve  the  vessels  of  mercy,  and  not  remove  them 
immediately  out  cf  the  view  of  the  world,  that  he  might  make  known 
the  riches  of  his  glory  and  grace  on  those  whom  he  halh  afore  pre- 
pared thereto.  For  God  to  manifest  his  grace  and  glory  on  the 
subjects  of  his  grace,  and  to  make  knov/n  his  wrath  on  the  vessels  of 
wrath,  is  rational  and  justifiable.  But  that  is  a  very  dilferent  tiling 
from  predestinating  ip.en  to  mercy  or  to  v/^rath  Avithout  respect  to 
their  faith  or  works.  Let  us  then  hear  the  conclusion  in  Paul's  own 
words ;  "  What  shall  we  say  then  ?  That  the  Gentiles  who  followed 
"  not  after  righteousness,  have  attained  to  righteousness,  even  the 
"  righteousness  which  is  of  faith  :  but  Israel,  who  followed  after  the 
**  law  of  righteousness  hath  not  attained  to  the  law  of  righteousness. 
"  Wherefore  ?  Bec;ause  they  sought  it  not  by  faith,  but  as  it  Vvcre  by 
«  the  works  cf  the  lav/:  for  they  stumbled  at  that  stumbling  stone." 
Thus  when  Paul  bringeth  the  matter  to  a  final  conclusion,  the  prin- 
ciple on  which  any  fall,  is  their  not  complying  with  God's  terms.  And 
a  little  after.  (Ro.  10.  3.)  "  For  they,  being  ignorant  of  God's 
"  righteousness,  and  going  about  to  establish  their  own  righteousncs, 
"  have  not  submitted  themselves  to  the  righteousness  of  God." 

I  grant  the  apostle's  language  is  somewhat  abstruse,  on  this  sub- 
ject, yet  not  unintelligible  ;  and  the  conclusion  which  he  hath  drawii 
from  the  Avhole  in  his  own  words  decidedly  proves  the  above,  exposi- 
tion to  be  correct.  But  he  did  not  write  so  without  his  reason  ;  it 
being  often  necessary  to  give  a  subject  a  very  awful  cast,  to  im.press 
the  mind  more  deeply  with  a  sense  of  how  important  it  is  to  act  in 
all  things  conformably  to  the  will  of  God.  "  I(  is  a  fearful  thing  to 
fall  into  the  hands  of  the  living-  God."  (Heb.  10.  31.)  Neither 
let  it  be  forgotten  that  Faul,  according-  to  the  wisdom  given  to  him^ 
hath  ivrittcn  some  things  hard  to  be  understood.^  'tvhich  they  who  are 
unlearned  and  unstable  (though  not  the  honest  and  the  wise  toward 
God,)  wrest,  as  they  do  also  the  other  scriptures  to  their  own  destruc- 
■tion.  Let  people  therefore  beware  how  they  tarnish  the  justice  and 
glory  of  his  character  v.dth  Vviiom  we  have  to  do.  "  For  our  God  is 
a  consuming  fire."  (Heb.  12.29.) 


AND  FOREKNOWLEDGE-  I  S3 

CHAPTER  XII. 

The  subject  Continued. 

\VE  lave  already  seen  concerning  the  election  of  God,  that  he 
liath  reprobated  the  flesh,  and  by  consequence  all  vho  cleave  to  it, 
and  chosen  his  people  in  the  Spirit.  Wo  have  also  seen  it  proved, 
that  the  natural  seed  of  Jacob  are  not,  on  that  account,  elect  in  the 
Spirit ;  as  well  as  that  the  Gentiles  who  receive  tiie  faith  of  Christ 
by  the  gospel,  are  of  the  true  seed,  and  heirs  according  to  the  pro- 
mise; so  that  Jev/s  and  Gentiles  have  equal  freedom  of  access  to  the 
promised  salvation  in  Christ.  "We  have  seen  farther,  that  these  Is- 
raelites who  have  not  attained  to  the  lavt^  of  righteousness,  have  failed 
through  unbelief;  "For  they  stumbled  at  that  stumbling  stone  ;  as 
*»  it  is  Vv'ritten,  Behold,  I  lay  in  Zion,  a  stumbling  stone  and  rock  of 
"  offence:  and  v/hosoever  bclieveih  on  him  shall  not  be  ashamed." 
(Ro.  9.  32,  33.)  But  we  have  to  enquire  stiil  farther  ccncernirg  the 
elect  of  God  both  among  the  people  of  Israel  and  among  the  Gen- 
tiles. For  although  the  Gentiles  have  become  fellov/  heirs  v/ith  the 
Jev/s,  and  partakers  of  the  same  covenant  of  eternal  life,  the  middle 
wall  of  partition  being  taken  away,  God  still  remembers  his  covenant 
with  Abraham,  Isaac  and  Jacob,  and  in  the  seed  promised  in  that 
covenant  will  include  all  the  faithful,  v/hether  Jews  or  Gentiles. 
"  God  hath  not  cast  off  his  people  whom  lie  foreknew."  (Ro.  11.2, 
Sec")  "  V/ot  ye,  not  what  the  scripture  saith  of  Elias,  how  he 
"  mal^eth  intercession  to  God  against  Israel,  saying,  Lord,  they  have 
"  killed  thy  prophets  and  digged  down  thine  altars ;  and  I  am  left 
"  alone,  and  they  seek  my  life  ?  But  what  saith  the  answer  of  God. 
"  to  him?  I  have  reserved  to  myself  seven  thousand  men,  (even  ail 
"  the  men,)  who  have  not  bowed  the  knee  to  Baal,  or  have  not  kissed 
"him."  (Compare  1  Kings  19.  18.)  As  these  had  net  worshiped 
Baal,  nor  joined  in  killing  the  prophets,  of  whom  Elijah  alone  seems 
to  have  been  left  at  that  time,  God  had  reserved  them  from  the  de-. 
struction  to  be  made  by  Hazicl,  Jehu  and  Elisha,  which  the  apostle 
considers  as  a  figure  of  the  election  to  salvation  in  Christ.  And 
very  properly ;  because  as  they  had  their  lives  preserved  by  obedi- 
ence to  the  true  God  and  refusing  to  Avorsaip  Baal,  so  the  ingrafting 
into  Christ  and  continuing  there  depended  on  complying  with  the 
gospel  offers  and  continuing  therein  ;  as  \nll  appear  in  the  suquel. 
Reader,  understand. 

But  the  apostle  proceeds;  "Even  so  then,  at  this  present  time 
<'  also  there  is  a  remnant  according  to  the  election  of  grace.  And  if 
"  by  grace  then  it  is  no  more  of  works  ;  otherv/ise  grace  is  no  more 
"  grace.  But  if  it  be  of  works,  then  it  is  no  more  grace;  otherwise 
"  vfork  is  no  more  work."  It  hath  been  before  shovvn  that  the  works 
of  the  law  are  they  which  the  apostle  every  where  condem.ned  as  having 
no  part  in  our  acceptance  with  God,  and  vvhich  were  a  separating 
-•-vail  between  Jews  and  Gentiles.     But  the  lanruaec  is  here  so  deci- 


1S4  OF  ELECTION 

sue  and  absolute  that  it  will  certainly  be  understood  to  exclude  v/orks- 
of  every  description  from  any  part  in  our  justification,  or  in  number- 
in;^-  us  among  God's  elect.  But  men  who  judge  of  the  letter  by 
shart-sigatcd,  carn-al  reason,  are  exposed  to  err.  To  view  this  pas- 
sage as  respecting  the  election  of  individuals  to  the  exclusion  of 
others,  without  contemplating  the  point  at  which  the  apostle  aimed, 
it  might  seem  to  establish  the  noiion  that  God  absolutely  appointj 
men  to  life  or  death,  without  making  any  accoimt  of  their  iaith  or 
works.  But  salth  he,  "  There  is  at  this  time  a  remnant  according- 
to  the  election  of  grace."  We  have  before  seen  what  the  eleclioa 
of  grace  is ;  That  God  havilsg  rejected  the  flesh  and  chosen  ths 
Spirit,  chose  Jacob  to  reprcsei^.t  the  Spirit,  and  confirmed  to  lim  the 
covenant  made  with  Abraliam  and  Isaac  ;  according  therefore  to  this 
election  of  grace,  the  blessing  of  Abraham,  (now  the  gospel  of 
Christ,)  is  continued  with  his  seed,  and  some  have  believed  ;  there 
was  therefore  a  remnant  according  to  the  election  of  grace.  It  was 
by  this  grace  of  God  the  plan  Avas  laid,  and  by  the  same  grace  it  was 
continued,  and  is  now  knov/n  among  the  Gentiles,  since  the  JeM's 
have  so  universally  rejected  the  gospel. 

Now  those  \vht>  believed  arc  called  the  election  in  distinction  from- 
the  rest.  "  What  then  ?  Israel  hath  not  obtained  "that  which  he  seek- 
"  eth  for ;  but  the  election  hath  obtained  it  and  the  rest  were  blinded^ 
"  ("according  as  it  is  written,  God  hath  given  them  a  spirit  of  slum- 
"  ber,  eyes  that  they  should  not  see,  and  ears  that  they  should  not. 
''  hear)  unto  this  day.  And  David  saith,  Let  their  table  be  made  a 
"  snare,  and  a  trap,  and  a  stumbling  block,  and  a  recompense  unt& 
"  them  :  let  their  eyes  be  darkened  that  they  may  not  see,  and  bow 
"  down  their  back  alway."  We  have  before  shown  that  this  quota^ 
tion  from  Isaiah  is  used  of  those  who  blind  their  own  eyes  and  stop, 
their  own  ears.  And  the  words  quoted  from  the  psalm  are  by  the 
author  expressly  spoken  of  the  enemy,  to  point  out  the  reward  of 
iniquity.  We  liave  also  seen  that  those  who  believe  and  walk  in  the 
obedience  of  faith  are  the  true  elect  of  God  according  the  scriptures  ; 
so  here  they  Avho  have  believed  are  called  the  election,  in  distincticR 
from  those  who  have  stumbled  at  that  stumbling  stone.  "  I  say  then  j. 
"  Have  they  stumbled  that  they  should  fall  ?  God  forbid :  but  rather 
"  through  their  fall  salvation  is  come  to  the  Gentiles  for  to  provoke 
"  them  to  jealousy."  Then  it  seems  these  non-elect  are  not  finally 
lost ;  they  ha\e  not  stumbled  that  they  should  fall ;  they  have  only 
staggered  out  of  the  way  and  may  yet  be  gathered  in  and  become  a 
pari:  of  the  election.  "  And  they  also,  if  they  abide  not  still  in  unbe- 
"  lief,  shall  be  graffed  in:  for  God  is  able  to  grafftheiTi  in  again." 
(v.  23.)  This  election  then,  to  carry  it  to  the  utmost,  is  no  more 
than. that  of  which  we  spake  before,  a  people  chosen  to  go  foremost 
to  be  an  help,  and  to  open  the  way  to  others.  And  in  the  mean  time, 
God  who  is  rich  in  mercy,  having  directed  his  ministers  to  avail 
themselves  of  every  opportunity  to  gain  souls,  when  the  Jews  reject- 
ed them,  sent  them  to  the  Gentiles;  for  thi'ough  their  fall  salvation 
i:j  come  to  the  Gentiles  to  provoke  t/icm  ii-'io  had  fallen^  to  jealousy, 


AND  FOREKNOWLEDGE.  135 

that  they  also  might  repent,  and  thus  salvation  work  be  promoted  on 
every  hand.  "  Now  if  the  fall  of  them  be  the  riches  of  the  world, 
"  and  the  diminishing  of  them,  the  riches  of  the  Genliles,  how  much 
'■-  more  their  fulness  ?  For  I  speak  to  you  Gentiles;  inasmuch  as  1 
*'  am  the  apostle  of  the  Gentiles,  I  magnify  mine  office ;  if  -by  any 
"  means  I  may  provoke  to  emulation  them  who  are  my  flesh,  and 
*'  might  save  so?)ie  of  them."  Of  whom  \  Surely  not  of  the  elec- 
tion who  have  already  obtained  that  salvation  which  they  sought ; 
tnight  tave  so?ne  of  them  only  ?  Nay,  but  of  the  rest  who  were  blind- 
ed ;  the  non-elect  who  had  fallen,  or  stumbled  :  these  then  weie  yet 
in  the  reach  of  salvation,  and  might  be  added  to  the  number  of  the 
elect. 

The  apostle  proceeds  to  show  farther,  that  the  partial  falling  off  of 
the  Jews  was  the  means  of  opening  the  door  of  faith  and  salvation  to 
tlie  Gentiles ;  (as  he  said  in  another  place,  "  It  was  necessary  tiiat 
"  the  word  of  God  should  first  have  been  spoken  to  you  ;  but  seeing 
"  ye  put  it  from  you,  and  judge  yourselves  unworthy  cf  everlasting 
"  life,  lo,  we  tui'n  to  the  Gentiles :  for  so  hath  the  Lord  commanded 
"  us,  saying,  I  have  set  thee  to  be  a  light  to  the  Gentiles."  And 
again,  "  Be  it  known  therefore  unto  you,  that  the  salvation  of  God  is 
<'  sent  to  the  Gentiles  and  they  will  hear  it."  (Acts  13.  46,  47.  and 
28.  28.)  And  he  shows  besides  that  the  return  of  the  Jews  will  be 
the  means  of  a  still  greater  spreading  of  the  gospel  in  the  v.'orld, 
even  as  life  from  the  dead.  He  nevertheless  shows  that  the  slanding 
of  the  Gentiles  in  the  blessing  of  the  gospel,  or  God's  covenant  of 
salvation,  depends  on  their  perseverance  in  the  faith  and  their  con- 
tinuance in  that  goodness  which  God  had  exercised  towards  tliem, 
and  that  the'return  of  the  Jews  awaits  their  ceasing  from  unbelief. 
And  thus  he  winds  up  the  doctrine  of  election,  as  herein  stated,  that 
every  man  is  to  be  added  to  the  number  of  God's  elect  or  people,  or 
to  the  book  of  life,  or  excluded  from  it,  according  to  his  personal 
character  and  works,  where  both  revelation  and  all  reason  leave  it. 
But  he  reinains  confident  that  God  will  still  remember  his  covenant 
made  with  their  fathers,  and  that  election  which  was  first  set  forth  in 
them,  and  that  the  children  will  yet  be  found  partakers  in  that  salva- 
tion which  is  in  Christ,  who  is  the  true  seed  of  the  promise,  the  true 
elect  in  w'hom  all  others  are  found. 

"  For  if  the  casting  away  of  them  be  the  reconciling  of  the  v,  orld, 
<'  what  shall  the  receiving  of  them  be,  but  life  from  tl^.e  dead  ?  For 
"  if  the  first-fiult  be  holy,  the  lump  is  also  hoiy ;"  (If  the  children  of 
Israel  who  have  already  become  believers  in  Christ  are  holy,  and 
a  sweet  savor  to  God,  as  being  the  offering  of  the  first-fruits,  the 
remainder,  when  found  in  the  same  condition,  can  be  no  less  valua- 
ble.) "  and  if  the  root  be  holy,  (as  a  people  covenanted  to  God,)  so 
"  are  the  branches."  God  will  therefore  }ct  remember  tliem,  ar.d 
pursue  them  by  the  gospel,  according  to  the  promises  of  his  coven- 
ant. '^  And  if  some  of  the  branches  be  broken  off,  (for  a  time,)  and 
"  thou  being  a  wild  olive-tree,  wert  graffed  in  among  them,  (who 
"' stand,)  and  v/ith  them  partakcst  of  the  root,  and  fatness  of  the  oiivi-- 

A  2 


186  OF  ELECTION 

<'  tree  ;  boast  not  against  the  branches  ;  but  if  thou  boast,  thou  beari. 
«'  est  not  the  root,  but  the  root  thee.  Thou  v/ilt  bay  then.  The 
"  branches  were  broken  off,  that  I  might  be  graffed  in.  Well ;  bc- 
"  cause  of  unbelief,  they  were  broken  ofl",  and  thou  standest  by 
«'  faith.  Be  not  high-minded,  but  fear.  For  if  God  spared/not  the 
"  natural  branches,  take  heed  lest  he  also  spare  not  thee.  Behold, 
"  therefore,  the  goodness  and  severity  of  God:  on  them  who  fell, 
"  severity  ;  (or  cutting  oft";}  but  towards  thee,  goodness,  if  thou  con- 
"  tinne  in  his  goodness  ;  other-wise  thou  also  shall  be  cut  off.  (^There 
is  the  pivot  on  which  the  matter  turns  ;  "  The  Lord  is  with  you 
"  while  ye  be  with  him  :  and  if  ye  seek  him,  he  will  be  found  of  you  ; 
"  but  if  ye  forsake  him  he  will  forsake  you."  2.  Chron.  15.  2.)  "  And 
"  tiiey  also,  if  they  abide  not  still  in  unbelief,  shall  be  graffed  in  :  for 
*'  God  is  able  to  graff  them  in  again." 

"  For  if  thou  wert  cut  out  of  the  olive-tree  which  is  wild  by  na- 
"  ture,  (and  therefore  had  no  participation  in  the  original  covenant,) 
"  alnd  wert  grafted  contrary  to  nature  into  a  good  olive-tree  ;  how 
"  much  more  shall  thiese  which  are  the  natural  branches,  be  graffed 
*'  into  th.eir  own  olive-tree  V  When  they  come  to  understand  that 
the  gospel  of  Christ  is  the  result  of  the  promises  of  God  made  to 
their  lathers,  and  the  genuine  fulfilment  of  his  covaiant ;  for  they 
Avill  the  n  obey  it  as  their  proper  calling  and  lawful  inheritance.  "  For 
"  I  would  not,  brethren,  that  ye  should  be  ignorant  of  this  mystery, 
<'  lest  ye  should  be  wise  in  your  own  conceits,"  (as  though  ye  Avere 
v.'orthy  to  be  more  highly  favored,  or  that  God  had  more  regard  to 
you  than  others,  or  had  cast  oft"  his  people  of  Israel,)  ".that  blind- 
"  ncs3  in  jjart  (and  not  in  whole,  neitlier  fiuijly,)  is  happened  to  Is- 
*•  rael,  until  the  fulness  of  the  Gentiles  be  come  in."  (At  which 
time  the  Deliverer  shall  return  in  his  glory  to  make  an  end  of  sin  in 
liis  church.)  "  And  so  all  Israel  shall  be  saved  ;  as  it  is  written, 
*'  Theie  shall  come  out  of  Zion  the  Deliverer,  and  shall  turn  away 
<'  ungodliness  from  Jacob.  For  this  is  my  covenant  to  them,  when 
"  I  shall  take  away  their  sins.  As  concerning  the  gospel,  they  are 
"  enemies  for  your  sakes ;"  (or  for  your  beneiit ;  for  when  they  re- 
jectefl  the  gospel  it  was  sent  to  the  Gentiles,  as  shown  before  ;)  "  but 
"  as  touching  the  election,  they  are  beloved  for  the  fathers'  sakes. 
"  For  the  gifis  and  calling  of  God  are  without  repentance."  (He 
will  always  keep  the  mercy  and  truth  which  he  hath  promised  to 
them  that  keep  his  covenant,  and  no  breach  can  interfere  except  on 
the  part  of  man.  God  therefore  Avill  remember  his  covenanted  peo- 
ple and  pui-sue  them  to  the  last.)  "  For  as  ye  in  times  past  have  not 
"  believed  God,  yet  have  now  obtained  mercy  through  their  unbe- 
*'  lief;  even  so  have  these  also  new  not  believed,  that  through  your 
"  mercy  they  also  may  obtain  mercy."  Because  as  the  gospel  of 
Christ  was  first  opened  among  the  Jews,  wlio  had  the  promises  and 
the  oracles  of  God,  and  of  whom  as  concerning  the  flesh  Christ 
came,  in  his  first  appearing,  so  it  shall  be  and  now  is  opened  among 
thtt  Ci  entiles  to  whom  this  promise  was  made,  with  the  fujness  of 
wliom,  in  Christ'-s  second  appearino-  araong  them,  Israel  shall  be  re- 


AND  FOREKNOWLEDGE.  i8? 

deemed.  "  For  God  hath  concluded  them  all  in  unbelief,  that  he 
"  might  have  mercy  upon  all;"  whether  Jews  or  Gentiles,  as  fast 
as  they  receive  the  gospel.  "  O  the  depth  of  the  riches,  both  of  the 
*■'  wisdom  and  knowledge  of  God  !  how  unsearchable  are  his  judg- 
"  ments,  and  his  ways  past  finding  out !  For  who  hath  known  the 
*'  mind  of  the  Lord  ?  or  who  hath  been  his  counsellor  ?  Or  who 
"  hath  first  given  to  him,  and  it  shall  be  recompensed  to  him  again. 
"  (God  will  not  forget  a  man's  works.)  For  of  him  and  through 
"  him,  are  all  things:  to  whom  be  glory  for  evev,  Amen." 

But  other  scriptures  are  proposed  as  proof  of  an  unconditional 
election  of  a  determinate  number;  among  which  is  the  folloAvirg. 
"  All  that  the  Father  giveth  me  shall  come  to  ine ;  and  him  that 
Cometh  to  me  I  will  in  no  wise  cast  out."  (Jno.  6.  37.^  I  cannot  help 
reflecting,  on  the  difference  which  subsists  between  us  and  the  first 
christians,  with  respect  to  quoting  scriptures  from,  the  origiiial  text. 
In  their  day,  the  language  in  which  their  scriptures  were  written  was 
mainly  a  living  language,  which  no  doubt  made  it  much  easier  to  sa- 
tisfy the  people,  or  rather  prevented  all  difficulty  from  that  quarter. 
Whereas  the  languages,  in  Avhich  the  scriptures,  which  have  come- 
to  us,  were  originally  written,  had  many  peculiarities,  which  have 
probably  caused  much  difficulty,  and  likely,  have  been  the  cause  of 
many  passages  being  incorrectly  translated.  And  I  must  confess  it 
is  rather  a  disagreeable  task  to  propose  an  amendment  of  tlie  trans- 
lation to  those  whose  faith  is  different  from  my  own,  and  who  are  also 
unacquainted  with  the  original  text.  But  the  acknowledgement  of 
all  denominations,  that  our  scriptures  are  not  the  most  accurately 
translated,  is  some  alleviation.  Amendments  of  the  ti*anslation  are 
in  many  places  indispensable  to  giving  the  true  and  literal  meaning 
of  the  words.  But  a  greater  consolation  still  is,  that  the  same  Spirit 
of  God  who  helped  the  apostles  and  prophets  to  write  the  truth  at 
fu'st,  now  dwelleth  in  his  church,  and  will  surely  guide  the  faithful 
into  the  truth  and  salvation  of  God,  though  they  should  ne\cr  under- 
stand the  literal  meaning,  or  know'the  correct  translation  of  many  parts 
of  the  scriptures.  Such  knowledge  is  Tiot  necessary  to  salvation : 
it  is  enough  for  each  one  to  know  his  duty  and  how  to  perform  it 
At  the  same  time  ;  it  is  no  doubt  the  duty  of  every  one  to  use  the 
knowledge  which  he  hath,  prudently,  and  according  to  opportunity, 
to  the  charitable  purpose,  of  edifying  others. 

There  is  a  peculiarity  of  expression  in  the  text  last  quoted  from 
the  apostle  John,  which,  as  translated  elsewhere,  would  cause  the 
sentence  to  read  '■'■'whatsoever  the  Father  giveth  to  me."  Thus  in  the 
following  words  ;  "  For,  whatsoever  is  born  of  God,  overconieth  the 
Avorld."  [1  Jno.  5.  4.]  According  then  to  this  translation,  the  piopri- 
ety  of  which  I  see  no  reason  to  deny,  the  All  that  the  Father  grjcth, 
cannot  relate  merely  to  any  number  of  mankind,  (for  the  word  is  sin- 
gular neuter  ftav  o)  but  to  the  power,  gifts,  graces,  and  every  part  of 
the  treasure  which  the  Father  gave  to  the  Son,  so  that  he  had  enough 
to  receive  all  who  would  come  to  him,  and  to  supply  them  •w  ith  every 
aecessarv  aid.     And  the  connection  in  which  the  verse  staiicls  is  bv 


iSS  OF  ELECTION 

no  r.u'ans  unfiivorable  to  this  view.  "  Whatsoever  the  Father  giveth 
"  to  mc,  sliall  come  to  me;  andjhim  thai  cometh  to  me  I  •will  in  no  wise 
"  cast  out.  (For  I  have  enough  to  supply  him.)  For  I  came  down 
"  from  heaven,  not  to  do  mine  own  -will,  but  the  will  ef  him  that  scn^ 
*'  mc.  And  this  is  the  will  of  the  Father  who  sent  me,  that  of  all 
"  which  he  hath  given  me,  I  should  lose  nothing,  (not,  nomr,  or  no 
*'  people,)  but  should  raise  it  (not,  them  or  him^J  up  again,  at  the  last 
"  day.  And  this  is  the  will  of  him  that  sent  me,  that  every  one  who 
*'  seeth  the  Son,  and  believeth  on  him  may  have  everlasting  life  :  and 
"  I  will  raise  him(not,  /Y,J  up  again  at  the  last  day."  All  therefore, 
"who  believe  in  the  Son,  are  given  to  him  of  the  Father ;  it  is  the  Fa- 
ther's will  that  he  should  take  care  of  them  and  that  they  should  have 
eternal  life,  and  receive  their  portion  of  every  part  of  the  treasures 
of  grace  wliich  he  gave  to  the  Son :  for  he  shall  raise  all  up  again. 

It  is  also  written  in  the  record  of  the  prayer  of  Christ  to  the  Fath- 
er; "  As  thou  hast  given  him  power  over  all  flesh,  that  he  should 
p;ive  eternal  life  to  as  many  as  thou  hast  given  him."  [Jno.  17.  2.) 
This  may  be  urged  as  a  proof  that  the  gift  of  eternal  life  in  Christ,  is 
limited  to  a  definite  numlDcrof  the  hviman  race,  who  were  given  by 
the  Father  to  him.  In  this  verse  also,  the  Greek  phrase,  rendered 
by,  as  manu  as,  is  singular  neuter ;  [auv  o,  all  which,  or  whatsoever  Q 
and  it  is  considered,  and  not  without  reason,  that  a  more  correct  and 
literal  translation  is  thus;  "As  thou  hast  given  him  power  over  all  flesh 
that  he  should  give  to  then),  all  Avhich  thou  hast  given  him — eternal 
life;"  or  "  that  he  should  give  to  them  eternal  life,  all  which  thou 
baet  ('jiven  him."  And  that  God  hath  given  eternal  life,  or  salvation 
in  Christ  to  all  the  human  race,  is  confirmed  by  other  scriptures;  as 
♦'  All  tlesh  shall  see  the  salvation  of  God  ;"  and,  "  I  will  pour  out  of 
"  ipiy  Spirit  upon  all  flesh  ;  and  it  shall  come  to  pass  that  whosoever 
"  shall  call  on  the  name  of  the  Lord  shall  be  saved."  (Luk.  3.  6.  Acts 
2.  17,  21.)  So  that  in  the  event;  tliey  who  have  eternal  life,  arc  they 
V  he  make  it  theirs  ]>y  a  right  impi-ovcment  of  the  gift.  "  Wherefore 
«'  the  rather  give  diligence  to  make  your  callhigand  election  sure," 
iv-  the  Gi:eek,  Jrrm,  or  /lermanent^  |^f3f 6a («)■,]  Accordingly,  the  testi- 
inonv  of  God  concerning  his  Son,  is,  "  That  he  hath  given  to  us  cter- 
*'  nal  life,  and  this  life  is  in  liis  Son  ;"  that  is,  to  all ;  for,  "  Fie  thai; 
'•  believeth  not  God  hath  made  him  a  liar,  (and  thereby  excluded 
*'  himself  from  the  benefit  of  the  gift,)  because  he  hath  not  believed 
'•  in  tlie  testimony  which  God  hath  testified  ccnceminghis  Son  ;  and 
"  this  is  the  testimonv,  That  God  hath  given  to  us  eternal  life."  Now 
it  ccuid  not  make  God  a  liar  to  not  believe  that  which  lie  hath  not 
said  or  done. 

But  according  to  the  common  translation  of  the  verse  before  us  all 
flesh,  by  which  I  conclude  it  will  not  be  presumed  that  any  thing  else 
is  meant  than  tlie  whole  human  race,  is  given  into  the  power  of  Christ 
or  given  to  him,  he  must  therefore  give  ctcriial  life  to  all ;  conse- 
quently, ail  are  to  be  saved,  or  the  result  must  be  according  to  every 
luau's  choice  tp  improve  or  neglect  the  gift. 


ANTD  FOREKNOWLEDGE.  189 

Again ;  it  is  wvittcn  of  the  Gentiles  who  heard  the  gospel  at  Anti- 
cch ;  "  And  as  many  as  were  ordained  to  eternal  life  believed."  It 
is  useless  to  hesitate  or  conceal,  that  this  translation  is  not  sufficiently 
correct,  and  therefore  subverts  the  spirit  of  the  text,  according  to  the 
common  acceptation  of  the  word  ordain^  relating  to  this  subject- 
Cornelius  Schievelius,  whose  Lexicon  is  in,  the  hands  of  almost 
every  pupil  in  the  Greek,  renders  the  clause  in  Latin,  thus  ;  "  Quot- 
quot  seipsos  paraverant  ad  vitam;  as  maiiy  as  had prejiared  (/lemse/ves 
to  life.  But  he  has  produced  examples  out  of  ancient  Greek  Avritings 
which  serve  to  confirm  a  still  more  elegible  rendering,  as  pertaining 
to  the  gospel.  In  these  examples  tlie  word  translated  ordained,  is  used 
to  express  the  position  which  a  chief  commander  took  against  his 
enemy,  consequently,  by  the  determination  of  his  own  mind,  and  his 
own  exertion.  These  examples|however,  have  not  altered  my  own 
understanding  of  the  text.  Satisfactory  evidence  had  determined  my 
mind  before  I  consulted  the  above  author,  to  a  translaiion  from  which 
I  feel  no  temptation  and  see  no  reason  to  deviate  ;  although  I  confess 
I  felt  comfortable  to  find  the  truth  so  well  supported  by  Greek 
authority. 

On  consulting  the  well  known  works  of  Philip  Doddridge,  I  found 
his  translation,  as  I  may  say,  not  so  materially  dilferent  from  my  own. 
as  many  as  were  determined  for  eternal  life  believed.  But  liberal  a 
man  as  he  was,  being  deeply  molded  or  imbued  in  what  hath  been 
called  high  Calvinism,  it  was  no  doubt  difficult  for  him  to  translate 
this  text,  so  important  to  that  cause,  in  the  evangelical  simplicity  and 
spirit  of  the  historian,  and  leave  it  so  ;  or  rather  impossible,  especilly 
seeing  he  had  never  seen  the  living  gospel  in  a  living  subject,  and 
therefore  could  not  understand  it.  "  The  meaning,"  saith  he,  "  of 
<'  the  sacred  penman  seems  to  be,  tliat  all  who  were  deeply  and  seri- 
"  ously  concerned  about  eternal  happiness,  (whether  that  concern 
"  began  now  or  were  of  longer  date,)  ofxenly  embraced  the  gosfiel." 
And  a  little  after  ;  "  Wherever  this  tcmfier  was,  it  was  undoubtedly 
"  the  effect  o{  a  Divine  Operation  on  their  hearts,and  of  God's  gracious 
"  purjiose  to  call  them,  and  list  them  (as  it  were)  in  their  proper  pla- 
ces in  his  ar7ny."  Thus  he  endeavoured  to  support  the  opposite 
doctrines  of  partial  election  and  the  freedom  of  choice  in  man.  But 
he  had  never  learned  that  Dixune  0/ierations  are  ministered  by  the 
gospel,  and  that  the  purpose  of  God  is  to  call  without  exception  and 
that  whosoever  will,  may  be  determined,  come  and  list  with  Christ. 

The  words[  tTti-^riociv  onrjoi  yj'^av  tttayfiivoL,  x  t  ?.]translate  Avith  simplici- 
ty and  ease  ;  "•  As  many  as  were  determined  on  eternal  life  believed." 
This  is  the  true  state  of  the  gospel  Avherever  it  is  preached,  in  all 
the  world  ;  it  is  preached  with  the  most  unreserved  liberality  to  all, 
and  they  who  esteem  eternal  life  in  Christ  above  all  things  else,  and 
are  therefore  detelrained  to  have  it  on  all  adventures,  believe  and 
lay  hold.  For  wherever  the  gospel  finds  an  entrance,  there  is  no- 
thing to  hinder  any  one  from  believing,  beside  the  cross  or  yoke  of 
Chj'ist  Avhich  he  requires  all  to  wear  ;  and  which  however  good  or 
easy,  is  truly  offensive  to  the  carnal  mind,  Avjiich  is  enmity  against 
God,  not  subject  to  the  law  of  God  neither  indeed   can  be.     This 


190  OF  ELECTION 

carnal  rnind,  which  is  the  God  of  this  world,  and  rules  in  the  chil- 
dren of  disobedience,  is  that  which  renders  the  true  gospel  dark  and 
mysterious,  and  obstructs  its  progress  throug-h  unbelief,  more  thaii 
Jiny  deficiency  of  evidence  attending  it,  any  incapability  in  man  to 
believe  on  the  authority  of  God,  exhibited  in  the  gospel,  or  any  de- 
cree of  God  respecting  election  or  reprobation  ;  "But  if  our  gos- 
"  pel  be  hid,  it  is  hid  to  them  that  are  lost ;  in  whom  the  God  of  this 
"  v.orld hath  blinded  the  minds  of  them  that  believe  not,  (and  for 
"  this  very  reason)  lest  the  light  of  the  gospel  of  Christ,  who  is  the 
"  image  of  God,  should  shine  unto  them."  [2.  Cor.  4.  4,  5.1  Now 
who  is  adventurous  enough  to  impeach  the  character  of  the  true 
Ciod,  by  saying  that  his  decrees  limit  the  faith  of  those  who  hear 
the  gospel?  or  who  will  dare  attribute  thus  directly  to  God,  the 
'  works  which  properly  belong  to  the  devil  ? 

"  For  there  are  certain  men  crept  in  unawares,  who  were  before 
"  of  old  ordained,  to  this  condemnation,  ungodly  men,  turning  the 
*'  grace  of  God  into  lasciviousness,  and  denying  the  only  Lord  God, 
"  and  our  l<ord  Jesus  Christ."  [Jude  4.]  If  any  conclude  this  text 
will  prove  that  God  appointed  those  wicked  people  to  wrath,  with- 
out respect  to  their  character  or  works,  or  appointed  them  by  any 
direct  decree,  to  the  perpetration  of  such  wickedness,  and  then  to 
consequent  condemnation,  let  them  at  least  consider  that  the  trans- 
lation hath  been  discovered  to  be  erroneous,  an  age  ago,  if  not  more. 
The  word  translated,  ordained  [tspoyjypa^/Ufjot,]  is  by  the  learned 
Philip  Doddridge,  in  his  note  on  this  passage  rendered,  registered. 
It  simply  expresses  written  before,  and  as  it  applies  to  evil  woiks 
justly  condemned,  might  be  rendered  by  the  English  word,  proscrib- 
ed, "  Who  were  of  old  proscribed  to  this  condemnation  ;"  in  as 
much  as  ungodly  men  have  long  been  known  to  be  proscribed,  or 
doomed  to  destruction,  thus  it  had  been  long  foretold  that  destruct- 
ion would  be  the  end  of  such. 

"  Who  stumble  at  the  word,  being  disobedient,  whereunto  als® 
"  they  were  appointed."  It  is  not  strange  that  these  who  are  dis- 
obedient should  stumble  at  the  word  :  tliis  is  according  to  the  ap- 
pointment and  decree  of  God;  the  disobedient  are  all  appointed  to 
that  issue.  "  And  even  as  they  did  not  like  to  retain  God  in  their 
"  knowledge,  God  gave  them  over  to  a  reprobate  mind,  to  do  those 
"  things  which  are  not  convenient."  But  my  people  wovdd  not  hear- 
"  ken  to  my  voice  ;  and  Israel  would  none  of  me.  So  I  gave  them 
"  up  to  their  own  hearts'  lust  ;  and  they  walked  in  their  own  coun- 
"seis."     [Ro.  1.  28.    Psm.  8L11,12.] 

«  At  that  tinie  Jesus  answered  and  said,  I  thank  thee,  O  Father 
"  Lord  of  heaven  and  earth,  because  thou  hast  hid  these  things  from 
"  the  wise  and  prudcut,  and  hast  repealed  them  unto  babes.  Even 
"  so, Father  ;  for  sou  seemed  good  in  thy  sight."  [Matt.  1 1.  25,  26.] 

How  great  must  be  the  thirst  for  partial,  limited  and  absolute  elec- 
tion in  those  who  can  feel  any  support  for  it  in  these  words  of  our 
Lord,  by  which  he  expressly  describes  characters  and  not  a  limited 
or  definite  number  of  persons  !     It  is  argued  that  the  will  of  Gcd 


AND  FOREKNOWLEDGE.  191 

once  made  known  is  enough  to  stop  every  mouth  and  silence  every 
tongue  into  humble  submission.  True  enough  ;  for  God  cannot  will 
any  thing  wrong  ;  and  whenever  he  shall  icl!  us  that  it  secmeth  good 
in  his  sight  that  some  men  should  not  be  saved,  who  arc  no  more  un- 
worthy according  to  their  own  true  character  and  works,  than  they 
Avho  are  to  be  saved,  we  will  submit.  But  why  should  such  a 
thought  intrude  itself  into  these  sayings  which  teach  us  that  it  is 
God's  will  to  save  the  humble,  "  But  to  this  man  v/ill  I  look,  even 
"  to  him  that  is  poor  and  of  a  contrite  spirit,  and  trcmbleth  at  my 
''word."  [Isa.  66.  2.]  Because  it  is  good  in  the  sight  of  God  to 
stain  the  pride  of  all  glory,  that  no  flesh  should  glory  in  his  presence, 
but  that  he  that  glorieth  should  glory  in  the  Lord,  and  that  men 
must  be  converted  and  become  as  little  children,  before  they  can  in- 
herit the  kingdom,  v/ill  that  exclude  any  soul  from  disclaiming  his 
cwn  carnal  wisdom  and  prudence,  and  stooping  low  enough  at  the 
call  of  God  in  the  gospel,  to  learn  the  way  of  salvation  ?  These 
words  of  Christ  exclude  none  from  an  equal  privilege  in  the  salva- 
tion of  God;  but  are  indeed  a  solemn  and  giacious  wai™ng  to  all 
men  to  beware  of  the  wisdom  and  prudence,  or  intelligence,  of  this 
world,  and  the  men  of  the  world,  which  leadcth  them  away  from 
the  humble  path  of  the  ministration  and  salvation  of  Christ. 

"  Nevertheless  the  foundation  of  God  standeth  sure,  having  tliis 
"seal,  The  Lord  knoweth  them  that  are  his."  [2.  Tim.  2.  19.] 
These  words  seem  to  have  been  produced  by  Paul  to  Timothy, 
to  support  him  against  any  discouragement  or  burden,  which  might 
be  occasioned  by  the  error  of  certain  men  who  overthrew  the  faith 
of  some,  saying  that  the  resurrection  was  already  past.  And  afford 
weak  support  indeed  to  the  doctrine  of  particular  and  definite  elec- 
tion, for  which  they  are  used  ;  as  if  because  the  Lord  knoweth  who 
are  faithful  to  him,  (for  all  such  are  his  ;  and  this  cannot  be  reversed,) 
and  will  take  care  of  them  so  that  his  foundation,  or  covenant,  stand- 
eth sure,  he  must  therefore  have  appointed  a  particular  and  definite 
number  of  the  human  race  to  eternal  life,  and  unalterably  left  the 
rest  to  destruction,  without  respect  to  their  obedience  or  disobedi- 
ence on  either  side.  Strange  !  into  what  wild  subterfuges  men  will 
run  to  defend  that  which  is  indefensible.  Thus  say  they,  "  These — . 
"  men,  thus  predestinated  and  fore  ordained,  are  particularly  and  un- 
"  changeably  designed ;  and  their  number  is  so  certain  and  definite, 
"  that  it  cannot  be  either  increased  or  diminished  ;"  [Confess.  3.  4.] 
and  the  above  scripture  exhibited  as  proof.  But  that  text  taken  hi 
its  connection,  will  not  only  admit,  but  defend  a  very  different  doc- 
trine. "  Nevertheless  the  foundation  of  God  standeth  sure,  having 
"  this  seal ;  The  Lord  knoweth  them  that  are  his  ;  and,  Let  every  one 
"  that  nameth  the  name  of  Christ  depart  from  iniquity."  This  latter 
I'lause  is  also  the  seal  of  God's  foundation,  (or  covenant,  for  that  is 
the  only  kind  of  foundation  to  which  there  is  any  propriety  in  fixing 
a  seal,)  as  much  as  the  former.  The  foundation  of  God  therefore  is 
secured  by  the  people's  departing  from  iniquity  as  much  as  by  the 
Lord's  kuoM'ing  them  that  are  his.     But  the  apcstle  adds;   "  But  in 


192  OF  ELECTION 

«  a  great  house  there  are  not  only  vessels  of  gold  and  of  silver,  but 
"  also  oi  wood  and  of  earth  ;  and  some  to  honor,  and  some  to  disho- 
"  nor.  If  a  man  therefore  purge  himself  from  these,  he  shall  be  a 
"  vessel  unto  honor,  sanclihed,  and  meet  for  the  master's  use,  pre- 
*'  pared  unto  every  good  -work."  Now  every  vessel  ia  the  house  is 
either  to  honor  or  to  dishonor  ;  and  to  pursue  the  figure,  every  man 
represented  by  these  vessels,  is  either  a  vessel  to  honor  or  to  disho- 
nor, either  a  vessel  of  mercy  or  of  wrath.  If  a  man  therefore  pur^-e 
himself  from  th.ese,  he  shall  be  a  vessel  to  honor,  iiut  a  man  can- 
not purge  himself  from  that  with  which  he  is  not  defiled,  or  which 
doth  not  cleave  to  him.  The  man  therefore  who  is  encouraged  to 
purge  himself  from  these,  is  a  vessel  of  wrath,  or  to  dishonor,  and 
yet  he  is  admitted  to  become  a  vessel  of  honor  fit  fur  the  master's 
use,  and  be  added  to  that  number.  And  thus  according  to  this  scrip- 
ture, it  is  the  privilege  of  any  man  and  every  man,  to  purge  himself 
from  these,  to  purify  his  soul  in  obeying  tlie  truth,  and  be  added  to 
the  number  of  God's  elect ;  and  his  being  of  that  number  depends, 
proximately  and  ultimately,  on  liis  thus  purifying  himself  from  these. 
Come  ye  out  from  among  them.,  and  I  iinll  receive  you. 

For  why  should  such  encouragement  be  given,  or  why  such  an 
injunction,  as  a  part  of  the  seal,  or  even  attached  to  the  seal  of  the 
foundation  of  God,  as  "  Let  every  one  that  nameth  the  name  of 
"  Christ  depart  from  iniquity,"  if  the  elect  of  God,  or  those  includ- 
ed in  the  covenant,  be  personally  and  definitely  predestinated,  ai^.d 
that  too  without  respect  to  their  conduct,  witli  such  precision  that 
the  number  can  neither  be  increased  nor  diminished  ?  If  all  things 
be  laid  out  by  absolute  decree  of  the  unchangeable  God,  and  every 
man's  lot  absolutely  fixed  in  that  decree,  to  Avhat  purpose  are  the 
warnmgs,  the  threatenings,  the  exhortations,  the  counsels,  and  the 
various  awakening  expostulations  to  men,  to  flee  from  the  wrath  to 
come,  to  escape  to  the  refuge  and  lay  hold  on  the  hope  set  before 
them,  to  save  themselves  from  this  untoward  generation,  to  give  di- 
ligence, (even  after  they  have  believed,)  to  make  their  calling  and 
election  sure,  [)i3j.«3aiai',]^r;77,  and  ;2G^  /o/?rr/7z_§--''  I  say,  why:  hese 
labors  to  secure  that  Avhich  is  absolutely  secured  by  unchangeable 
decree  and  irresistible  power,  to  a  definite,  specified  number,  and 
unalterably  out  of  the  reach  of  the  rest,  ever  to  obtain   or  inherit  ? 

Because,  say  they,  the  end  being  appointed,  the  means  are  also 
appointed  to  secure  that  end  ;  and  for  elucidation  the  case  of  Paul 
in  the  shipwreck,  hath  been  introduced.  The  angel  of  God  stood 
by  him, "  Saying  fear  not,  Paul,  thou  must  be  brought  before  Cesar; 
*'  and  lo,  God  hath  given  thee  all  them  that  sail  with  thee  ;"  and 
Paul  said  to  the  people,  "  There  shall  be  no  loss  of  life  among  you." 
But  when  the  shipmen  were  about  to  escape  out  of  the  ship,  "  Paul 
"  said  to  the  centurian  and  to  the  soldiers.  Except  these  abide  in 
"  the  ship  ye  cannot  be  saved."  But  cannot  the  people  see,  that  the 
preservation  of  their  lives  depended  absolutely  on  the  proper  means, 
so  that  a  neglect  would  have  cost  their  lives  and  forfeited  the  pro- 
mise ?    "  Except   these   abide   in  the  ship   ys  cannot    be   saved." 


AND  FOREKNOWLEDGE.  195 

What!  did  not  Cod  promise  to  save  all?  Yea;  but  not  vithov.t 
those  exertions  and  attention  to  duty  on  which  that  salvation  de- 
pended. 

And  a;gain  ;  Wliat  hath  this  instance  to  do  -with  the  promise  of  sal- 
vation by  the  gospel  ?  Here  was  a  promise  of  a  certain  number,  -vvitii- 
out  passing  any  by  ;  all  were  to  sliarc  alike  ;  but  in  the  promise  oi" 
life  by  the  gospel,  although  the  gift  is  made,  or  tendered  to  aU  in- 
discriminately, every  mean's  salvation  depends  eventually  on  his 
complying  with  the  terms  expressly  stated :  and  in  that  condition 
the  gospel  is  universally  preached. 

Querry.  Did  God  appoint  tliose  means  which  are  to  effect  ll-e 
saivatio!!  of  the  elect,  to  effect  the  salvation  also  of  the  non-elect, 
Avhicli  he  knew  never  could  be  gained,  according  to  his  ovv'n  absolute 
decree  ?  If  so  why  doth  he  strive  against  his  ovv-n  plan,  and  then 
charge  his  creatures  with  the  sin  of  these  strivings'  not  succeeding 
in  their  salvation  ?  Nero  like,  who  burned  the  city  of  Rome,  and 
then  charged  it  on  the  christians  and  destroyed  them  in  revenge. 
But  who  can  brook  such  thoughts  of  the  Holy  and  Gracious  God  ! 
But  if  those  means  are  not  sent  to  effect  tlie  salvation  of  the  non- 
elect,  why  are  such  messages  and  expostulations  sent  to  mankind  in- 
discriminately, with  the  full  assurance  of  salvation  and  eternal  life 
to  those  who  comply,  and  increased  condemnation  and  Avrath  to  those 
who,  accorduig  to  the  real  merits  of  that  plan,  are  by  the  decrees  of 
God  excluded  from  believing. 

Why  did  Jesus,  the  Son  of  God  weep  over  Jerusalem  ?  "  And 
"  when  he  was  come  near  he  beheld  the  city,  and  wept  over  it,  say- 
"  ing,  If  thou  hadst  known,  even  thou,  at  least  in  this  thy  day,  the 
"  things  which  belong  to  tl>y  peace  !  but  now  they  are  hid  from 
"  tliine  eyes."  "  O  Jerusalem,  Jerusalem,  thou  that  killest  the  pro" 
**  phets,  and  stoncst  them,  v/ho  are  sent  unto  thee,  how  often  would 
"  I  have  gathered  thy  children  together,  even  as  a  hen  gatheieth  her 
"  chickens  under  her  wings,  and  ye  would  not?"  [Luk-.  19.41,  42, 
Matt.  23.  37.3  Say  ;  would  he  have  gathered  them  ?  He  came  dov.-n 
from  heaven  not  to  do  his  own  v/ill,  but  the  v/ill  of  the  Fatlr.n"  whrs 
sent  him  ;  and  he  sought  not  his  own  v/ill,  but  the  will  of  the  Fath-ei' 
who  sent  him  ;  and  would  he  have  gathered  them  by  the  Fathers* 
will,  when  the  Fatlier  had  fixed  by  absolute  decree,  that  all  th'ng;i 
should  be  with  them  jvtst  as  they  were  ?  If  heAvoujd  not  bavt<  gath- 
ered them,  his  lamentation  was  a  mere  hypocruicai  parade,  inconsis- 
tent with  the  heavenly  Spirit  of  him  whom  zeal  for  his  Fathr-v's  hoube 
had  eaten  up.  But  if  he  v.-ould  have  gathered  them,  of  v/hich  ihcte 
exists  no  cause  to  doubt,  and  they  would  not,  their  own  will,  choice, 
or  determination,  was  the  pivot  on  which  their  state  was  ultir/rately 
to  turn,  independently  of  any  absolute  decree  in  the  case  :  and  so  of 
all  others. 

But  sornc,  to  alleviate  the  matter,  will  grant,  of  rather  plead,  that 
the  decrees  of  election  are  not  so  absolute,  but  that  if  any  one  of  the 
iion-elect  would  comply  v/ith  the  offers  of  salvation,  God  would  accept 
af  iiinn  •,  for,  sav  they,  whcscever  will  may  come;  b-U  that  they  wiU  nt>J 

»2 


\9i  OF  ELECTION 

comply,  the  fault  therefore  is  their  own — ^thcy  are  not  to  be  influenced 
by  the  secret  decrees  of  God — it  is  their  duty  to  close  in  with  the  gos- 
pel offers.  And  why  will  they  not  ?  Because  they  cannot  v.'ithout  the 
tpecial  and  saving  agency  of  the  Spirit  of  God,  which  he  hath  de- 
creed, at  least  negatively,  though  absolutely,  never  to  give  them. 
Tiiis  however  is  undeniable  ;  That  the  elect  of  God  and  the  decrees 
designating  them,  are  either  absolute,  or  they  are  not.  If  absolute, 
they  are  unconditional ;  and  the  man,  who  finally  rejects  the  gospel, 
is  condemned  to  eternal  wrath,  as  a  despiser  of  Christ  and  of  the 
mercy  of  Gcd  in  him,  without  respect  to  his  works  whether  gcod 
or  evil ;  and  all  b.is  most  assiduous  endeavors  to  obtain  sal-vation,  are 
lost  and  worse,  the  primary  and  unalterable  cause  of  which  is,  that 
God  by  his  decrees  hath  not  included  him  in  the  nmiiber  of  the 
elect.  Nay, say  some;  the  primary  cause  of  his  condemnation  is 
his  being  a  sinner.  But  is  he  primarily  any  more  a  sinner  than  the 
elect  ?  And  is  not  the  avowed  purpose  of  the  gospel  offers  made  to 
];im,  though  he  v/ere  the  greatest  of  sinners,  to  save  him  from  being 
a  sinner  ?  Should  the  gospel  find  any  who  are  not  sinners  what 
would  it  have  to  do  with  tliem  ?  The  whole  need  not  the  phisician, 
but  the  sick.  This  therefore  is  a  vain  argument,  as  v/ell  as  explicitly 
contrary  to  scripture  ;  for  he  that  believeth  not  is  condemned  because 
he  hath  not  believed^  and  not  because  he  was  a  sinner  before.  It  is 
also  vain  to  all  intents  to  plead  that  they  who  honestly  seek  salvation 
■« iil  find  it,  while  it  is  misintained  that  the  elect  only  v.ill  be  saved, 
the  number  of  v.whom  is  definite  and  special,  for  it  will  ever  return 
that  man's  compliance  Avith  the  gospel  is  limited  by  Ciod's  decrees, 
and  such  a  sentiment  necessarily  lays  an  embarrassment  in  the  way 
of  souls'  seeking  salvation.  It  is  also  preposterously  begging  the 
question,  to  plead  that  men  oi'glit  not  to  be  influenced  in  their  prac- 
tice by  the  secrets  of  God,  and  that  it  is  the  duty  of  all  to  close  in 
"i;ith  the  gospel  ;  for  if  the  doctrine  of  particular  election  be  true, 
and  revealed  as  its  advocates  say,  it  is  no  longer  a  secret  and  ought 
to  have  its  natm-alinfluence;  else  why  do  they  preach  it,  and  persuade 
others  to  believe  it;  And  it  will  have  its  effects  where  it  is  bciieved  ; 
for  a  man's  impression  of  mind  and  his  works  v.ill  be  according  to 
his  faith.  It  ^Yili  discourage  the  av.akened,  and  harden  them  in  unpro- 
fitable and*  melancholy  dislresr,,  filling  them  witli  unnecessary  terror, 
and  benumb  the  careless  into  a  stupid  insensibility. 

But  it  is  not  defiratlvely  revealed  who  are  the  elect,  and  therelbrc 
r.U  ought  to  comply  with  the  hope  of  beinsg  accented.  And  what 
then  ?  the  ncn-elect  must  all  eventually  be  sentenced  to  wrath,  be- 
cause not  elected,  after  being  vainly  encouraged  to  hope  by  amessage 
iiom.  God  himself.  For  tiie  fatal  destiny  of  thjs  non-elect  is  none 
th.e  less  certain  by  its  being  a  secret  to  them,  while  the  number  of 
the  elect  is  definite  and  cannot  be  increased. 

I  need  not  consume  tiii'.c  to  represent  the  horrid  nature  of  such 
sentiments  ;  the  single  glance  is  too  honid  fbr  any  unbiased  heart  to 
brook — any  lieart  iX)t  unaffected  with  the  miseiies  of  the  human  fa- 
mily.    To  suppose  that  God  had  selected  a  part  of  the  human  race 


AND  FOREKNOWLEDGE.  195 

to  eternal  life  and  had  given  a  definite  account  of  them,  so  that  the 
non-elect  had  never  had  anyofier,  neither  been  deceived  with  any  vain 
hope,  nor  chargeable  with  the  sin  of  rejecting  Gods  offers,  would  be 
to  suppose  that  which  is  incompatible  with  his  character;  but  £»s 
things  are  now  represented,  language  fails  ta  point  out  the  enormity 
and  the  utmost  sensil^iiity  of  the  heart  to  paint  it. 

On  tlic  other  hand.  If  the  decrees  of  God  relating  to  election  be 
not  absolute  and  the  number  specified  as  well  as  definite,  to  the  final 
exclusion  of  all  the  rest,  they  are  conditional,  and  the  numbering  of 
every  man  ameng  the  elect  of  God  rests  on  his  own  personal  choice  ; 
and  that  choice  to  be  nrade  Avithout  any  other  aid  than  that  which  is  mi- 
nistered with  equal  fredom  to  all  who  hear  the  gospel.  For  there  is  no 
medium  in  t'.ie  case;  every  man's  election  is  either  conditional  or  abso- 
lute. And  the  idea  of  absolute  decrees  of  that  nature  is  so  horrid  and 
gloomy,  that  I  think  no  wonder  that  some,  even  of  the  abettors  of  the 
plan,  have  objected  to  the  term.  But  Avhere  is  the  wise  man  ?  where 
is  th-e  philosopher  i"  Where  is  the  disputer  of  this  world  who  can 
show  the  middle  path  between  absolute  and  conditional  decrees  ?  'IMie 
man,  the  angel  is  not  extant. 

The  argument  against  a  partial  election,  drawn  from  the  inequal- 
ity and  injustice  of  God's  dealings  with  his  creatures,  on  that  view,  is. 
commonly  rebutted  v/ith  this,  That  God  was  under  no  obligatio!i  to 
save  any  of  the  fallen  race,  and  therefore  the  non-elect  liave  no  cause 
of  complaint,  no  injustice  being  dojie  to  them.  This  method  of  rea- 
soning is  no  doubt  specious  and  plausible  with  many ;  but  it  is  a 
most  preposterous  subversion  of  the  truth  ;  it  lays,  or  supposes,  an 
improper  ground  of  argument,  darkens  counsel  by  specious  words 
without  knowledge  misrepresents  the  character  of  God  and  contra- 
dicts revelation.  For  it  denies  any  rule  of  right,  any  justice,  any 
goodness,  mercy  or  compassion,  as  being  essentially  in  God:  cspcci- 
aily  when  v/e  consider  that  they  who  use  this  reasoning,  also  assert, 
th  t  man  fell  into  sin  according  to  t!ie  determinate  appointment  and 
decree  of  God.  It  represents  God  as  an  arbitrary  sovereign,  or 
despot,  whose  volitions  are  only  sovereign,  without  respect  to  any 
necessary  and  essential  rule  of  rectitude,  goodness  or  mercy  to  his 
dependent  creatures.  But  the  essential  and  unchangeable  nature  of 
God  is  to  w'iil  the  salvation  of  al! ;  so  that  nothing  can  prevent  any, 
except  their  own  disobedience,  or  rejection  of  his  grace,  uninfluenc- 
ed thereto  by  any  of  God's  appointments  or  decrees.  God  is  "  Not 
"  willing  thtt  any  should  perish  but  that  all  shovild  come  to  repent- 
"  ance."  "  Who  will  have  all  men  to  be  saved,  and  to  come  to  the 
"  knov/ledge  of  the  truth."  And  according  to  this  his  will,  he  sent 
the  Mediator,  Jesus  Christ,  "  Who  gave  himself  a  ransom  for  alj, 
"  to  be  testified  in  due  time."  (2.  Pet.  3.  9.  1  Tit.  2.  4,  6.) 

But  God  in  his  own  essential  nature  and  according  to  his  necessarv 
existence,  is  under  infinite  and  irresistible  obligation,  or.  to  speak  in 
language  more  appropriate  to  God,  it  is  a  necessary  emanation  of 
his  nature  to  have  compassion  on  his  creatures,  and  therefore  to  pro- 
vide a  remedy  and  in  the  progress  of  the  work  to  bring  it  within  the 


l)G  GF  ELECTION' 

reach  of  every  individual,  without  partiality,  preference  or  passiuj^ 
by,  except  in  consideradon  of  the  veal  character  or  condr  t  of  the 
subject,  as  iTiuch  as  to  punish  sin  or  to  reward  obedience.  Neither 
dotn  this  view  of  the  subject  make  God  accountable  to  Iiis  creatures; 
the  perfect  rule  of  rectitude  is  in  himself,  infinitely  wise,  holy,  just 
and  good;  neither  need  any  reply  against  God,  nor  \v\\\  any  of  those 
"vviio  understand  his  ways  which  are  just  and  equal. 

But  God  is  under  no  obligation  to  adapt  the  plan  of  salvation  to 
the  feelings  cf  men.  It  is  his  own  prerogative  to  lay  out  the  plan 
and  our  province  to  obey.  Although  it  is  impossible  that  God  should 
lay  out  any  plan  erxept  that  which  is  most  wise,  just  and  holy,  and 
best  calculated  to  effectuate  the  purpose.  If,  therefore,  any  ask, 
What  plea  or  claim  hath  a  sinner,  or  non-elect,  on  the  justice  of  God? 
We  answer;  He  hath  a  claim  or  plea,  equal  to  all  the  justice  "which 
is  in  God,  and  to  his  own  capacity  to  use  it,  provided  he  will  use  his 
plea  according  to  justice — A  plea,  equal  to  all  the  justice  contained 
in  t]>e  overtures  of  peace  and  reconciliation  set  forth  in  the  gospel — 
A.  plea,  equal  to  all  the  justice,  love  and  mercy,  exhibited  in  the  un- 
iiniited  promises  m.ade  to  all  who  will  comply  with  the  terms,  with 
full  assurance  that  he  died  for  all  without  exception:  provided  the 
sinner  Avill  submit  to  use  his  plea  according  to  the  condition  of  the 
promises,  which  requires  every  man  to  confess  aiid  forsake  his  sins, 
and  live  the  life  of  Christ :  a  condition,  not  impracticable  by  those 
who  have  th^  gospel.  It  would  seem  from  the  writings  of  the  abet- 
tors of  a  partial  election,  that  they  entirely  forget  that  the  gospel  is  a 
remedy  provided  for  the  express  purpose  of  redeeming  mankind 
from  their  fallen  and  ruined  state,  and  is  adapted  in  all  tilings  to  their 
helpless  and  necessitous  condition;  provided  for  all,  seeing  all  were 
dead  and  Christ  died  for  all ;  and  offered  to  all,  witliout  limitation  dis- 
tinction or  preference,  and  tliat  God  hath  pledged  his  veracity  and  his 
life  for  the  safety  of  all  alike,  only  let  them  submit  to  the  gospel. 

But  might  not  God,  consistently  with  the  unsullied  rectitude  of  his 
own  nature,  choose  some,  as  his  peculiar  elect,  and  predestinate  thcra 
to  eternal  life,  and  in  the  execution  of  his  plan,  give  them,  net  only 
the  ordinary  means  of  grace,  but  that  special  aid,  without  which  nei- 
ther they  nor  any  others  would  ever  become  subjects  of  salvation, 
?.nd  at  the  same  time  leave  the  rest  without  that  special  aid,  as  being 
by  no  means  obliged  to  give  it  to  any,  to  reap  the  fruit  of  their  own 
doings  in  rejecting  the  offers  made  to  them,  so  that  they  are  without 
excuse,  these  things  being  done  by  the  sovereignty  cf  God  without 
regard  to  character  or  works?  The  answer  is  decidedly  in  the  nega- 
tive in  every  part.  For  first.  If  God  created  man  a  fallible  crea- 
ture, as  it  could  not  be  otherwise,  and  chose  by  his  own  sovereign 
appointment  to  not  prevent  his  fall,  but  to  leave  him  exposed  to  those 
trials  which  he  knew  would  certainly  effect  his  overthrow,  it  M'as 
impossi!>!e  that  he  should  not  provide  a  remedy  furnished  with  all  the 
aid  for  man,  necessary  to  his  becoming  a  partaker,  and  bring  it  in.to  his 
reach  in  his  f  dlen  state,  before  man  can  be  inexcusable.  And  v;ithout 
f>uch  a  remedy  the  rectitude  aiid  glory  of  God's  character  must  have 


AND  FOREKNOWLEDGE.  197 

1been  for  ever  tarnished.  And  secondly.  Those  means  of  gra-^e,  so 
called,  which  are  not  sufficient,  to  ensure  the  certainty  of  salvatic^n, 
have  no  right  to  that  name.  To  call  the  gospel  the  means  of  grace  and 
salvation,  and  tlien  say  that  sinnei'SAvho  are  privileged  with  it  are  in- 
excusable when  they  are  not  saved  by  it,  and  then  to  presume  that 
the  special  agency  of  the  Spirit,  some  way  distinct  from  the  gospel, 
or  in  addition  to  it,  is  necessary,  before  any  can  believe  and  close  iu 
with  the  gospel  offers,  is  to  charge  God  with  contriving  a  ciafiy 
scheme  to  destroy  man  under  the  specious  pretext  that  he  is  guilty  of 
rejecting  his  own  life  and  neglecting  his  duty  wlien  he  is  not:  for 
duty  implies  capability.  Thus  God  is  represented  as  a  mocker  of 
man's  miseries  and  regardless  of  his  sufferings.  And  man  is  rejDrt;- 
sented  as  being  without  excuse  wherein  he  is  not ;  wliile  under  this 
specious  pretext,  cruelty  is  discovered  in  all,  or  at  least  the  most  im- 
portant works  of  God,  towards  men.  ; 

Hear  the  language  of  a  strenuous  aljettor  of  a  partial  election.  "  It 
*'  would  be  impossible  to  vindicate  the  honor  oi  the  divine  govern- 
"  ment  in  exacting  duties  by  law  from  rational  creatures  which  they 
*'  were  naturally  unable  to  pci-form.  And  it  must  be  for  ever  incor.- 
"  sistent  to  say  that  a  moral  governor  still  has  a  right  to  demand  obc- 
"  dience  in  any  one  thing  v/hen  the  subject  has  nc?  power  to  perfoim 
"  it.  A  man  never  possibly  can  be  imder  the  least  obligations  to  do 
"  what  he  cannot  do  ;  and  there  is  notliing  in  which  rigorous  r.'isterity, 
*'  cruel  tyranny  and  arljitrary  and  unreasonable  injustice  could  appear 
"  more  evident  than  to  require  any  such  thing."  But  the  pretext  is 
that  man's  inability  is  moral,  and  therefore  inexcusable.  "  It  is 
"  meant,"  says  he,  "that  we  are  naturally  as  well  as  momlly  unable 
"  to  believe  or  to  obey  the  gospel."  And  again  ;  "  Our  moral  power, 
''  as  it  is  called,  cr  more  properly  our  inclination  or  choicfe  as  to  what 
"  is  good  Vv'c  have  lost ;  and  here  lies  the  whole  mystery.  We  are 
*'  really,  fully  and  completely  able  to  believe  in  Chri^st  but  we  are 
"  not  disposed  to  do  it.  Inasmur.h  therefore  as  the  noii-elect  Avili  not 
">'  believe  in  Christ  when  he  is  freely  offered  unto  them,  when  they 
*'  are  really  able  to  do  it  and  nothing  to  hinder  them  but  their  own 
"  evil  disposition,  they  stand  justlv  liable  to  condemnation  and  arc  cn- 
''  tirely  inexcusable."XSee  Gos.  Plan.  P.  126,  127.  By  W.  C.  Davis.) 

But  this  is  only  begging  the  question  ;  for  if  my  moral  inability  or 
evil  disposition  be  immoveable  by  me,  and  I  do  not  receive  help  suffi- 
cient to  overcome  it  either  by  the  gospel  or  some  other  way,  and  Gcd, 
who  alone  can,  will  not  overcome  it  for  me,  lam  as  comjdetely  in- 
capable of  believing  and  obeying  the  gospel  as  if  I  v/ere  destitute  of 
natural  power  or  had  none  of  the  constitutional  or  moral  faculties.  It 
is  therefore  incompatible  with  God's  perfect  rectitude  to  appoint  one 
man  or  some  men  to  eternal  life,  by  a  sovereign  purpose  or  decree, 
and  to  leave  others  to  perish  Vy'lthout  regard  to  the  character,  faith  or 
works  of  either  class,  and  then  condemn  the  non-elect  on  the  princi- 
ple of  not  believing  and  obeying  the  gospel.     Besides, 

Thirdly.  It  is  a  glaring  inconsistency, a  very  contradiction  of  ideasii 
to  say  or  suppose  that  God  hath  elected  and  predestinated  to  eternal 


195  OF  ELECTIO\^ 

life,  a  certain  dcfuiite  and  exclusive  number  witli  al!  the  means  neces- 
sary to  their  inbringinp;  and  })erfect;ng-  in  salvation,  by  an  act  of  his 
own  sovereign  will  or  puj-posc,  and  passed  Ly  others  to  remain  under 
necessary  condemnation  aimd  Avrath,  vvdiicli  they  cannot  escape  without 
that  necessary  aid  which  he  giveth.  to  the  elect  but  not  to  the  rest,  and, 
ail  v/ithout  making  any  account,  in  adjusting  his  dccr,ees,  of  the  faith, . 
works  or  cliaracter  of  cither,  and  after  all  will  condemn  the  finally 
impenitent,  that  is,  the  non-elect,  to  eternal  wratii  because  they  have 
not  believed  and  obeyed  the  gospel.  That  kmd  of  election  therefore 
is  impossible,  becauso-inconsistent  with  the  rectitude  of  God's  nature, 
Vvho  is  not  only  a  God  of  truth  but  of  propriety.     Again. 

Fourthly.  If  the  loss  which  man  siistained  by  the  fall,  or  his  pres- 
ent inability,  or  lack  of  power,  be  moral  and  not  natural,  the  remedy 
or  salvation  from  that  inability  must  be  moral  also,  or  capable  of  fur- 
nishing him  with  moral  power  to  obey  God  according  to  whatever  he 
requires  of  man  ;  otherwise  the  remedy  is  ineffectual  and  null.  Now 
the  gospel  is  either  furnished  Vt'ith  adequate  power  and  efficacy  to 
rejnove  all  moral  inability  and  render  men  capable  of  believing  and 
obeying,  or  it  is  not.  If  not,  it  is  of  no  use  to  mankind,  elect  or  non- 
cioct ;  they  must  all  die  in  their  sins  or  be  saved  by  some  other 
means;  and  the  gospel  is  a  very  mockeiy  of  the  miseries  of  men  by 
offering  them  life  v.dien  it  is  not  capable  of  effecting  it.  But  if  the 
gospel  i3»furnished  with  all  the  necessary  help  to  overcome  or  remove 
the  moi'al  inability  or  evil  disposition  and  gain  the  sculs  of  men  to 
believe  and  obey  to  eternal  life,  including  the  sure  promise  to  all 
such,  of  all  necessary  supplies  on  the  way,  Avhich  is  the  truth,  and  if 
it  i:^,  preached  to  all  without  e>:ception,  reserve  or  preference,  which 
is  also  truth,  and  if  the  justification  of  the  one  and  the  condemnation  of 
Ahe  other  turn  on  this  pivot,  he  that  bclieveth  including  obedience,  is 
Kot  condemned, b-at  he  that  believethnot  is  condemned  already  becavfte 
he  hath  not  believed,  (not  because  he  was  not  elected,)  there  is  no 
room  for  that  partial  and  exclusive  election  for  which  men  contend. 

Fifthly.  For  God  to  have  ordained  some  to  eternal  life,  and  others, 
if  neg-ativcly  yet  certaiiily  and  unalterably,  to  condeiDnation  and 
etei'nai  wrath,  v/ithout  regard  to  the  character  faith  or  vrcrks  of  either 
class,  is  inconsistent  with  the  overtures  of  the  gospel  as  provided  for 
f.dlen  mank'nd  in  their  ruined  condition,  and  a-  specific  remedy  for 
their  disease  which  was  introduced  by  the  fall.  For  these  overtures- 
declai'c  that  the  grace  of  God  bringeth  salvation  to  all ;  (Tit.  2.  11.) 
according  to  the  Greek  text  and  the  marginal  reading;  that  Christ 
died  for  all ;  that  he  faulted  death  for  every  mail ;  that  he  gave  his 
l:?e  a  rans  ■>m  for  all,  and  he  inviteth  all  the  needy  to  come,  without 
preference  or  reserve. 

But'th(^se  things  are  not  proposed  or  allov/cd  to  contradict,  that 
God  who  knoAveth  the  make  cf  his  creatures,  and  the  effect  of  sin 
upon  them,  and  what  influence  the  gospel  would  have,  being  planned 
according  to  ])is  own  inhnite  Vvdsdom,  and  well  adapted  to  the  recove- 
ry of  mankind'  from  ruin,  should  have  recognised  in  his  etcn.al 
counsels,  (or  decreed,  if  that  piu'ase  be  more  acceptable  than  rccog- 


AND  FOREKNOVv^LEDGE.  19^ 

nlsed,)  whom  he  Avould 'first  apprehend  by  the  gospel,  it  being  exact- 
ly calculated  to  catch  them  in  tUc  condition  in  which  it  would  find 
them,  according  to  his  counsel  and  appointment,  (for  I  am  l-^y  no 
means  averse  to  God's  working  by  a  correct  plan,)  and  whciu  he 
would  first  send  forth  to  lead  the  way  and  be  helpers  to  others,  and 
then  to  whom  he  ayouM  adapt  the  ministration  of  the  gospel  to  ap- 
prehend more,  always  recognising  the  condition  of  the  inward  liian, 
and  v/ho  M'ould  be  most  likely  to  receive  the  truth,  as  well  as  whom 
it  wijl  answer  best  to  apprehend  and  take  first,  and  so  rao\ing  for- 
ward in  his  work  nntil  all  have  a  fair  and  impartial  trial  of  those 
jneans  which  furnish  sufficient  power  of  salvation,  that  is,  siifticient 
authority  and  power  to  belieye  and  obey  the  gospel :  and  'the  salva- 
tion of  one,  and  cOhdemnation  of  another  must  turn  on  the  accept- 
ing or  the  rejecting  of  each  for  himself.  "  Wh.cm  he  did  foreknew 
"  he  also  did  predestinate  to  be  conformed  to  the  image  of  his  Son, 
"  and  whom  he  predestinated  he  also  called,  and  Avhom  he  called  he 
"  also  justified,  and  whom  he  justified,  he  also  glorified."  And  he 
hath  "  pi'cdestinatfcd  us  to  the  adoption  of  ciiildren  through  Je.'jus 
"  Christ  to  himself,  according  to  tl.e  good  pleasure  of  his  will;"  as 
hath  been  stated  above. , 

The  discernhig  will  understand,  that  I  am  not  speaking  of  ai^y 
conditionality  in  the  decrees  of  God  respecting  the  sending  of  his 
Son  to  redeem  lost  men  ;  or  in  the  terms  of  redemption  to  AV^iich  tlicy 
have  to  come;  as  '^' He  that  believeth  and  is  baptized  shall  be, sa- 
ved, and  he  that  believeth  not  shall  be  damned  ;"  or  that  salvation 
is  in  Christ  alone,  for  those  who  come  into  iiim  in  truth  and  not  in 
name,  walking  as  he  walked,  and  for  none  else.  These  and  audi 
like  decrees  are  absolute  and  unconditional ;  for  without  an  absolute- 
ly sure  foundation,  as  well  as  special  conditions  uv'Squivocaily  stipu- 
lated, the  church  could  not  be  built  with  stability,  neither  could  those 
who  come  find  nnsjiaken  conHdence.  But  the  result  of  the  gospel 
overtures,  eventuathig  in  each  individual  a  savor  of  life  or  of  death 
depends  from  first  to  last  on  his  own  choice  ;  "  Wherefore  also  it  is 
"  contained,  in  the  scriptures;  Behold,  I  lay  in  Zicn  a  chief  conicr- 
"  stone,  elect  precious ;  and  he  that  believeth  ©a  him  shall  not- be  con- 
"  founded." (I  Pet.  2.  6.)  This  renders  the  wliole  equitable  and  feir; 
anrl^\pens  to  every  man  the  pure  fountain  of  the  water  of  life, 
clear  as  crystal,  whence  flow  these  and  the  like  unmingied  streams 
of  pure  gospel ;  "  If  a  man  purge  himself  from  these  he  shall  be  a 
"  vesspi  to  honor,  sanctified,  and  meet  ibr  the  masters  use,  prepared 
"  to  every  good  work."  "  Wherefore  come  out  from  amon^  them, 
"  and  be  ye  separate,  saith  the  Lord,  touch  not  the  unclean  thing; 
''  and  I  will  receive  you,  and  will  be  a  Father  to  you,  and  ye  shall  be 
"  my  sons  and  daughters  saith  the  Lord  Almighty," 

But  the  notion  of  the  absolute  election  of  a  deaniLe  lunnber  of 
specified  individuals,  contradicts  the  breathings  of  the  Spirit  not  only 
in  the  free,  generous  aixl  unreserved  calls  and  invitations  of-  the  p;GS- 
pel,  but  in  the  influence  of  the  same  Spirit  in  the  hearts  of  all  Gods 
children.     Was  it  the  spirit  or  faith  of  ;in  ab';oIutc]y  definite  election 


,200  OF  ELECTION 

•which  led  the  apostles  tb  preach  as  they  did  ?  '*  V/aming  every 
"  man,  and  teaching-  every  man  in  ail  v/isdom :  that  we  may  present 
'i  every  man  perfect  in  Christ  Jesus  ;  whcreunto  I  also  labour,  striv- 
<'  iug^  according  to  his  working  which  workcth  in  mc  mightily.  " 
<'  For  the  love  of  Christ  constraincth  us ;  because  we  thus  Judge, 
*'  that  if  one  died  for  all,  then  were  all  dead ;  and  that  he  ditdfor  ally 
<'  that  they  who  live  should  not  henceforth  live  to  themselves,  but  to 
"  liim  who  died  for  them  and  rose  again."  (Col  1.  28,29.  2  Cor.  5  14, 
15,)  But  X  need  not  multiply  examples;  the  breathings  of  the  Spi- 
ait  in  Jc^us,  in  the  prophets,  in  the  apostles,  and  in  all  who  are  born 
of  the  Spirit,  and  many  who  Avtn-c  not  born  of  God,  v/ho  have  ex-* 
perienced  a  degree  of  the  same  inilaencc,  hear  in  direct  opposition 
to  the  notion  of  a  limited  election,  or  an  elect  circumscribed  by  any 
thing  one  side  of  there  being  no  more  souls  to  be  saved  or  their  re- 
fusing to  come  in. 

I  doubt  noL  but  many  of  the  circumstances  which  have  beenhcra 
siatcd,  as  unavoidably  arising  from  the  doctrine  of  an  unconditional 
and  limited  election,  will  make  many  of  the  abettors  of  that  doctrine 
recoil  from  them  with  abhorrence—no  doubt,  but  many  of  them  feci 
sensibly,  according  to  their  understanding  of  things,  for  the  miseries 
of  the  human  family — no  doubt,  but  the  operations  ot  the  Spirit  of 
God  which  nnany  of  them  feel  at  times,  bear  right  against  the  belov- 
ed doctrine  of  a  particular  and  limited  election — but  the  pertinacity 
of  education  ]3rcvails  against  the  Spirit  of  Christ.  Ye  do  alivay» 
resist  the  hoUj  Sjiirit.  No  doubt  but  many  will  be  inclined  to  re- 
probate us  as  being  foremost  in  blaspheining  God,  because  we  have 
so  freely  shown  how  cruelly  the  doctrines  which  we  oppose,  tarnish 
his  character.  But  we  cannot  help  those  charges ;  we  endure  all 
things  for  the  gc^pel's  sake,  and  that  the  purity  of  God's  character 
may  finally  appear  in  glory,  to  the  acknowledgment  of  all.  Kit 
is  blasphemy  to  impute  iniquity  and  cruelty  to  God,  it  is  blasphemy 
to  patronise  those  doctrines  A/hich  imply  these  things.  But  it  is  not 
blasphemy  to  expose  those  doctrines  which  contain  such  implicati- 
ons. If  it  be  iniqviity  to  charge  God  falsely  it  is  not  iniquity  to  de^ 
clai'e  his  righteousness  and  to  show  that  the  way  of  the  Lord  is 
equal. 

No  doubt  many  will  plead  that  the  enmity  of  the  heart  against 
God,  and  the  w^ant  of  reconciliation  to  his  government,  are  the 
source  of  all  the  o1)jecvions  against  this  doctrine;  for  it  hath  been 
argued,  that  men  will  always  object  until  the  heart  becomes  recon- 
ciled to  God,  (:'.-  until  tliey  find  that  they  are  of  the  number  who 
are  thus  highly  favoured  by  the  distinguishing  p;racc  of  Gbd,  but 
when  that  is  effected  they  will  understand  the  whole  matter,  see  its 
consistency  and  its  justice,  be  at  peace  with  God  and  reconciled  to 
his  ways.  Now,  just  consider  what  this  plan  teachetl; — ^that  when  a 
man  becometli  a  christian,  he  is  regardless  of  the  welfare  of  his  fel- 
low men — is  leconciled  lliat  God  should  have  elected  a  certain  spe- 
cified number  to  eternal  life,  and  reproliated  all  the  rest,  the  millions 
of  the  non-clcct,  to  eternal  daninution  Avithout  previous  res^ard  to  tli^* 


AND  FOREK'^'IOWLEDGE.  20 1 

character  of  eitb.er !  But  by  whom  did  God  ever  teach  tliat  men  be- 
come reconciled  to  him  by  the  niost  contracted  selfishness?  What 
heart  can  acqiues-.s  in  the  plan,  and  contemplate  it  witiiovit  shudder- 
ing ?  Not  one.  Who  of  the  advocates  of  the  plan  can  view  it 
without  wishing  it  were  not  so  ?  Not  one  ;  unless  they  who  have  no 
share  in  the  divine  character,  whose  hearts  are  relentless  to  the  mis- 
eries or  the  happiness  of  the  human  race.  And  if  any  one  feels  any, 
the  least  pain  or  compunction  in  the  contemplation,  is  he  reconciled  ? 
Every  man  of  discerriment  knows  he  is  not.  Thousaixls,  through 
the  perthiacity  of  education  and  prepos-session,  profess  to  be  recon- 
ciled when  they  arc  far  from  it.  Aisd  no  wonder;  when  reconciliau- 
on  cannot  be  gained  unless  by  .selfishness  in  the  abstract.  And  is 
this  the  spirit  which  a  rnan  receives  by  becoming  a  christian  ? — infi- 
nitely selfish! — regardless  of  truth,  justice  or  propriety  towards  other 
men  or  of  their  happiness,  provided  he  is  safe  1  Aiid  is  this  the  Spi- 
rit of  God  which  he  hatii  received  in  Christ  ?  Then,  what  a  repre- 
sentation doth  this  give  of  God!  Infinitely  selfish!  infinitely  regardless 
of  justice,  or  of  the  happiness  of  his  creatures  !  But  let  us  conceal 
the  horrid  prospect — let  us  cover  the  blasphemous  thought — and 
veil  the  gloom  from  the  heart  of  mortals — from  the  miiHl  of  all  men 
v,-hom  we  would  invite  to  love  and  appi'ove  the  character  and  worlds 
of  God. 

On  the  other  hand.  The  advocates  of  this  doctrine,  accustomed 
to  strain  out  a  gnat  and  swallow  a  camel,  often  teach,  that  for  a  rnaji 
to  be  moved  to  do  the  v/ill  of  God  by  a  respect  to  the  recompense 
of  rewai^d  is  selfish,  not  evangelical,  and  that  God  will  net  accept  ii. 
But  if  so,  God  and  liis  ministers,  Jccus  and  his  ajwstles,  have  taught 
mankind  to  be  selfish  indeed,  Avho  have  always  presented  the  crov.n 
of  righteousness  and  glory,  the  rev/ard  of  safety  aad  eternal  life,  as  a 
Diotivc  to  obedience  ;  as  shown  in  its  place.  But  there  is  no  mcrj 
selfishness  in  a  man's  seeking  liis  own  happiness  on  proper  pi'irciplcs, 
or  in  having  respect  to  the  recompense  of  rc\".'aid,  tlian  in  God'fi 
claiming  the  honor  justly  due  to  his  name.  Selfishncts  tnvieth  tho 
happiness  of  others;  claimeth  the  pi'c-cniinence,  even  Avhcre  there 
is  no  ground  of  preference ;  sceketh  the  pamc  temper  in  (^od  tmd 
calleth  for  a  special  election  to  the  exclusion  of  others.  But  t!)o 
miiid  of  God  is  not  so  ;  his  love  is  free  to  ail ;  and  he  is  not  willing 
that  any  should  perish,  biit  that  all  should  come  to  repentance. 

likely  many  other  scriptures  may  be  aliedged  in  vhidication  of  a 
limited  and  absohite  election  which  I  have  net  noticed;  but  I  havs 
intentionally  considered  these  which  appeared  to  me  the  most  co!-:spi  - 
cuouG,  and  which  I  f.ave  moot  commonly  heard  insisted  on  by  the  abet  • 
tors  of  that  doctrine.  Other  arguments  also  might  be  adduced  on  the 
otiicr  rjde  ;  some  of  which  have  been  stated  in  opening  the  doctrines 
of  faith  and  the  suitableness  of  tho  gospel,  where  they  answer  the 
same  purpose.  For,  to  maintain  the  incapability  of  mankind  to  be- 
lieve the  gospel  on  its  OAvn  authority,  or  which  is  the  same,  on  the 
authority  of  God  therein  contained,  is  implicitly,  if  not  confessedly, 
to  maintain  an  absolute  and  limited  election ;  because,  if  no  man  call 

c2 


.% 


■203  OF  ELECTION 

believe  the  gospel  until  God  in  his  oAvn  appointed  time,  as  they  speak, 
give  him  faith,  or  do  that  work  which  will  enable  him  to  believe,  that 
time  must  be  definitively  set  for  all  who  ever  believe  and  the  num- 
ber becomes  definite  and  limited. 

But  the  carnally  minded,  willing  to  justify  themselves,  to  shelter 
themselves  from  the  edge  of  truth,  and  to  wai'd  off  the  necessity  of 
entering  on  the  path  of  obedience  to  God,  and  of  vigorously  laying 
hold  on  eternal  life,  will  plead,  that  if  God  hath  not  unalterably  de- 
creed the  character  and  final  state  of  every  man,  it  cannot  be  denied 
that  he  knoweth  all  things  with  certainty,  and  that  the  event  with 
every  man  Mill  be  according  to  that, knowledge  which  God  hath  of 
him  from  the  beginning :  some  also  arc  seriously  difficulted  on  this 
subject.  I  have  before  stated  that  which  is  clear  to  the  conscience  of 
every  man  ;  that  to  admit  that  God's  foreknowledge  comprehendeth 
all  the  works  cf  men  and  how  they  will  eventuate,  represents  the 
character  of  God  in  a  very  different  light  from  what  is  palmed  on 
him  by  maintaining  tliat  all  things  eventuate  as  they  do,  the  disobe- 
dience and  consequent  punishment  of  rational,  conscious,  and  respon- 
sible agents  not  excepted,  in  consequence  of  these  decrees  uf  fore- 
ordination  which  have  no  respect  to  good  or  evil  deeds,  I  have  also 
shown  before,  the  propriety  of  putting  men  to  a  thorough  trial,  thai 
they  might  learn  by  a  consummate  experience  to  keep  themselves 
from  evil,  to  guard  against  danger,  and  to  know  the  benefits  of  obe- 
dience. But  some  would  have  it  that  the  foreknowledge  of  God  is 
the  primary  aiid  efficient  cause  of  all  events,  evil  as  well  as  good. 
This  is  the  same  as  unconditional  decrees,  and  to  be  rejected  on 
the  same  principle. 

But  let  us  consider  soberly  what  is  the  foreknowledge  of  God, 
particularly  as  it  respects  our  own  estate.  For  however  little  we 
may  be  able  to  comprehend  of  God  or  his  foreknowledge  generally  ; 
it  is  reasonable,  that  according  to  the  privilege  granted  to  us,  by  the 
revelation  which  he  hath  made  of  himself,  we  should  have  a  correct 
imderstanding  of  his  foreknowledge  as  far  as  it  is  justly  influential 
on  our  conduct  and  final  estate.  Then  what  doth  God  know  concern- 
ing us?  He  knov/eth  that  which  he  hath  decreed  ;  that  "  He  who  be- 
^'-  lie-J€th  and  is  balitized  .shall  be  saved;  and  he  that  believeth  not 
"  shall  be  damned.^  Or  that,  In  every  nation^  he  that  feareih  him 
<'  and  worketh  righteousness  is  accefited  of  him.  Thou  meetest 
«  him  that  ivorketh  righteousness.  But  doth  not  God  certainly  and 
absolutely  foreknow  the  works  and  the  final  event  of  every  man  and 
every  woman,  whether  they  will  believe  and  obey  the  gospel,  and  so 
be  saved,  or  hot  ?  Without  limiting,  or  desiring  to  limit  the  know- 
ledge of  God  or  any  other  of  his  perfections.  I  answer ;  That 
there  is  no  such  foreknowledge  in  God,  as  can  have  any  direct  influ- 
ence, or  any  uifluence  at  all,  without  an  undue  use  of  it,  to  cause 
any  man  to  fail,  or  to  prevent  any  one  from  gaining  the  crown  of 
righteousr.css  in  eternaf'life,  who  doth  not  deliberately,  and  without 
any  necessity  arising  from  foreordaining  decrees,  God's  foreknow- 
lccly,-e,  or  any  other  cause  abstractedly  from  his  oMn  unnecessary 


AND  FOREKNOWLEDGE.  203 

choice,  reject  the  gospel  and  its  salvation.  Thus  I  will  ask;  Doth 
not  God  know  certainly  whether  this  man  and  that  will  have  a  good 
crop  of  corn  next  fall?  Deny  his  knowledge  if  ye  can.  God  doth 
know  this,  making  allowance  for  the  goodness  of  the  season,  that  if 
they  plant  their  corn  and  giro  it  proper  cultivation  they  v.dll  receive 
their  crop  accordingly;  but  if  ihcy  neglect  they  fail.  To  every 
man  according  to  his  works.  But  again  ;  Doth  not  God  know  whe- 
ther these  men  will  plant  and  tend  their  corn  and  so  receive  their 
crop,  or  not  ?  Deny  it  if  ye  can.  Yet  I  say,  there  is  no  such  fore  ■ 
knowledge  in  God  as,  directly,  or  at  all,  without  an  abuse  of  it,  will 
cause  one  of  them  to  fail,  or  prevent  him  from  finding  his  crop  in  the 
way  of  his  duty.  God  hath  no  foreknowledge  to  exercise  in  that 
way  ;  and  men  in  relation  to  natural  things  are  not  influenced  by  that 
kind  of  foreknowledge  which  God  doth  not  claim,  but  by  this,  that. 
he  who  doeth  work  shall  reap  the  fruit ;  and  they  all  find  their  ac- 
count in  doing  their  duty,  except  the  indolent,  whom  there  is  no 
cause  to  prevent  from  sharing  the  blessing  in  the  same  line  v/ith  oth- 
ers, only  their  own  indisposition  to  submit  to  the  order  of  God  and 
the  line  of  duty  in  the  things  of  nature  :  the  earth  is  as  free  to  yiekl 
her  strength  to  them  as  to  others.  Just  so,  the  gospel  will  yield  her 
fruits,  the  crown  of  righteousness  and  eternal  life,  to  all  who  plant  by 
faith,  (which  as  already  proved,  is  in  the  reach  of  those  who  hear  th(i 
gospel,)  and  cultivate  by  obedience  :  and  this  is  what  God  knoweth 
of  these  things.  For  in  the  gospel  there  is  no  unfruitful  seasons, 
exclusively  from  the  failings  of  the  people  towards  their  duty.  Oth- 
erwise, wherever  the  gospel  is  there  is  always  good  sea.sons  ;  and 
where  it  is  not,  men  arc  as  innocent  in  not  cultivating  it,  provided  they 
arc  upright  in  v/Iiat  degree  of  light  they  can  acquire,  as  men  Vv'ho 
cultivate  no  corn  where  there  is  none  to  plant,  in  doing  the  best 
with  what  they  have.  But,  Woe  to  our  land,  for  the  gospel  is  here 
and  men  are  unwilling  to  cultivate  it,  because  in  so  doing,  it  is  indis- 
jjensable,  to  cut  dov/n  and  destroy,  all  the  wild  vv^eeds  of  the  forest, 
the  vine  of  the  earth,  the  grapes  of  Sodom  and  the  clusters  of  Go- 
morrah, which  mankind  love  more  than  tlie  holy  fruits  of  paradise. 
But  let  the  minds  of  the  honest  be  released  from  difficulty  ;  to  such, 
having  once  found  the  gospel,  there  is  no  insurnicuntable  cause  of 
discouragement. 

It  is  a  matter  of  the  greatest  importance  to  keep  the  character  of 
God  clear  in  the  viev/  of  men's  consciences;  for  without  this  they 
v.ill  never  see  themselves  in  the  wrong  on  right  principles  or  feel 
proper  compunction  for  sin.  That  law  must  be  holy,  just  and  good 
which  can  take  occasion  by  a  man's  sin,  deceive  him  and  slay  him. 
As  long  as  a  man  conceives  that  any  thing  in  God  is  the  efficient 
cause,  however  remotely,  of  liis  being  a  sinner,  whether  decrees  or 
foreknowledge,  he  can  never  feel  clearly  guilty,  or  justly  condemn- 
ed, neither  while  he  conceives  the  cause  to  be  anywhere  exclusively 
of  his  own  choice  and  doings.  I  am  aware  that  some  who  presume 
to  claim  the  name  of  preachers  of  the  gospel  talk  othcr.vise,  saying, 
Tiiey  are  not  obliged  to  viixlicate  the  character  of  God ;  God,  say 


iy\  OF  ELECTION 

they,  is  able  to  vindicate  himself;  and  thus  represent  him  as  a  thresh-. 
i;ig  tyrant  who  caiiics  r.11  Ijcfore  him  by  arbitrary  power,  and  whose 
v.ays  arc  not  jin:tifiuble  before  his  responsible  creatures,  who  are  re- 
cjuired  to  obey  him.  And  we  have  no  right,  say  they,  poor  short- 
si'jhted  mortals,  to  enqiiire  into  the  justice  or  propriety  of  his  plans 
or  hiis  executing  them.  It  is  enough  for  us  that  he  hath  said  it  and 
done  it.  True  en'ough  ;  a  Thus  saith  the  Lord  is  satisfactory  to  any 
consistent  man.  But  we  have  no  Thu.i  saith  the  Lord  for  a  partial 
and  speciticd  elect  to  the  exclusion  of  others;  they  can  show  us  no 
7'hufi  saith  the  Lor^o  for  the  foreknowledge  of  God  amounting  to  an 
absolute  decree,  fixing  the  condition  of  men  without  respect  to  their 
faith  and  obedience,  or  in  any  wise  limiting  or  cram.ping  the  certain 
prospects  of  eternal  life  for  those  wlio  submit  to  keep  the  gospel  in 
obedience  on  the  authority  implied  in  its  pro])osals  ;  there  is  no  Thu» 
sdith  the  Lord  for  submitting  to  th.e  dictates  of  arbitrary,  or  al- 
inighty  power  without  a  rational  conviction  in  the  judgment  and  con- 
science of  the  propriety  of  the  requisition.  But  we  have  a  Thus 
saith  the  Loud;  Yea  we  have  it,  for  enquiring  into  the  ccnsistcucy 
and  propriety  of  God's  dealings  with  men.  "  Come  now,  and  let  us 
iseason  together  sailh  the  Lord."  (Isa.  1,  18.)  What:  men  reason 
with  God  and  God  v.ith  men?  Yeu,  even  so ;  Come  noAV,  and  let  va 
be  convinced^  as  if  he  had  said,  (thus  in  the  HebrcAv  "vvilh  a  good 
color,)  t!;at  wc  may  see  v.'ho  arc  rigjit,  ye  or  I.  And  the  prophets, 
Jeremiah  and  Ezekiel,  had  plain  and  familiar  reasoning,  by  commis- 
sion from  Gcid,  to  show  to  men  the  etjuity  of  his  dealings  towards 
them.  These  tiiercfjre  f(;und  it  an  important  charge  committed  to 
them  to  vindicate  t!ie  cliaracter  of  God,  to  show  to  man,  not  his  so- 
vereignty about  which  some  affect  to  be  so  much  concerned,  but  hi& 
vjirightness.  For  this  is  the  work  of  a  true  messenger,  one  among 
a  thousand  (Job.  33.  23.)  And  this  was  the  work  of  Jesus  Christ 
the  true  messenger  of  the  covenant  ivhom  God  hath  set  forth  a  mcr- 
cv-Heat^  through  faitii  in  his  biood  for  a  demonstration  of  hi-f  right- 
tonsuess,  that  the  people  mi«^;l'it  come  and  obtain  the  forgiveness  of 
sins,  when  they  see  before  ti.eir  eyes  that  ^I'ith  him  there  is  forgive- 
■?!css,  that  ke  may  be  feared^  that  he  is  just  and  the  justifer  of  kim 
vjho  is  of  the  faith  cf  Jesus.  But  how  will  men  be  induced  to  ren- 
der to  Ciod  hjsdue,  to  pay  to  him  a  reasonable  service,  unless  they 
can  understand  the  rcasoiiablencss  of  his  plans,  his  doings  and  his  r'c-r 
qinsitions. 

Those  preachers,  therefore,  v.iio  have  such  conceptions  cf  the 
j-.lans  and  purposes  cf  God,  as  will  not  bear  a  fair  and  rational  justi- 
fication to  the  conviction  and  acknowledgement  of  all  reascr.abie 
men,  h.ave  a  poor  errand  to  the  world  of  inankind,  already  lest  in 
t;ioir  er.niity  against  him.  So  far  as  a  meKscngey  fails  in  showing  to  man 
the  righteousr.efis  of  Gcd  in  all  his  ways,  so  far  he  comes  shoit  of- 
the  work  of  a  minister  of  Chiist.  "For  what  if  some  did  hot  be- 
"  lieve?    shall  their  unbQiief  make  the  faith  of  God  without  cffcctt 

il  in  all  his  ways   to 
,)  but  every  man  a   liar.; 


"  lieve  ?  shall  their  unbdief  make  the  faith  of  ( 
"  God  forbid:  Yea,  let  C^d  be  true  (and  faithful 
''  the  knov.  ledge  and  undcrB:ar;dint>-  of  n:cr.O  bu 


AND  FOREKNOWLEDGE.  2of. 

<'  (and  so  remain  until  he  come  to  know  the  ti'uth  and  vighteousiicss 
*'  of  God  ;)  as  it  is  written,  that  thou  nii'^htcst  be  justified  in  thy 
"sayings,  and  mightest  overcome  when  thou  art  judged."  (Ro.  3. 
3,  4.)  But  these  few  remarks  must  suffice  ;  as  a  free  and  full  inves- 
tigation of  this  particular,  would  lead  too  far  from  the  subject  in 
hand  as  v/eil  as  induce  a  repetition  of  much  of  what  is  already 
written. 

We  have  now  gone  through  th'C  particular  subject  of  election  and 
reprobation,  and  shov/n  clearly,  that  the  decrees  of  God  are  absoluto 
or  positive,  on  those  points  only  v/hich  were  necessary  to  secuic  tl;c 
foundation  of  the  work,  and  to  jn-ovidc  sufficiently  for  the  f;aIvation 
of  men,  and  that  the  way  is  left  open,  for  all  avIio  will,  to  conic  and 
be  saved:  and  all  to  the  glcry  of  God.  And  although  it  should  be 
objected,  as  no  doubt  it  may,  that  on  this  plan  the  bi;ilding  will  al- 
ways be  lacking  in  stability  and  glory,  for  the  work  and  spirit  of  men 
will  be  mingled  with  the  work  of  God  and  built  on  the  foundation 
which  he  hath  laid.  This  objection  can  arise  from  nothii^.g  but  lack 
•of  understanding  ;  for  souls  wlio  arc  gained  to  the  gospel  by  the  au- 
thority of  God  therein  made  known,  and  yield  that  cbedience  which 
the  gospel  requires,  live  the  same  life  and  partake  of  the  same  Spi- 
rit with  the  foundation,  yind  out  of  hisj'idncss  have  all  vje  receiv- 
ed^ and  grace  accordhig  to  grace.  Thus  they  become  cemented 
cr  incorporated  into  one  body  by  the  baptism  of  the  one  Spirit,  and 
the  building  is  all  of  God  who  is  above  all  and  through  all  and  in 
them  all  ;  for  both  he  that  sanctifieth  and  they  that  are  sanctified  are 
all  of  one. 

I  know  it  hath  also  been  argued  that  such  apian  leaves  all  in  un- 
certainty and  that  God  himself  i?  implicated  with  uncertainty,  whe- 
ther he  hath  not  sent  his  Son  and  done  all  the  rest  in  vain  ;  and  that 
Jesus  Christ  also  is  involved  in  the  same  uncertainty ;  for  if  every 
raan  is  to  make  his  ov,n  choice,  wlio  knows  who,  or  whctlicr  any,  will 
.obey  the  gospel,  or  whether  Jesus  will  ever  see  of  tlic  travail  of  his 
soul  and  be  satisfied !  This  is  indeed  a  whimsical  argument :  and 
represents  God  as  incapable  of  knowing  any  thing  but  what  he  de- 
termines to  bring-  to  pass  at  all  adventures,  without  leaving  his  accoun- 
table creatures  to  any  choice  in  the  matter,  except  that  iN'Iiich  is  pro- 
duced, limited  and  circumscribed  by  aljsolute  decrees,  which  is  no 
choice  at  all,  and  the  plan  disannuls  all  res]<onsibiiity,  as  proved  in  its 
place.  What  kind  of  being  must  we  suppose  God  to  be,  if  he  liatlj 
so  little  understanding  of  the  organization,  faculties,  and  sensii)ilitv 
of  the  creatures  whom  he  hath  formed  and  endued  with  all  these 
things,  as  not  to  know,  Vvitli  the  utmost  precissicn,  v/jiat  kind  of  a 
gospel  would  answer  the  purpose  of  gaining  them  to  obedience,  and 
what  degree  of  energy,  must  be  exercised  to  overcome  tlicm  to 
make  their  choice  ?  and  how  to  encrcase  the  energy  of  the  call  and 
pursuit  until  Ms  house  should  be  filled  !  It  is  indeed  a  poor  concep- 
tion of  God  to  suppose  or  to  admit,  that  he  can  be  at  any  uncertain- 
ty how  to  adapt  a  gospel  to  the  state  of  man  even  in  his  fallen  condi- 
ticn,     'And  w^.at  is  to  hindc!';  that  God  should  bring  ir.cii  to  trial  a 


205  OF  ELECTION 

second  time,  even  those  who  have  rejected  the  first,  the  second  being 
a  deeper  work  ?  and  if  that  vviil  not  do,  a  third  ! 

Thus  while  tlie  obedient  before  the  flood,  were  preserved  in  safe 
keeping-  ready  for  a  greater  ch.y,  and  the  wicked  cut  off,  and  so  of 
all  the  rest  in  the  days  of  Moses,  and  after  until  the  perfect  day  ; 
what  is  to  hinder  God  from  bringing  them  all  forth  and  giving  them 
a  trial  in  a  day  when  the  work  v/oald  reach  deeper  into  the  quick, 
and  save  some  of  them  !  For  so  it  is  written  of  Jesus  Christ,  that  he 
v/as  "  Put  to  death  in  the  flesh  but  quickened  in  the  Spirit ;  by 
*'  which  also  he  went  and  preached  to  the  spirits  in  prison ;  Avho 
"  some  time  v/ere  disobedient,  when  once  the  long  suffering  of  God 
"  waited  in  the  days  of  Noe,  while  the  ark  was  a  preparing,  wherein 
"  few,  that  is,  eight  souls  were  saved."  And  again,  "  For,  for  this 
"  cause  was  the  gospel  preached  also  to  the  dead,  that  they  might  be 
"  judged  according  to  men  in  the  flesh,  but  live  accordirig  to  God  in 
"  the  Spirit,"  if  they  will  obey,  and  so  have  the  same  privilege  of 
those  in  the  body.  (1  Pet.  3,  19,  20  and  4.  6.)  Should  God  tiiere- 
fore  in  the  great  love  wherev/ith  he  loved  the  world  of  mankind  ;  in 
the  great  mercy  and  compassion  in  which  he  feeleth  for  their  mise- 
ries ;  and  in  the  abundant  willingness  which  he  hath  expressed  for 
their  salvation,  have  given  all  these  people  a  trial  by  the  ministry  oi 
Jesus  Christ  in  his  fii St  appearing;  not  even  excepting  Cain  who 
slew  his  righteous  brother,  Esau  who  sold  his  birthright,  (for  Avhen 
it  is  said  That  afterward  v,-hen  he  would  have  inherited  the  blessing, 
he  ^y■^ir,  rejected ;  for  he  found  no  place  of  repentance  though  he 
sought  it  carefully  with  tears ;.  all  this  doth  not  imply  that  he  would 
have  come  to  repentance  for  his  sins  but  could  not  get  the  privilege, 
but,  that  he  found  no  room  in  J-saac  to  repent  of  having  given  that 
first  blessing  to  Jacob,  nor  any  disposition  to  recall  it,)  or  Saul  the 
v/icked  king  of  Israel,  or  Absalom  the  rebellious  son  of  David,  or 
Solomon,  who  after  all  his  glory  and  after  the  Lord  had  appeared 
to  him  twice,  had  his  heart  turned  away  from  the  true  God  after 
idols,  by  his  attachment  to  strange  women,  or  Mcnasseh,  Ahab,  or 
Ahas,  or  Jezebel,  who  can  gainsay  or  prove  to  the  contrary?  Is  there 
any  thing  too  hard  for  the  Lord?  "  He  that  spared  not  his  ov.'n  Son, 
but  delivered  him  up  for  us  all,  how  shall  he  not  with  him  also  freely 
give  us  all  things."  (Ro.  8.  32.)  Fcr  the  gospel  v,'as  preached  to 
the  dead ;  which  signifieth  those  gone  out  of  the  body  by  behig  con- 
trasted with  men  in  the  flesh  ;  which  flesh  also  signifieth  the  animal 
flesh,  or  the  body,  because  men  in  the  flesh,  meaning  men  in  a  carnal 
nature  would  be  no  contrast  with  the  dead,  whether  literally  or  mor- 
aliy  understood.  To  the  dea:l^  is  the  exact  rendering  of  the  word 
which  in  the  common  reading  is  translated  fo  them  that  are  dead. 
And  if  Jesus  Christ  the  charitable  and  forgiving  Savior,  as  he  Com- 
eth in  his  second  appearing,  (v.'hich  is  already  commenced,)  while 
he  convinccth  all,  of  their  ungodly  deeds,  and  hard,  ungenerous 
speeches,  should  give  all  ^notlicr  trial  to  bring  them  to  repentance, 
r.ot  even  e:jcepting  Judas  the  traitor,  or  Pilate  who  basely  through 
fear  of  the  people,  gave  judgment  against  him,  contrary  to  his  own 
conscience,  who  can  withstand,  and  say  that  our  Lord  and  Savior 


AND  FOREKNOWLEDGE.  2or 

hath  done  unjustly  ?  And  there  is  nothing  to  contradict  the  preachinij 
of  the  gospel  in  the  second  appearing  of  Christ  more  than  in  ths 
first;  for  that  the  time  of  the  last  judgment  is  a  time  of  preaching 
tlie  gospel  is  proved  in  its  place.  On  this  plan  the  gospel  Mill  have 
its  full  effect,  God  wiil  have  his  house  liiled,  and  no  man  will  be  kit 
to  perish  without  first  having  a  fair  opportunity  to  escape. 

The  gospel  is  most  liberal ;  God  hath  revealed  himself  therein  a 
merciful  God,  generous,  benevolent,  and  kind  to  the  fallen  race;  but 
he  is  also  just;  this  ought  never  to  be  left  out  of  vie'.v».  Wliat  secu- 
rity or  propriety  would  be  in  the  government  of  a  prince  whose  life 
and  institutions  v/ere  not  marked  with  decided  justice  in  all  respects? 
Many  people  appear  to  be  high.ly  entertained  and  deli!>-hted  with  the 
liberality  of  the  gospel ;  they  are  pleased  with  hearing  the  liberal 
invitations,  setthig  the  door  of  salvation  open  to  all,  and  making  the 
way  and  end  thereof,  eternal  life,  free  to  all  v.ithout  respect  of  per- 
sons, in  contrast  with  those  contracted  and  selfish  notions  of  some 
who  believe  in  a  partial  election  of  some  to  life,  with  the  consequent 
reprobation  of  otliers  to  perdition,  Avithout  alTovding  them  any  fair,  or 
even  possible  opportunity  to  escape.  But  much  as  they  are  often 
gratified  with  hearing  these  things,  their  pleasure  appears  to  be  mere- 
ly sentimental.  In  many  of  them  no  room  is  found  for  the  least  grain 
of  the  work  of  God's  power  to  ^ave  the  soid  from  sin  ;  they  savor 
not  the  inward  workings  and  power  of  Christ,  and  have  no  relish  for 
the  holy,  self-denied  life  of  a  christian,  which  is  the  prelude  to  eter- 
nal life  and  glory  in  heaven.  It  appears  as  though  the  more  gracious 
and  condescending  God  reveals  himself  to  men  for  their  salvation, 
the  more  confidently  many  claim  to  themsci\es  license  to  treat  fthe 
messages  of  grace  with  neglect  or  open  contempt,  and  to  affi'ont  his 
RUihoiity  by  disobedience:  this  is  the  effect  with  those  who  receive 
not  the  truth  in  the  love  of  it  that  they  might  be  sa^'ed,  whose  hearts 
are  not  governed  by  the  Spirit  of  obedience  in  Christ.  Can  ariy 
people  be  in  greater  danger  of  coming  into  this  condemnation,  that 
"  Even  as  they  did  not  like  to  retain  God  in  their  knowledge,  God 
"  gave  them  up  to  a  reprcl^ate  mind  to  do  those  things  which  arc  net 
"  convenient :  being  filled  with  all  unrighteousness."  "  Who  being 
"  past  feeling  have  given  themselves  over  to  lasciviousness,  to  Vv'ork 
"  all  uncleanness  with  greediness."  "  Oh  that  they  Avere  Avise,  that 
"  they  understood  this,  that  they  AA'ould  consider  their  latter  end," 
Will  nothing  do  short  of  letting  men  rule  and  bringing  God  into 
subjection  to  their  Avill?  Will  men  refuse  to  subn-sit  until  the  dcGr 
of  heaven  is  opened  Avidc  eiwugh  to  let  them  in  Avith  all  their  sins,  anti 
their  own  Avills  ruling  in  them;  This  Avould  agree  Avell  with  tho 
nature  of  men ;  but  it  is  impracticable.  It  is  imjxissible  CA-en  Avith 
God  to  effect  it:  sin  cannot  vuiite  Avith  holiness.  It  is  unreasonable; 
man  cannot  rule  the  mind  of  God:  he  must  either  become  subject 
or  be  unhappy  for  ever.  <'  I  have  sAvorn  by  myself,  saith  the  Lord, 
"  the  Avord  is  gone  out  of  my  mouth  in  righteousness,-  and  shall  net 
*'  return,  That  unto  me  every  knee  shall  bovv  and  every  tongue  shall 
<«  SAvear."  (Isa.  45.  S3.) 


20»  OF  ELECTION 

But  the  last  time  is  the  last.  Every  former  dispensation  spake  of 
another  to  come.  The  first  appearance  of  Christ  bore  witness  to  the 
second,  but  not  to  v.  third.  Tliat  second  havisig  ah-eady  commenced 
according  to  the  scriptures,  as  proved  in  its  place,  proclaims  the  last 
opportunity  for  men  to  be  saved.  And  shall  not  the  goodness  of  God, 
lead  to  repentance  ?  Or  shall  men  finally  persist  in  despising  the 
riches  of  his  goodness,  and  forbearance,  aixl  long-sufifering !  after  he 
hath  limited  a  certain  time.  Saying,  To-day,  after  so  long  a  time.,  as 
it  is  said.  To-day,  if  ye  will  hear  his  voice,  harden  not  your  hearts. 
Whrefore  (as  tlie  Holy  Ghost  saith)  To-day,  if  ye  will  hear  his  voice 
harden  not  your  hearts,  as  in  tlie  provocation,  in  the  day  of  tempta- 
tion in  the  wilderness,  when  he  sware  in  his  wi-ath,  They  shall  not  enter 
into  n>y  rest.  For  such  a  closing  of  the  last  dispensation,  the  last 
calUng  and  offer  of  mercy,  will  be  irrecoverable  ruin.  And  let  those 
who  liuve  ajiy  degree  of  light  and  conviction  of  th.c  work  of  Ged 
Avhich  he  is  doing  in  these  last  days,  by  his  Holy  Spirit,  remember 
these  things,  befoi-e  their  day  pass  and  the  work  come  to  a  close  with 
them  :  for  it  will  be  cut  sliort  in  righteousness.  "  For  if  we  sin  wil- 
"  fully  after  that  we  have  received  the  knov/lcdge  of  the  truth,  there 
"  reniaineth  no  more  sacrifice  for  sins,  but  a  fearful  looking  for  of 
"  judgment  and  fiery  indigintion,  which  shall  devour  the  adversaricsJ* 
"  And  whosoever  spcaketh  agair.st  the  Holy  Ghost,  it  sh.all  rot  be 
"  forgiven  liim,  neither  in  this  world,  neither  in  the  world  to  come-" 
'*  There  is  a  sin  unto  death  ;  I  do  not  say  that  ye  shall  pray  for  it.'" 

It  hath  been  said,  that  by  this  plan  which  leaveth  every  inan  to 
make  his  own  choice,  God  is  subjected  to  his  creatures  ;  that  every 
man  may  have  a  choice,  down  to  the  darkest  savage  or  meanest  Hot- 
tentot, but  God  must  have  no  choice.  Vain  man  would  tewise; 
and  bv  professing  to  be  wise  above  what  is  revealed,  he  becometh  a 
fool.  '  Because  God  will  only  cJ^.oose  the  thing  which  is  good  and 
just,  because  he  hath  chosen  to  himself  the  people  who  call  upon 
him  day  and  night,  and  who  worship  in  spirit  and  in  truth,  is  it  there- 
fore true  that  he  hath  no  choice  at  all  ?  But  who  ascribeth  to  man 
a  pov/er,  or  privilege  of  choosing,  v.diich  is  denied  to  God  ?  a  power 
to  choose  one  man  for  good  to  the  injury  or  neglect  of  another  with- 
out any  reason  found  in  the  men  for  such  distinction  ?  Surely  not  a 
filend  of  that  God  who  judgeth  every  man  according  to  his  works— 
surely  not  a  free  man  ot"  America,  a  re[)ublican  friend  to  human  liap- 
piness.  JBut  is  this  to  subjugate  God  to  the  Avill  of  man  that  every 
one  may  have  a  choice,  according  to  Cod's  appointment,  to  submit 
to  God's  plan  or  to  die  in  his  sins  and  to  sink  into  irrecoverable  per- 
dition by  rejecting  the  last  offer  of  his  grace  ?  Could  man  reject 
God's  terms  with  impunity,  that  would  limit  the  power  of  the  Holy 
One  and  seeiri  to  subject  fiod  to  men.  But  how  many  !  O  how  nia-  "^ 
nv  make  bold  strides,  and  show  the  fairest  prospects  to  be  added  to 
the  number  of  those  wlicse  end  is  destrucVicn,  who  were  of  old  pro- 
scribed to  this  cendcmnation,  ungodly  men,  turning  the  grace  of  our 
God  into  laciviou.f-nesr,,  and  denying  the  only  Lord  God,  and  our  Lord 
Jesus  Christ,  wh.osc  judgment  now  of  a  lGn,rj  time  lingcrelh  nc% 
and  their  damnation  slumbereth  not  ? 


209 
CHAPTER  XIII. 

Of  the  Times  and  Seasons,  or  accejitcd  time  and  day  of  Riilvation. 

We  shall  close  this  subject  relatinjj  to  ths  decrees  ot  God,  v/ith  a 
few  sayings  on  the  Times  and  Seasons  which  the  Father  hath  reserv- 
ed in  his  own  power.  God  who  i$  most  wise,  and  knoweth  all  his 
ivorks  from  the  beginning-,  hath  tlie  most  correct  khdwledgc  at  whai 
time  to  introduce  a  new  dispensation,  or  any  new  degree*  of  light  for 
the  promotion  of  the  great  work  of  redemption.  And  what  belongs 
to  us  is  to  be  ready  and  obedient  to  his  proposals.  God  never  under- 
took so  great  a  work  without  considering^  of  his  own  power  to  carry 
it  on,  and  his  wisdom  to  govern  in  ail  things.  "  For  he  worketh  all 
things  according  to  the  counsel  of  his  own  Avill."  And  no  part  of 
his  work  will  ever  come  out  of  place  :  whatever  is  lackiivg  or  wrong- 
will  be  on  our  part,  and  we  must  sustain  the  loss. 

The  principal  point  then,  which  ought  to  occupy  the  raind  and  the 
attention  of  all  men,  is  to  know  tlic  times  and  seasons,  so  far  as  to  be 
in  readiness,  to  open  to  every  one  his  duty,  and  to  make  a  proper  use 
of  the  seasons  as  they  pass  along  without  being  overly  anxious  about 
those  which  arc  not  yet  made  known.  When  the  apostles  witli  great 
anxiety  enquired  of  tlie  Lord  .Tesus,  "  Saying,  wilt  thou  at  this  time 
"restore  the  kingdom  to  Israel?  He  said  unto  them.  It  is  not  for  you 
*'  to  know  the  times  and  sjcasons,  whicli  the  Father  hath  put  in  his 
''  own  power.  But  ye  shall  receive  .power  after  that  the  Holy  ghost 
"is  come  upon  you."  (Acts  1.  G  to  0.)  They  were  required  to  be 
obedient  and  in  subjection,  ready  for  what  should  come  next.  For  the 
want  of  considering  the  day  and  attending  to  the  duties  of  it  in  the 
proper  time,  many  are  exposed  lo  great  loss.  This  was  the  case 
A^'ith  the  Jews,  over  whose  city  Jesus  wept,  "  Saying,  If  thou  hadst 
*'  known,  eveii  thou,  at  least  in  this  thy  day,  the  things  which  belong 
"  to  thy  peace,  but  now  they  arc  Ijid  from  thine  eyes."  (Luk.  19.  2'l..j 

What  is  required  therefore  of  cveiy  man,  is  to  keep  up  with  tlic 
time,  fulfilling  tlie  duties  as  it  pass.-th  along:  in  so  doing  he  is  justifi- 
ed and  accepted  of  God.  Tims  Cornelius  was  accepted  of  God,  and 
his  prayers  and  alms  went  up  for  a  memorial  before  God,  before  hv. 
knew  any  thing  of  the  gospel  of  Christ  or  had  found  the  v/ay  to  ]>c 
saved.  Thus  the  whole  nation  of  the  Jews  in  being  obedient  to  the 
ordinances  and  statutes  of  God  in  that  day,  at  ail  times  w'len  they 
were  obedient  in  all  these  things,  were  accepted  of  God  and  had 
prosperity  and  peace.  To  keep  up  witli  the  time  is  Avhat  is  requir- 
ed and  no  more.  It  was  not  the  duty  of  the  Jews  to  believe  in 
Christ  in  his  proper  character  as  the  Son  of  Cod  and  their  Ptcdecm- 
er  imtil  he  appeared  to  them  and  began  to  make  himself  known  in 
that  character.  They  had  the  promises  and  believed  them  and 
were  justified  in  so  doing  ;  but  what  tlyngs  v.-ere  containetl  in  the  pro- 
mises it  was  not  their  duty  to  know,  to  undei-stand,  or ''even  to  be- 
hove, For  eye  had  not  seen  nor  car  heard,  neither  had  they  entered 
vMo  the    heaj-t   gf  man.      And  «  The  prophets  have  enquired  a:;d 

B? 


210  OF  THE  TIMES 

"  searched  diligently,  wlio  prophesied  of  the  grace  that  should  come 
"  unto  you  :  searching  what,  and  what  manner  of  time  the  Spirit  of 
"  Christ  which  was  in  \b.en\  did  sig-niiy,  when  it  testified  before  hand 
"the  sufferings  of  Christ  and  the  glory  that  should  follov/.  Unto 
"  whom  it  was  revealed,  that  not  unto  themselves,  but  unto  its,  they 
"  did  minister  the  things  which  are  now  reported  unto  you."  ( 1  Pet. 
I.  10,  &c.)  Tr.us  they  v/ere  left  to  find  their  duty  and  their  place 
in  their  own  day.  It  v/as  not  the  duty  of  Cornelius  to  believe  in 
Christ  until 'he  had  heard  of  him;  neither  v/as  it  the  duty  of  the' 
Eunuch  to  believe  that  Jesus  Christ  v/as  the  one  of  whom  the  pro- 
phet spake  until  he  had  a  guide  to  give  Lim  an  understanding  oi 
what  he  read.  So  neither  is  it  the  duty  of  the  heathen  at  this  day 
to  believe  in  Christ  who  have  had  no  knowledge  or  information  about 
him.  Neither  is  it  the  duty  of  professed  christians  under  anti-chris- 
lian  darkness  to  believe  that  Christ  hath  made  his  second  appearance, 
until  they  hear  the  testimony  opened  far  enough  to  carry  conviction 
to  their  consciences,  if  found  honest.  Until  then  they  are  justifi- 
able in  preaching  and  praying  according  to  the  best  light  which  they 
can  find — eating  the  bread  and  drinking  the  cuj),  showing  forth  his 
death  until  he  come — looking  for  and  hastening  to  the  coming  of  the 
day  of  God.  For  according  to  any  man's  light  and  Lis  obedience 
to  it  is  his  acceptance.  For  v/ith  God  there  is  no  respect  of  persons; 
but  in  every  nation  he  that  feai'eih  him,  and  v/oi-keth  righteousness 
is  accepted  of  him,  on  the  same  principle  with  Cornelius. 

Butvbt  it  be  remembered  that  ignorance  of  the  truth,  or  not  be- 
lieving it,  will  not  justify  a  man  in  neglect,  who  shuns  the  light 
because  it  is  contrary  to  his  former  prejudice,  but  especially,  who 
avoids  the  light,  or  wards  off  the  couviction,  because  the  tilings  testi- 
fied are  contrary  to  the  feelings  and  propensities  of  his  nature.  "  The 
''  flash  lusteth  against  tlie  Spirit  and  the  Spirit  against  the-flesh,  and 
'■  these  are  contrary  the  one  to  the  other.  Because  the  carnal  mind 
"  is  enmity  against  God  for  it  is  not  subject  to  the  law  of  God  neitl}er 
«  indeed  can  be."  (Gal.  5.  17.Ro.  8.  7.)  The  gospel  thrcfcrc  is 
necessaiiiy  enmity  against  the  carnal  mind,  which  rules  in  natural 
men,  Avhatever  their  piX)fession  may  be.  And  it  is  not  to  be  expected 
but  the  gospel  will  work  in  the  people  who  hear  it  a!l  manner  of 
evil  temper  against  it ;  as  the  apostle  saith  of  that  law  which  w-as 
holy  and  just  and  good;  It  wrought  in  me  all  manner  of  concupi- 
scence: every  kind  of  lust.  Thus  the  gospel  v.  ill  stir  up  in  men, 
lusts,  murders,  evil  surrnisings,  maliciousness,  blasphemies '  against 
God,  hatred  against  men,  hypocrisies,  and  every  evil  Avork,  because 
it  Cometh  directly  against  every  such  work  and  the  nature  which 
i-^roduceth  them.  Thus  said  Jesus,  "  The  world  cannot  hate  you  :" 
(his  brethren  who  did  not  believe  and  were  therefore  of  tl;c  world  :) 
"  but  mc  it  liateth,  because  I  testify  of  iU  that  the  works  thereof 
"  arc  evil."  (John  7.  7^  And  no  matter  what  a  man's  proicssion  is  ; 
th.at  cannot  be  stirred  up  in  hini  which  is  not  iJicre.  If  therefore 
such  evil  passions,  lusts  and  blasphemies  arc  stirred  in  any  man  it 
i«  undci'iable  that  thev  have  their  home  and  residence  tiicrc.     And 


AND  SEASONS  2H 

this  is  no  e\iclence  against  the  truth  of  such  testimony,  but  rather 
in  its  favor  because  it  stiircth  up  its  enemies  in  oposition.  For  if 
it  Avere  of  the  world  the  world  would  love  its  own.  Many,  v/hcn 
they  here  the  testimony  of  Christ  in  his  se^cond  appearing,  reject 
it,  and  forge  many  pretexts  to  excuse  the;;^selves,  unwilling  to  dis- 
close the  radical  reason,  that  it  cometh  against  their  lustful  natures, 
testifying  to  them  that  the  works  thereof  are  evil,  and  the  enjcyment 
impure.  And  they  hate  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ  who  lived  a  self-de- 
nied life,  and  never  indulged  in  the  lust  of  concupiscence.  Tlius  the 
Jews  lost  their  justification,  when  the  light  appeared,  by  hatir.g 
Christ  and  the  Father.  "  If  I  had  not  come  and  spoken  to  them 
"  they  had  not  had  sin ;  but  nov/  they  have  no  cloak  for  their  sin. 
"  lie  that  hateth  me  hateth  my  Father  also.  If  I  had  not  done 
"  among  them  the  works  which  none  ether  man  did,  they  had  not  liad 
"  sin;  but  nov/  have  they  both  seen  and  hated  both  me  and  my  ,1'a- 
"ther."  (Jno.  15.  22,  24.) 

But  however  justifiable  any  are  in  m^ibelief,  th&y  are  not  saved, 
as  hath  been  shov.n  in  the  case  of  Cornelius  and  others  ;  for  there  i<i 
i>o  salvation  out  of  Christ.  "  Neither  is  there  salvation  in  any  other: 
ior  there  is  none  other  name  under  lieaven  given  among  men  where- 
by we  must  be  saved;"  (Act.  2.  12.)  and  Christ  is  jiot  knov/n  witli- 
out  the  gospel;  for,  to  preach  Christ  is  to  preach  the  go';pel,  and  to 
preach  the  gospel  io  to  preach  Christ.  Thus  the  apostle  saith  of  the 
Gentiles  before  they  heard  the  gospel,  that  they  were  without  God 
and  had  no  hope.  And  in  all  the  favorable  language  which  he  hath 
iised  towards  thcni  in  tiie  beginning  of  the  epistle  to  the  Romans,  (2. 
1  1  to  16.)  there  is  not  a  word  v/hich  can  even  imply  salvation.  "  For 
•••  there  is  no  Kcspect  of  persons  with  Gcd.  For  as  many  as  have 
'•  sinned  without  lavv  shall  also  perish  v.'ithout  lav/  ;  and  as  many  as 
*' have  sinned  in  the  law  shall  be  judged  by  the  law,"  and  therefore 
1)6  sufely  condemned,  for  cursed  is  every  one  who  continueth  not 
in  all  things  .which  arc  written  ixi  the  book  of  the  law  to  do  them, 
>'  (for  not  the  hearers  of  the  law  arc  just  before  God,  but  the  doers 
"  of  the  law  shall  be  justified.  For  when  the  Gentiles  who  have 
"  not  the  law,  do  by  nature  the  things  contaiiied  in  the  lav/,. these  Iiav- 
*'  ing  net  the  law,  are  a  law  to  themselves  ;  which  shew  the  work 
"  of  the  law  written  in  thier  hearts,  their  conscience  also  bearing  v/it- 
^'  ness,  and  their  thoughts  the  meanwhile  accusing  or  else  excusing 
"  one  another,)  in  the  day  when  God  shall  judge  the  secrets  of  men  by 
•*'  Jesus  Christ  according  to  my  gospel."  But  not  a  word  of  their 
being  saved  on  these  terms. 

Again.  Hov/ever  justifiable  any  are  in  unbelief  before  they  hear 
the  gospel,  the  entrance  of  the  gospel  into  the  land  iwid  ijeighbor- 
•liood,  consumes  all  tii'eir  justification  on  that  ground;  for  the  light 
will  work  in,  and  they  have  either  to  obey  or  strengthen  themselves 
in  their  opposition,  or  to  use  the  mildest  term,  their  disapprobation 
of  that  gospel  which  strikes  at  the  life  of  their  sensual  enjoyments 
and  appetites.  Now  they  have  no  cloak  for  their  sin.  "And  the 
"  times  of  this  ignorance  God  winked  a.t ;  but  now  comman;dc;th  all 
■'  men  every  v/hcrc  to  repent."  (Acts  !7.  20.). 


2*1:  OF  THE  TIMES 

And  aS  before  observed,  God  will  never  introduce  any  dispensatio/f 
out  of  time  or  place.  When  the  Jews,  Avho  hud  the  greatest  privi- 
leges of  any  pet  pie,  had  been  tried  to  the  utnaost  in  that  dispensation, 
nnd  were  not  saved  or  made  a  whit  better  thart  the  Gentiles;  for, 
*•' What  then?  arc  avc  better  than  they  ?  No,  in  no  wise;  for  we 
"  have  before  proved  both  Jews  and  Gentiles,  that  they  arc  all  Un- 
''^  der  sin."  (Ro.  3.  9.)  When  the  Gentiles  had  done  their  best  by 
their  wisdom  and  philosophy,  and  could  eifect  nothing  ;  when  the 
limes  were  fulfilled  according  to  the  predictions  of  the  prophets,  and 
the  people  wore  in  expectation,  after  John  had  preached  that  the 
kingdom  of  heaven  is  at  hand,  the  Christ  of  God  appeared  and 
opened  the  v.ay  of  salvation  by  the  way  of  the  cross,  to  be  preached 
to  all  people  ;  yet  quite  contrary  to  the  expectations  and  feelings  of 
all.  "  For  lifter  that,  in  the  wisdom  of  God,  the  world  by  wisdom 
"  knew  not  God,  it  pleased  God  by  the  foolishness  of  i)reaching  to 
"  save  them  that  believe.  For  the  Jews  require  a  sign,  and  the 
"  Greeks  seek  after  wisdom:  but  we  preach  Christ  crucified  to  the 
'•  Jews  a  stumbling  block  and  to  the  Greeks  foolishness  ;  but  to  those 
»'  who  are  called,  both  Jews  and  Greeks,  Christ  the  power  of  God 
*•  and  the  wisdom  of  God."  (1  Cor.  1.  21  to  24.)  And  after  the  fall- 
ing avv'ay,  to  which  Jesus  and  his  apostles  bore  witness,  had  prevailed 
in  the  earth,  in  the  power  of  anti-christian  darkness,  and  the  people 
had  Icng  looked  for  the  better  day  of  deliverance,  many  having  borne 
Avitness  that  the  time  is  at  liand,  the  true  gospel  of  Christ  is  again 
ir.ade  known  in  his  second  appearing,  tendering  salvation  to  all  who 
will  confess  and  forsake  all  sin  in  nature  arid  works,  ar.d  thus  follow 
Christ  bearing  Lis  cross  in  the  faith  of  his  second  appearing.  This 
second  ajipcaring  is  without  sin  to  salvation,  to  those  wl^o  look  for 
him,  and  are  willing  to  have  him  and  his  salvation  on  any  terms  which 
are  safe  and  effectual :  all  these  can  see  hin>.  But  others  can  n<j 
m<,'ic  see  him,  than  tlie  Jews  could  see  Christ  in  the  man  Jesus,  who, 
ihcy  said,  had  a  devil,  or  than  the  disciples,  while  yet  carnal,  could 
sec  tlw  Father  ia  the  Son.  And  this  gospel  of  Christ's  second  ap- 
peai-jiig,  is  so  contrary  to  the  nature  and  carnal  fceiings  of  men,  as 
well  as  their  expectations,  who  arc  of  the  earth  and  savor  the  things 
of  the  earth,  that  it  is  inferior,  if  possible,  to  the  foolishness  of  God, 
and  its  followers  meaner  than  the  filth  of  the  world  and  the  offscour- 
ing  of  all  things.  But  they  seek  that  honor  which  cometh  from 
God  only. 

Nov/  while  God  is  thus  attending  to  the  great  work  of  redempti- 
on, it  is  not  contrary  to  his  wisdoBi,  nor  to  the  equity  and  love  in 
which  he  so  much  aboundcth  to  his  creatures,  to  call  them  by  many 
providential  movements,  from  one  country  to  another,  or  from  one 
conditon  of  life  to  another,  whei-etliey  will  be  more  likely  to  receive 
the  gospel,  and  suliserve  the  great  end,  knowiiig  at  what  period  it 
will  be  proper  to  introduce  the  gospel  into  certain  places.  "  For  he 
"  hath  made  of  one  blood  all  nations  of  men  for  to  dwell  on  the  face 
"  of  tiiC  v/hoie  earth,  and  hath  determined  the  times  ar,d  seasons  be- 
"  fore  appointed,  and  the   bounds  of   their  habitation ;  that  they 


AND  SEASONS.  213 

«  should  seek  the  I-ord,  if  haply  they  might  feel  after  liim  and 
«  find  him."  (Act.  17.  26,  27.)  This  then  is  the  purpose  of  Cod  in 
all  his  providential  movements,  that  men  may  be  brought  to  seek 
after  God  and  find  him  to  their  salvation.  And  when  the  gospel  is 
sent  to  any  country  or  people,  they  who  are  obedient  Vi^ill  be  blessed 
and  will  prosper,  but  the  disobedient  v/ill  fall  under  the  curse  and  be 
destroyed,  for  God  will  dispose  of  the  people  according  to  their  do- 
ings, as  freely  as  the  potter  doth  his  clay,  forming  of  it  such  a  ves- 
sel as  it  is  fit  to  make.  "  Then  I  went  down  to  the  potter's  house  ; 
♦'  and,  behold,  he  wrought  a  work  on  the  wheels.  And  the  vessel 
*'  that  he  made  of  clay  was  marred  in  the  hand  of  the  potter  ;  so  l^e 
"  made  it  again  another  vessel,  as  seemed  good  to  the  potter  to  make 
"  it.  Then  the  word  of  the  Lord  came  to  me,  saying,  O  house  of 
"  Israel,  cannot  I  do  with  you  as  this  potter?  saith  the  Loud.  Be- 
"  hold,  as  the  clay  is  in  the  potter's  hand,  so  arc  ye  in  mine  hand, 
"  O  house  of  Israel.  At  what  instant  I  shall  speak  concerning  a  nu- 
"  tion,  and  concerning  a  kingdom,  to  pluck  up  and  to  pull  dov/n, 
"  and  to  destroy  it :  if  that  nation,  against  whom  I  have  pronounced, 
"  turn,  from  their  evil,  I  will  repent  of  the  evil  that  I  thought  to  do 
"  unto  them.  And  at  what  instant  I  shall  speak  concerning  a  nation, 
"  and  concerning  a  kingdom,  to  build  and  to  plant  it :  if  it  do  cvJ4  iii 
"  my  sight,  that  it  obey  not  my  voice,  then  I  will  repent  of  the 
"  good  wherewith  I  said  I  would  benefit  them."  (Jer.  18.  3  to  10)  i 
I  have  heard  it  argued  that  the  man  \^io  was  hired  into  the  vineyard 
at  the  eleventh  hour,  received  equal  wages  with  those  who  entered 
in  the  morning,  and  it  seems  to  be  used  as  a  pica  tliat  any  time  will 
do  to  ei)ter  into  the  work  of  Christ.  And  it  is  no  doubt  a  pleasing 
cloak  to  those  who  hate  to  serve  Gud  in  the  Spirit,  or  to  follow  Christ 
bearing  his  cross  and  his  reproach,  and  are  glad  of  a  pretext  to  kccj) 
out  of  the  narrow  way,  as  long  asthey  divre.  But  it  is  a  wretched 
and  horrible  deception,  like  the  rest  of  the  devil's  fabrications,  Vv'ho 
is  subtle  enough  to  appeal  to  the  scriptures  Avith  great  dexterity. 
And  v,ho  is  so  blind,  unless  v/ilfully  so,  as  not  to  see  in  a  moment, 
that  the  account  m.inisters  no  kind  of  pretext  for  any  delay  in  those 
who  hear  the  gospel  ?  or  any  ground  of  hope,  that  matters  will. even- 
tuate as  favorably  with  those  who  delay  as  with  those  who  enter  in  at 
the  first  call  ?  So  did  they  who  went  in  at  the  eleventh  hour ;  they 
made  no  delay,  but  went  in  immediately.  Had  they  been  invited  iw 
the  morning  early,  and  stayed  away  until  then,  the  event  v/culd  not 
have  been  so  favorable  as  it  was.  And  to  what  doth  this  parable  re- 
late ?  to  the  people  entering  into  heaven,  or  final  glorification?  Can 
any  one  suppose  that  they  who  are  finally  redeemed  in  the  evening 
of  the  day  of  redemption,  v/iil  feel  or  make  any  miirmurmgs  against 
their  Lord  and  Master,  for  making  others  as  happy  as  they  ?  Never. 
This  is  a  crooked  serpent,  found  in  some  of  those  who  have  gained 
but  little  if  any  thing  in  the  work  of  the  gospel,  ailft  envieth  that 
others  should  participate  in  the  same  blessings  equally  with  them, 
especially  those  who  are  called  in  much  later  than  themselves  :  they 
ai'c  high-raindcd  and  love  the  pre-eaunence.      But  the  good-man  of 


3t^  Oi.''    i'ilE    'iiMr.^ 

llie  bouse  will  give  the  last,  who  come  in  at  his  call,  an  equal  privi- 
lege with  the  Mrst.  But  Avcc  to  them  that  neglect  the  cai'^  to  wait 
for  another  time  :  they  shall  be  iound  in  the  company  of  the  foolish 
virgins  v.ho neglected  to  provide  oil  in  their  vessels  until  the  l>our 
had  pac'sec!. 

The  j^.atural  conclusion  therefore  of  ail  these  things  is,  that  v/her- 
eve-?  the  gospel  is  opened  in  sny  land,  and  the  people  hear  and  receive 
fiich,  it  is  the  immediate  duty  of  each  one  to  repair  to  the  standard 
and  put  his  faith  into  practice  by  obedience,  for  the  time  is  come, 
like  Paul,  who  when  he  first  believed,  immediately  'conferred  not 
with  flesh  and  blood.  For  hov/ever  true,  that  God  hath  kept  in  his 
cwn  power  the  times  and  the  seasons  for  the  opening  of  the  gospel, 
he  hath  laid  no  injunction,  given  no  liberty,  nor  left  the  least  ground 
of  ejicc'urag-ement  to  make  any  delay  after  believing ;  after  hearing 
the  gospel  and  feeling  any  conviction  or  apprehension  of  its  truth,  but 
01  the  contrary,  "  To-daij  if  yc  will  hear  his  voice  harden  not  your 
hearts."  "  For  he  will  finish  the  Avork  and  cut  it  short  in  righteous- 
'■•ness:  because  a  short  \7ork  will  the.  Lord  make  upon  the  earth." 
All  they  who  believe  in  the  heart,  as  Paul  hath  expi'essed  it,  or  with 
alt  the  fniTLTi,  as  Philip  said  to  the  eunuch;  that  is,  they  whose  faith 
worketh  by  love  and  is  accompanied  with  the  detej-mination  of  the 
heavt  to  the  gospel  when  believed,  will  not  delay.  He  that  in  an  honest 
and  c;acd  heart  hearcth  the  word  "of  the  kingdom  brmgeth  forth  fruit. 
The  work  of  Ciirist  is  to  brihg  in  everlasting 'righteousness  and  to 
make  an  end  of  sin.  And  in  doing  this  he  will  make  havoc  with  the 
V.  icl'icdness  of  the  v/crld ;  and  Avith  the  vricked  v/ho  will  not  forsake 
their  sins.  "  According  to  their  deeds  accordingly  he  will  repay." 
Tijc  Hebrew  text  is  emohatical  and  very  strong;  ['?;.'D  iniS::!:  Sj;3 
rCDV7'si'''l  "  Rcconipensing^  according  to  ivorks  according  to  Kvorks  he 
"  'u}i!l  refiaij  ;  fury  to  h.is  adversaries,  recompense  to  Lis  enmies;  to 
*«  tlie  islands  [or  nationsl  he  will  repay  recompense."  Every  man 
tberefcre  may  e::pect  to  receive  in  full  proportion  according  to  his» 
Vrci'k-s. 

How  long  will  men  weary  the  patience  of  God;  It  would  seem 
as  thoiigh  some  encourage  themselves  in  sin,  because  the  Judgments 
cf  Gcd  have  been  so  long  announced  agahist  sin,  and  yet  they  are  not 
cut  off.  But  cannot  the  iir.godly  consider,  that  tiiese  judgments  have 
been  executed  on  the  muititvulcs  of  the  disobedient  from  age  to  age, 
who  have  felt  the  w-eight  of  tl'.eir  iniquities  and  sunk  under  the  curse, 
?.nd  that  they  also  will  soon  experience  the  same  destruction,  wit-iout 
a  prompt  repentance.  But  seme  see  others  in  the  same  ungcdi)-  and 
i.idifi'erent  situation  \*ith  tljemselves,  and  yc^t  net  cut  oft',  and  why 
should  they  fear?  "  Because  sentence  against  an  evil  Avcii:  is  not 
•  '  CKecutcd  Epcdily,  thcrefb.re  ti:e  heart  of  the  sons  of  men,  is  fully 
"  set  in  them  to  do  evil."  (Eccl.  8.  11.)  Thus  men  may  lock  one  cu 
aiiothcf,  and  A'^.it  to  sec  what  wiPi  becomx  of  each  other  until  both 
are  ruined,  as  many  are  dafcvg  at  this  day.  Biit  the  wise  v.'ill  remen;.- " 
■T)cr,  and  the  discbedier-t  muGt  know,  that  «  lie  that  being  often  vc 
<■'•  proved,  Lardeneth  his  neck,  si-all  suddenly  be  destroyed  and  th^i'. 


AND  SEASONS 

"  Nvlthoxit  remedy.''  '■'■  What  if  Cod,  v.illing  to  sbev/  his  wvzJdi  and 
«*  make  his  power  known,  endured  with,  niuch  long-sufierii-g  the 
"  vessels  of  wratii  fitted  to  destruction."  It  appeals  as  tho.a"gh  In?.- 
wy  conclude  accoi'ding  to  the  proveil),  IVhilc  there  i-i  life  there  h 
ho/ie^  that  as  long  as  life  lasts  they  may  at  any  time  become  obedient 
and  be  saved  ;  and  thus  they  get  some  case.  But  tliese  t\rc  blinded, 
snared  and  taken  by  the  enemy.  These  caii^be  no  better  tlian  wilful 
sinners,  wilfully  and  v/antonly  provoking  God.  A.nd  what  saith  the 
scripture  ?  "  If  we  sin  M'ilfully  after  that  wc  have  received  the  know- 
<'  ledge  of  the  truth,  there  reniaineth  no  more  sacrifice  for  sins,  but  a 
"  certain  fearful  expectation  of  judgment  and  fiery  indignation  whiclix 
'•'  shall  devour  the  adversary."  It  is  then  evident  that  people  may,  by 
sinning  against  light,  shut  the  door  of  heaven  against  themselves,  while 
tn.ey  have  yet  years  to  live,  and  lieap  up  wrath  against  the  day  of 
wrath.  Behold,  now  is  the  accepted  time,  behold,  now  is  tlie  day  of 
salvation.     To-day^  if  ye  will  iicarliis  voice  harden  not  your  hearts. 

And  for  the  same  reasons,  it  is  the  duty,  the  bidispensable  duty  of 
all  tliose  who  hear  the  gospel  testimony,  to  cjien  their  ears  with  free- 
dom and  without  prejudice,  while  its  ministers  reason  with  vhcra  :  to 
be  like  the  noble  Bereans,  who  searched  the  scriptures  daily  to  sec 
whether  these  things  w^ere  so.  The  leading  cause  of  unbelief,  aa 
before  shown,  is  an  unwillingness  to  receive  salvation  by  the  way  cf 
the  cross — an  umvillingi^css  thjit  this  should  be  the  true  gojipcl — aa 
unwillmgness  that  the  spirit  should  be  saved  at  the  expense  uf  the  lifo 
and  very  existence  of  the  flesh,  or  carnal  mind — an  unwillingness  tu 
forego  the  present  sensual  fleshly  enjoyments  and  pursuits,  to  obtain 
future  blessedness  and  glory  in  the  spirit,  as  welj  as  present  peace 
with  G;)d.  People  v/ould  rather  salvation  could  be  l.ad  some  othci' 
way.  But  God  is  most  wuse;  gracious,  and  not  cruel.  He  mahclh 
the  way  as  strait  and  narrow  as  it  ought  to  be,  and  no  narrov/er.  Let 
the  people  consider  these  things,  and  feel  into  their  cwn  consciences; 
v/hether  the  oposition  in  their  own  breasts  be  not  that  which  renders 
the  gospel  of  Christ's  second  appearing,  dark  and  objectionable, 
more  than  any  lack  of  evidence  or  conviction. 

This  is  the  will  of  the  Father,  that  whosoever  scctli  the  Son  and 
beiieveth  on  him,  may  have  everlasting  life.  If  it  be  not  the  will 
of  God,  or  if  he  doth  not  require,  that  they  who  have  never  heard 
the  gospel  should  believe,  luitii  the  gospel  is  sent  to  them,  it  is  the 
will  of  God  that  they  who  hear  and  beiieve  should  oh.ey  v.ilho\;t 
farther  neglect.  T  herefore,  "  Sow  to  yourselves  in  righteousness  : 
"  reap  in  mercy,  break  up  your  falio'.v  ground ;  for  it  is  time  to  seek 
"the  Lord  till  he  come  and  rain  righteousness  upon  you."  (Kos.  10, 
♦'  i?,     "  Blessed  are  thcv  who  hear  the  word  of  God  and  l:ccr>  it." 


THE 

MANIFESTO. 

PART  II. 

TtiE  ORDER  AND  POWER  of  the  CHURCH  of  CHRIST; 

Including-  certain  marks  and  evidences  vohercoy  it  may 

be  KNOWS  and  DISTINGUISHED  frojit  an  others. 

CHAPTER  I. 

^he  apfiointed  and  correct  Order  of  God  for  the  Covfession  aiid 
Forgivcnes-?  of  Sins. 

It  will  readily  be  gvanted  that  it  is  just  and  proper  to  confess  oru" 
Bins  to  God,  against  whom  all  have  sinned,  and  who  is  Judge  of  all. 
And  none  who  correctly  believe  the  scriptures  will  deny,  that  confes- 
sion is  necessary  to  obtain  Clod's  forgiveness.  For,  "  He  that  covcr- 
*'  eth  his  sms  shall  not  prosper;  but  whoso  confesseth  them  shall  fiiid 
"mercy."  And,  "  If  we  confess  our  sins  he  is  faithful  and  just  to 
<'  forgive  us  our  sins."  But  if  we  confess  to  God  we  must  have 
access  to  him  ;  and  that  access  must  be  in  a  way  of  his  ov/n  laying 
out,  as  we  shall  prove. 

Some  imagine  that  God  may  be  found  in  any  place  and  cvcrv 
"whe!*e,  because  he  fills  immensity.  And  it  is  true  God  may  be  four.d 
in  all  places  and  in  all  things,  but  not  to  the  same  purpose  and  efi'cct. 
Thus  God  is  seen  in  the  siin,  the  moon,  the  air  and  the  water.  But 
the  sun  doth  not  shine  by  night,  nor  the  moo'i  by  day  ;  the  fowls  can- 
not fly  in  the  water  nor  the  fish  swim  in  the  air ;  the  air  doth  not 
supply  men  with  drink,  nor  the  water  with  breath;  every  thing  hatli 
its  own  time,  order  and  place,  in  which  it  is  acceptable  v/ith  God  and 
profitable  to  men.  And  God  is  no  less  orderly  in  things  of  a  Spiiit- 
iial  nature,  than  in  those  of  a  more  temporal ;  as  saith  the  apostle  ; 
"  There  are  dift'crenccs  of  administratior.s,  but  the  sime  Lord,  and 
<■'  there  are  diversities  of  operations  but  it  is  the  same  God  who  v/ork- 
<'  eth  all  in  all." 

Among  other  requisitions  of  God  from  fallen  man,  the  confession 
of  sins  hath  its  proper  place  and  order  ;  and  in  that  order  alone  God 
is  accessible  to  hear  and  forgive.  This  is  manifest  from  both  the 
law  and  the  gospel.  Fov  the  law,  though  an  outward  dispensation, 
KUd  did  not  save  from  sin.  or  cleanse  the  people  ai  pcrtairing  to  the 

F.  2 


rjis  THE  CONFESSION 

conscience,  was  a  just  and  correct  shadow,  and  pattern  of- the  saving 
work  of  Christ  in  the  gospel.  "  The  Holy  Ghost  this  signifying,  that 
"  the  way  into  the  h^oiiest  of  all  was  not  yet  made  raanifest,  while  as 
"  the  first  tabernacle  was  yet  stanchng  :  w  hich  was  a  figure  for  the  time 
"  then  present,  in  which  were  offered  both  t;ifts  and  sacrifices,  that 
"  could  not  make  hhri  that  did  the  service  perfect,  as  pertaining  to 
"  the  conscience  ;  which  stood  only  in  meats  and  drinks  and  divere 
"  vrashings,  and  carnal  ordinanses  [or  Justifications  of  the  flesh]  im- 
''  posed  on  them  until  the  times  of  reformation.  But  Christ,  being 
"  come,  aji  high  priest  of  good  things  to  come,  by  a  greater,  and, 
"  more  perfect  tabernacle,  not  made  with  hands,  that  is  to  say  not 
"of  this  building,  neither  by  the  blood  of  goats  and  calves,  but  by  fiis 
"  own  blood,  he  entered  in  once  into  the  holy  place,  haA  ing  obtained 
"  [Greek,  haxing-  founds  being  the  first  who  ever  did,]  eternal  re- 
"  demption."  (Heb.  9.  and  1.  10  Sec.)  The  law  of  Moses  then, 
being  a  pattern  of  the  gospel,  we  v/ill  take  a  view  of  the  order  of 
confessing  sins  under  that  dispensation  ;  by  which  it  will  appear, 
ti-at  God  had  but  one  medium  in  ail  the  earth,  and  that  in  only  one 
|)lace  appointed  for  that  purpoi;e,  through  which  he  was  accessible 
foi"  the  confession  of  sins  and  obtaining  forgiveness. 

Ai'ter  the  departure  of  the  children  of  Israel  from  Egypt,  the 
LoHD  commanded  Moses  to  build  a  tabernacle  and  to  put  therein 
llie  ark  of  the  covenant,  the  mercy-seat  and  other  implements"  of 
service,,  and  to  build  an  altar  for  burnt  offerings,  and  sacrifices  for 
sijis,  and  for  clear^sing  the  unclean.  That  tabemacie  was  called  the 
tabernacle  of  the  congregation.  And  that  congregation  was  the 
first  church  which  God  ever  had  on  eaith,  formed,  and  constituted  in 
order;  so  that  these  institutions  were  the  beginning,  or  first  principles 
of  order  among  the  people  of  God.  To  the  door  of  that  tabernacle 
God  commanded  them  to  bring  all  their  sacrifices  and  sin  offeiings, 
that  they  might  be  offered  on  the  altar.  And  when  they  sinned  by 
breaking  any  of  the  commandments  of  Go^d,  if  they  made  their  offer- 
iags  in  the  appointed  place  and  according  to  the  law,  there  was  an 
titonement  made,  and  their  sin  was  forgiven.  And  that  there  was  no 
other  place  en  earth  in  which  they  could  be  accepted  in  these  thiiigs, 
appears  evident  from  the  foUowhig  scriptures.  "  Whatman  soever 
'^  titer e.  be  of  the  house,  of  Israel,  that  killeth  an  ox,  or  lamb,  or  goat 
"  in  the  camp,  or  that  killeth  it  out  of  the  camp,  and  bringeth  it 
<•  not  unto  the  door  of  the  tabernacle  of  the  congregation,  to  offer  an 
"offering  unto  the  Lord  before  the  iabeniacle  of  the  Loud;  blood 
"  shall  be  imputed  luito  that  man  ;  he  hath  slied  blood  ;  and  that 
''  n^an  shall  be  cut  off  from  among  the  people :  to  the  end  that  the 
*'  children  of  Israel  may  bring  their  sacrifices  which  they  offer  in  the 
"  open  field,  even  that  they  may  bring  them  to  the  Lord,  to  the  door 
"  of  the  tabernacle  of  the  congregation,  to  the  priest  and  offer  them 
*'  for  peace  offerings  before  the  Loun.  And  they  shall  no  more  of- 
"  fer  their  sacrifices  to  diBvils,  after  whom  they  have  gone  a  whoring. 
«  This  shall  be  a  statute  for  ever  to  them,  throughout  tht'ir  genera- 
«  tions.    And  thou  shalt  bay  unto  them,  Whatsoever  man  there  be- 


OF  SINS.  219 

^'  of  the  hotse  of  Israel  or  ef  the  strangers  who  sojonra  among  yon, 

i"  that  offercth  a  burnt  offering  or  a  sacrifice,  and  bringetli  it  not  to 

■'•'  the  door  of  the  tabernacle  of  the,  congregation,  to  offer  it   to  tha 

■"  LoRo,  even  that  man  shall  be  cut  ofit"  from  among-  his   people." 

(Levit.  17.3,  Sec.)     And  again,  "  These  are  the   statutes  and  judg- 

"  ments  which  ye  shall  observe  to  do  in  the   land  v/hich  the   Lord 

"  God  of  thy  fathei^  giveth  thee  to  possess  it,  all   the  days  tl:at  ye 

"  lire  \ipon  the  earth.     Ye  shall  utterly  destroy  all  the  places  where- 

"  io  tlse  nations  which  ye  shall  possess   served  their  Gods,  upon  the 

"  high  mountains,  and  upon  the  hills  and  under  every  green  tree.     Ye 

"  shall  not  do  so  to  the  Lord  your  God.     But  to   the    place   which 

"  the  Lord  your  God  shall  choose  out  of  all  your  tribes  to  put  his 

"  name  there,  even  to  his  habitation    sht.II  ye  seek,  and  thither  thou 

"shaltcome:  and  thither   ye  shall  >bring   your  burnt-offerings,  and 

"your  sacrifices,  and  your  tithes,  and  yor.r  lieave-oficrings  of  voru- 

*'  hand,  and  your  vows,  and  your  frce-wiil-offcrings.     Ye   shall   not 

<*'do  after  all  the  things  that  ye  do  here  this  day,  every  man  wiiatEo- 

"  ever  is  right  in  his  own  eyes.     Take  head  to  thyself,  that  thou  o'fer 

"  not  thy  burnt-oHerings  in  every  place  that  thou  seest :  but  in  the 

"  place  v/hicli  the  Lord  shall  choose  in  one  of  thy  tribes,  there  thou 

"  shalt  offer  thy  burnt-offerings,  and  there  thou   shalt  do  all    that   i 

■*'  command   thee."(Deut.    12,  1,  izc.)     Thus  w^e  see  that  God  had 

one  appointed  place  in  which  alone  the  people  could  find  access   to 

him  in  offering  their  sacrifices,  and  performing  the  service  which  he 

required.     And  the  same  order  v/as  continued  in  the  temple   which 

superseded  the  tabernacle  in  the  days  of  Solomon,  as  is  manifest  from. 

his  own  Avords,  "  But  v^'ill  God  indeed  dwell  on  the   earth:  Behold, 

•"  the  heaven,  and  the  heaven  of  heavens  cannot   contain  thee  ;  how 

^'  much  less  this  house  tliat  I  have  buildcd  r  Yet  have   thou  respect 

"  to  the  prayer  of  thy  servant,  and  to  his  supplication,  O   Lord   my 

-*' God,  to  hearken  to  the  cry  and  to  the  prayer  which   thy   servan*<r 

-*'  prayeth  before  thee  to  day : .  that  thine  eyes  may  be  open  towards 

"  this  house  niglit  and  day,   even  towards  the  place  of  which  thou 

''  hast  said  :  My  name  shall  be  theie,  that  thou  mayest  hearken  to 

''  the  prayer  v/hich  thy  servant  shall  make  tov-^ards   this  place." 

(I  Kings 8.  27.  Sec.) 

When  the  children  of  Israel  came  to  the  door  of  tjie  tabernacle, 
where  the  whole  congregation  might  come,  they  could  not  even 
there  have  immediate  access  to  God.  They  could  neither  confess 
their  sins  nor  offer  their  sin-offerings,  nor  perfoiTn  any  other  part  of 
their  service,  immediately  to  him  ;  but  all  these  things  were  done 
through  the  priests,  who  were  a  medium  ordained  of  God  for  tliat 
purpose.  Accordingly,  if  any  man  .offered  an  offering  to  God,  he 
must  bring  it  to  the  priest,  and  if  he  v/ould  confess  his  bin  to  God, 
he  mi'st  tell  it  to  the  priest.  And  that  this  was  the  correct  and  tru* 
-order  cf  God,  hy  which  he  communicated  his  v/iil  to  the  people 
and  was  accessible  by  them,  is  fairly  and  conclusively  proved  by  the 
instructions  given  to  Moses  on  that  subject.  First,  God  saith  to 
Moses  conccming  Aaron,  "  And  he  shall  be  thy  spoke::mr»n,  [^u  the 


229  THE  CONFESSION 

*' Ilclv.'cw,  for  a  mouth,]  to  llie  people  :  and  he  shall  be,  even  he 
"  shall  he  to  thee  instead  of  a  mouth,  and  thou  shalt  be  to  him  in- 
"  stead  of  God."  x\nd  again,  "  See,  I  have  made  thee  God  toPha- 
"  raoh,  and  Aaron  thy  brother  shall  be  thy  prophet."  (Exo.  4.  16. 
and  7.  I.)  This  is  the  exact  purport  of  the  Hebrew  text.  Moses 
v.as  not  made  a  god  distinct  from  the  one  true  God,  but  was  made  to 
]jc  (iod  to  Pharaoh  ;  he  stood  as  God,  and  was  as  it  were  the  exhi- 
bition of  God,  to  Pharaoh,  to  show  him  God's  will,  and  to  execute 
his  judi^mcnts.  And  Jaro77  thy  brother  shall  be  thy  firofihct.  God 
must  have  a  prophet.  When  Jehovah  made  Moses  God  to  Pha- 
raoh, and  when  he  made  him  God  to  the  children  of  Israel  his  bre- 
thren, Aaron;  \vas  in  both  cases  his  prophet,  or  spokesman,  for  with- 
out prophet  and  priest  there  is  no  communication  from  God,  and  no 
access  to  him.  Thus  Aaron  v/as  ordained  the  God,  or  the  mouth  of 
God  to  the  people  of  Israel  as  well  as  to  Pharaoh  and  his  subjects. 

The  same  Aaron  and  his  sons  were  afterwards  consecrated  a  con- 
tinual priesthood  before  God,  to  stand  between  God  and  the  people, 
to  minister  to  the  Loud  from  tlieir  hands,  and  to  enquire  of  God  for 
them  and  to  make  atonement.  For  thus  tire  Lord  commanded  Mo- 
ses ;  "  Take  unto  thee  Aaron  thy  brother,  and  his  sons  with  him, 
"  from  amone;  the  children  of  Israel,  that  they  may  minister  to  me 
*'  in  the  priest's  ofiice,  even  Aaron,  Nadab  and  Abihu,  Eleazar  and 
'*  Itliamar,  Aaron's  sons.  And  thou  shalt  make  holy  garments  fof 
"  Aaren  thy  brother,  for  glory  and  for  beauty.  And  thou  shalt  put 
"  Ihcm  upon  Aaron  thy  brother,  and  his  sons  with  him  ;  and  shalt 
'•  .inoint  them,ai-!d  consecrate  them,  andsanctiiy  them,  tljatthcy  may 
'"•  miijster  to  me  in  the  priest's  oflice."  And  again  ;  "  And  thou 
'^  shalt  put  upon  Aaron  the  holy  gai-mcnts,  and  anoint  him,  and  sanc- 
^'  tify  him  ;  that  he  may  minister  to  me  in  the  priest's  ciKce.  And 
*'  tliou  shalt  bring  his  sons  and  clothe  them  with  coats.  And  tliou 
'>  shalt  anoint  them  as  tl\ou  didst  anoint  their  Father,  that  they  may 
•-■  minister  to  me  in  the  priest's  ofiice  :.  for  their  anointing  shall  surc- 
'•  ly  be  an  everlasting  priesthood  throughout  their  generations." 
"  And  Aaron  shall  bear  the  names  of  the  children  of  Israel  in 
"  the  breastplate  of  judgment  upon  his  heart,  when  he  goeth  in 
"  unto  the  holy  place,  for  a  memorial  before  the  I^obd  continually, 
"  And  thou  shalt  put  in  the  breastplate  of  judgment  the  Urim  and  tlics 
"  Thummim  ;  and  they  shall  be  upon  Aaron's  heart  wlien  he  goetli 
"  in  before  the  LoKD  ;  and  Aaron  shall  bear  the  judgm.ent  of  th«\ 
"  children  of  Israel  upon  his  heart  before  the  Lord  coniinually.'* 
"  And  thou  shalt  make  a  plate  of  pui'c  gold,  and  grave  upon  it,  like 
«  the  engraving  of  a  signet.  Holiness  to  the  Lord.  And  thcu 
*<  shalt  put  it  on  a  blue  lace,  that  it  may  be  upon  the  mitre  :  upon  tho 
''  fore-front  of  the  mitre  it  shall  be.  Aixl  it  shall  be  upon  Aai'oii'& 
"  foi'ehead,  that  Aaron  may  bear  the  iniquity  cf  tlie  holy  things, 
''  v.'hich  the  children  of  Israel  shall  hallcv/in  all  their  holy  gifts:  and 
"  it  shall  be  always  upon  Ws  fcrehead,  that  they  may  be  accepted  bct 
"  fore  the  Lord."  (Exod.  28.  l,&c.  and  40.'ir>,  &c.)  Thus  Aaron 
and  hissfxns  were  consecrated  a  continual  priesthood,  and  their  duty 
and  burden  clearly  dc'lincated. 


OF  SINS.  ^  22  i 

To  this  pi'iestliood  the  Israelites  were  comiinrindcd  to  Ijririi;  all  their 
offerings  for  sin,  and  all  other  gifts  which  they  presented  to  God ;  and 
the  priests  ■were  commanded  to  receive  and  oiTer  tlicm,  and  to  make 
atonement.  For  thiis  it  is  written;  "  And  he  (who  hath  trespassed) 
*'  shall  bring  his  trespass -offering  unto  the  Lokd^  a  ram  Vi  ithoi.t  ble:n- 
'•  isii  out  of  the  flock,  Avith  thy  estimation,  for  a  trespass-offering  tinto 
"  the  Jiricst.  And  the  priest  shall  make  au  atonement  for  l)im  before 
*•  the  Loud  ;  and  it  shall  be  forgiven  hivn,  for  any  thing  of  aii  that  he 
"  hath  done,  in  trespassing  therein."  It  is  however  to  be  remember- 
ed that  in  the  case  of  irespassin.g  against  men  a  restoration  was  to  be 
i)iade  to  the  owner  of  tl\e  article,  of  the  principal  Avith  one  fifth  part 
in  addition.  Birt  it  is  written  farther ;  "  And  when  any  will  offer  a 
''meat-offering  unto  the  Loiia,  his  ofTcring  shall  be  of  fine  flour; 
'•  and  he  shall  povir  oil  upon  it,  and  put  frankincense  tiiereon.  Ai-d 
"  he  shall  bring  it  to  Aaron's  sons,  the  priests."  Once  more.  "  And 
*'  if  a  soul  sin,  and  commit  any  of  these  things  which  are  forbidden  ta 
"  be  done  by  the  commandments  of  the  Loud  ;  though  he  wist  it  not, 
"  yet  is  he  guihy  ;  and  shall  bear  his  iniquity.  And  he  shall  briiig  u 
"  ram.  without  blemish  oat  cSf  the  flock,  Avith  thy  estimation,  for  a 
'•trespass-offering,  wito  the  priest :  and  the  priest  shall  make  an 
'•  atonement  for  him  concerning  his  ignorance  v.^hereia  he  erred,  and 
"  wist  it  not;  and  it  shall  be  forgiven  him.  It  is  a  trespass-offering; 
"  he  hath  certainly  trespassed  against  the  JLordV  and  yet  we  see, 
his  offering  was  brought  to  the  priest.  These  things,  together  witli 
many  in  the  beginning  of  the  bock  of  Leviticus  conirrm  the  fact,  tr.at 
all  their  gifts,  as  their  meat-offerings,  peace  offerings  and  sin-offer- 
i.igs,  were  to  be  pi  evented  to  the  priests.  And  out  of  this  lino  of  order 
no  acceptable  offerings  could  be  made  to  God,  nor  any  forgi\'cnes5 
obtained  as  already  proved.  For  whether  the  whole  congregation 
had  sinned,  or  an  individual,  whether  a  ruler  or  one  of  the  common 
people ;  and  whether  a  sin  of  ignorance  brought  to  knov/ledge,  or 
"whatever  was  the  sin,  or  of  whatever  nature  in  the  reach  of  pardon ; 
hi  a  word,  whether  one  only  had  sinned  or  all ;  it  was  expressly  com- 
manded, that  they  should  bring  their  offerings  to  the  door  of  the  ta- 
bernacle of  the  congregation,  to  the  priest,' and  the  priest  should  offer 
them  before  the  Lord,  upon  the  altar,  and  make  an  atonement  for 
them.  Not  the  Lord  shall  make  an  utoneri>cnt,  but  the  priest,  who 
ministered  at  the  time,  he  shall  make  an  atonemer.t;  he  shall  bring 
about  a  reconciliation.  Now  t!ie  high  priest  bore  tiie  sins  and  ti^.e 
judgment  of  the  people  and  of  their  offerings  which  they  brought  to 
the  ministering  priests. 

But  not  only  were  they  required  to  bring  their  offerings  to  tl;e 
priests,  whicli  they  offered  to  God,  but  also  in  the  same  order  and  by 
the  same  medium  to  confess  to  God  the  sins  which  they  had  commit- 
led  against  him.  This  was  the  exclusive  order  under  the  law,  where- 
by to  obtain  forgiveness.  The  confession  had  to  be  made  before  the 
offering  was  presented,  or  as  it  was  first  presenting  to  the  iDriest ;  as 
it  is  v/rittcn  concerning  the  trespass-offering ;  "  And  it  shall  be,  when 
^^  he  shall  be  guiify  in  one  of  thcrjc  things,  that  he  shall  confess  that  he 


-222  THE  CONFESSION 

*'  hath  sinned  /??  that  thing.  And  he  shall  biiiig  hb  trespass-ofTerin^ 
"  inito  the  Loud,  for  his  sin  winch  he  hatii  siiined,  a  female  irom  the 
»  "  flock,  a  iamb  or  a  kid  of  the  goats,  for  a  sin-offering-:  and  the  priest 
*'  shall  make  an  atonement  for  him  concerning  his  sin."  Now  that 
t!i.e  confession  was  to  be  made  to  the  priest,  or  to  God  in  him  is  made 
evident  thus.  The  priest  Avas  the  minister  of  God,  the  only  Media- 
tor, [crT'iPD  the  Messiah,  or  Christ  of  that  day,]  throvigh  whom  the 
people  had  access  to  .God,  as  proved.  The  conclusion  therefore  is 
rational  and  just  that  the  confession  was  made  to  the  priest. 

But  faither.     Inasmuch  as  the  priest's  office  was  to  receive  the  sa- 
crifice and  make  the  atonement  for,  or  to  cover  the  particular  sin  for 
which  the  cft'ering-  was  made,  an  irresistible  necessity  existed  that  he 
should  be  miadc  acquainted  Avith  the  sin  and  all  tlie  criminal  circum- 
etancca  which  attended  it.     The  ritual  also  was  different  in  the  atone- 
ment for  one  sin  from  that  of  another ;  which  adds  to  the  evidence, 
that  the  confession  of  every  sin  v/as  to  be  n>ade  particularly  to  the 
priest,  that  he  might  know  Avith  cleanicss  and  certainty  for  what-  sin 
he  had  to  atone  and  therefore  what  ritual  he  had  to  perform.    Accord- 
ingly it  Avas  commanded^  that  "  When  a  man  or  Avoman  shall  commit 
<'  any  sin  that  men  commit,  to  do  a  trespass  against  the  Lord,  and  that 
*'  person  be  guilty,  then  they  shfdl  confess  their  sin,  Avhich  they  have 
"done."  (Num.  5.  6^  7.)  ,  And  again;     "He  shall  confess  that  he 
*'  hath  sinned  in  that  thing."  Every  sin  thercfoi'e  which  men  commit- 
ted in  that  day,  had  to  be  exposed  to  the  priest,  God's  minister  and 
witness,  bcfcre  there  could  be  any  forgiveness  or  atonement.     Even 
in  cases  Avherc  no  actual  sin  v/as  committed  or  knov/n,  but  only  the 
tokens  ar.d  effects  of  the  sin,  or  corruption  and  depravity  of  nature ; 
•as  in  the  case  of  leprosy,  the  whole  matter  must  be  exposed  to  the 
priest.     "  When  the  plague  of  leprosy  is  in  a  man,  then  he  shall  be 
brought  to  the  priest;"  and  he  must  show  himself  toiiim;  as  Jesus 
paid  to  the  man  Avhom  he  had  cleansed,  "  Go,  shcAv  thyself  to  the 
"  priest,  and  offer  tiie  gift  Avhich  Moses  commanded  for  a  testimony 
'■'■  unto  them."  (Lev.  12.  9.  Mat.  8.  4.)    And  let  them  see  that  thou 
filso  waikest  upriglitiy  aecoiHling  to  the   law.      Or  if  the  plague  of 
leprosy  Avas  in  a  house,  (noAv  the  house  could  not  sin  but  the  inhabit- 
ants or  oAvners,)  the  Avbole  matter  must  be  exposed  to  the  priest. 
*'  And  he  that  OAvnctb  the  house  shall  come  and  teii  the  priest,  saj'ing, 
It  seemeth  to  mc  there  is  as  it  Avere  a  plague  in  the  house  :"  and  so 
of  other  (fengs.      So  that  in  that  day  and  under  that  dispensation, 
no  sin  could  he  forgiven,  no  atonement  made,  no  reconciIiatio»  could 
e-iiit  bctAvcen  God  and  the  sinner,  until  the  siii  Avas  first  exposed  to 
the  priest,  God's  m.inister  and  Vv-itness.     "  Here  is  a  transgressor ;  he 
brings  a  lamb  to  the  altar ;  lays  his  hand  upon  its  head ;  and  confesses 
iiis  sins."  (See  13.  W.  Stone's  Letters  on  Atonement.  Page  30.) 

Another  com  incing  proof  that  the  confession  of  sins  under  the 
lav/  was  made  to  the  priesuor  minister  of  God,  is  found  in  the  ac- 
covmt  given  by  Eara  the  ffciiest,  of  the  events  Avhich  took  place  Avljcn 
the  .lews  returned  to  Jerusalem,  from  the  Babylonish  captivity. 
Ti'.cir  sin  Avas  no  secret;  there  was  theisfore  no  need  of  confessir;::^ 


OF  SINS..  22J 

it  to  make  it  known :  it  was  already  public.  But  to  re-move  the  sin, 
confession  was  necessary  as  well  iis  forsaking-.  And  this  must  be 
done  according-  lo  the  law.  (For  they  were  now  beginning  to  be  restor- 
ed to  their  ancient  privileges,  and  it  was  necessary  to  keep  ihe  law.) 
Their  sin  was  in  takhig  wives  of  other  nations.  Tkis  Avas  the  sin  to 
be  removed,  "  And  let  it  be  done  according  to  the  law."  Now  the 
law  required  a  confession  as  the  first  step.  "  Now  therefore,"  said 
Ezra  the  priest,  "  make  confession  to  the  Lord  God  of  your  fathers, 
<'  and  do  his  pleasure :  and  separate  younielves  from  the  people  of 
"  tlie  land,  and  from  the  strange  wives.  Then  all  the  congregation 
''  answered  and  said  with  aloud  voice,  As  thou  hast  said  so  must  we 
"  do.  But  the  people  are  many,  and  it  is  a  time  cf  mucli  raui,  and 
"  we  are  not  able  to  stand  witliout,  neither  is  this  a  work  of  one  dav 
'' or  two  :  for  wc  are  many  that  have  transgressed  in  this  thing." 
Had  the  confession  been  to  God,  without  a  niediator,  or  priesthood, 
or  ccrtahi  men  to  serve  in  that  oflice,  as  God's  ministers  or  witnesses, 
a  hundred  thousand  of  them  could  have  co.ifessed  as  soon  as  one 
man.  On  that  supposition  there  would  have  been  no  propriety  ia 
their  saying,  J^'eithcr  is  this  a  work  of  one  day  or  t'vto  ;  for  vje  arx: 
many  tliut  have  transcr.css-ed  in  this  thing.  Neither  was  there  any 
cause  why  they  must  wait  about  the  temple,  or  stay  in  Jerusalem  to 
put  av;ay  their  strange  wives,  they  could  have  doiie  that  at  home, 
Avould  it  have  sufllced  to  have  done  that  privately,  or  before  God 
without  a  witness.  But  all  these  things  must  be  done  or  agreed 
upon  and  the  confession  made,  in  the  presence  of  men — God's  wit- 
ness. Hence  they  continued;  "Let  now  our  rulers  of  all  the  con - 
<'  gregation  stand,  and  let  all  them  who  have  taken  strange  wives  in 
"  our  cities  come  at  appointed  times,  and  v/ilh  th.em  the  eiders  of 
"every  city,  and  the  judges  thereof,  until  the  fierce  wrath  of  cur 
"  (iod  for  this  matter  be  turned  from  us."  Thus  we  see  they  under- 
stood that  the  fierce  v/rath  ot"  God  could  be  turned  from  them  by 
coming  to  these  men  Avho  should  stand  to  wait  on  them,  and  by  no 
other  method.  "  And  the  children  of  Israel  did  so.  And  Ezra  the 
"  firisst  with  certain  chief  of  the  fathers,  after  the  house  of  theii* 
='  fathers,  and  all  of  them  by  their  namcs^  were  separated,  and  sat 
••  down  in  the  first  day  of  the  tenth  month  to  examir.e  the  matter." 
l6  see  that  the  people  did  as  they  t^ad  premised  to  do.  To  mukc  con- 
fi'Cfiion  to  the  Lord  God  of  their  father.?.  Thus  they  confessed  to 
rdm  an.d  told  Ezra  and  tliose  who  were  separated  with  him,  what 
they  had  done.  Now  Ezra  was  the  priest.  This  was  ccnfeEsing  to 
the  Lo«D  God  of  their  fathers,  and  so  they  accounted  it.  "  And 
"  they  made  an  end  with  all  tlie  men  that  had  taken  strange  wives 
"  by  the  first  day  of  the  first  month."  A  work  of  three  fullnionths, 
because  all  had  to  be  done  accordnsg  to  law.     (Ezra  10  chapter.} 

Another  example  of  tl":e  manner  of  confessing  sins  to  God  under 
the  law,  is  set  forth  in  the  history  of  Achan.  "  And  Joshua  said  un- 
"  to  Achan,  My  son  give,  I  pray  thee,  glory  to  the  Lord  God  of 
"  Israel,  and  make  confession  unto  liim ;  aiid  tcU  me  [open  up  to 
"  mel  nov/  what  tl-iou  fcact  done  :  hide  it  not  from  me.     And  Achuu 


224  THE  CONFESSION 

"  ansAvercd  Joshua,  arid  said,  indeed  I  have  sinned  against  the  I.oriD- 
"  God  of  Israel,  and  thus  and  thus  have  1  done  :  when  I  saw  among 
«  the  spoils  a  {goodly  Babylonish  garraent,  and  two  hundred  j  shekels 
"  of  silver,  and  a  wedg-e  of  gold  of  fifty  shekels  weight,  then  I  co- 
"  veted  them,  and  took  them ;  and,  behold,  they  arc  \vd  in  the  earth 
"  in  tlie  midst  of  my  tent  and  the  silver  under  it."  Thus  Achan 
gave  glory  to  the  Lord  God  of  Israel  and  made  confession  to  HI^r, 
by  giving  to  Joshua  a  partieidar  account  of  the  things  v/hich  he  had 
done,  even  to  the  thoughts  of  his  heart.  "  And  Joshua  sent  messen- 
"  gers  ;  and  they  took  them  out  of  the  midst  of  the  tent,  and  brought 
"  them  to  Joshua,  and  to  all  the  children  of  Israel,  and  laid  them  out 
"before  the  Lord."  But  how  were  they  laid  out  before  the  Lord  ? 
were  t'ley  not  as  much  before  the  Lord  in  Achan's  tent  as  after  they 
were  brought  out  ?  No  doubt  they  were.  But  ihey  were  not  before 
the  Lord  in  the  order  of  his  judgment,  vmtil  they  were  laid  out  be- 
fore his  eo?7gregatio7i.,  his  'ivitncsses,  and  the  judges  that  were  ap- 
pointed in  those  days.  To  this  agree  the  words  of  Solomon.  "  He 
"  that  covereth  his  sins  shall  not  prosper  :  but  he  that  confesseth  arid 
"  forsaketh  them  shall  have  mercy."  That  confession  which  is  con- 
nected Vv'ith  the  promise,  is  contrasted  with  covering,  and  therefore- 
implies  uncovering.  But  as  nothing  can  be  hid  from  the  eye  of  God. 
nothing  can  be  laid  open  or  uncovered  before  him  except  as  he  is  re- 
vealed in  his  witnesses. 

It  is  true,  the  confession  of  Achan  was  not  in  the  established  or-' 
dcr,  for  Joshua  was  not  of  the  priesthood  ;  but  it  is  also  true  that  his 
case  was  not  an  ordinary  case,  liis  sin  being  such  as  did  not  admit  of 
legal  atonement  or  forgiveness,  but  when  he  was  detected  by  extraor- 
dinary mjcans,  and  brought  to  an  open  confession,  he  was  first  stoned 
and  then  burned,  Avith  all  that  pertained  to  him.  But  the  crder  of 
confessing  sins  to  God  is  not  at  all  obscured  by  the  extraordinary  na- 
ture of  the  case,  but  rather  elucidated.  For  although  Joshua  was. 
not  a  priest,  he  was  the  minister  and  witness  of  God  to  that  people ; 
and  whereas  he  was  required  to  tell,  or  as  in  the  Hebrew,  [I'jnl  to 
oficn  ufi^  or  make  manifist^  to  Joshua  all  his  sin,  in  a  case  which  did 
jiot  admit  of  confession  raid  atonement  by  the  priest,  it  serves  to  con- 
firm the  fact,  tliat  nothing  was  accounted  confession  to  God  either  in 
pardonable  or  unpardonable  cases,  but  that  which  v.'as  made  to  a  man 
in  whom  God  was  revealed.  And  sliould  it  be  still  objected  that 
A-chan's  confession  could  not  be  a  type  of  the  confession  of  sins  in 
the  gospel,  because  his  life  was  taken  away  notwithstanding?  Let  it 
be  considered  that  it  is  an  illustrious  exhibition  of  the  order  of  con- 
fessing to  the  Lord  God  of  Israel :  and  that  is  the  point  vrhich  wc 
are  now  investigating.  We  shall  enquire  into  its  application  to  the 
gospel  afterwards.  15 iit  consider  farther;  there  is  also  a  sin  which 
hath  no  forgiveness  in  the  gospel,  either  in  this  life  or  in  that  which 
is  to  come.  And  yet  the  perpetrators  of  such  sin  will  undoubtedly 
be  finally  brought  to  confession.  For,  "  As  I  live,  saith  the  Lord» 
«  evciy  knee  shall  bow  to  me  and  every  toivT'^c  =1  ;i!!  confess  to  God." 
(:MatJ2.  32.  Ro.  14.  11.) 


OF  SINS.  2:3 

If  the  dispensation  of  tlie  law  consisted  mainly  in  types  and  siia- 
doA^'^s  of  things  to  come,  and  those  types  vrcre  outward  and  temporal, 
no  such  benefit,  as  the  result  of  Achan's  confession,  can  be  consider- 
ed as  pertaining-  to  him,  but  to  the  congregation  of  Israel,  from 
M-hom  the  curse  was  removed,  when  he  v,  as  separated  from  them. 
His  confession  therefore  is  not  to  be  considered  as  a  type  of  the  con- 
fession of  sins  in  the  gospel  for  the  deliverance  of  tliC  individual 
confessors.  For  in  that  case,  to  make  the  type  complete  and  con- 
sistent, he  must  have  received  a  typical  salvation  answerable  to  that 
in  the  gospel ;  and  congenial  wi'di  that  dispensation  under  \vhich  he 
lived — his  life  must  have  been  preserved.  Whatever  benefit  Achan 
might  acquire  to  his  soul,  by  his  honest  and  punctual  confession,  after 
he  was  detected  ;  no  such  benefit  can  consistently  be  reckoned  a  fi- 
gure, or  type,  as  that  vv^ould  be  making  the  substance  a  shadov/  of 
the  substance. 

The  valley  in  v/hich  Achan  was  made  an  example  is  called  tiie 
valley  of  Achor ;  and  to  that  memorable  event  the  prophet  Ilosca 
had  respect  when  he  spake  of  the  future  restoration  of  the  church, 
«.nd  said ;  "  Therefore,  behold,  I  will  allure  her,  and  bring  her  into 
"  the  wilderness  and  speal;  comfortably  to  her.  And  I  will  give  her 
"  her  vineyai-ds  from  thence,  and  the  valley  of  Achor  for  a  door  of 
"  hope."  (2.  14.)  It  is  not  said,  I  will  giyc  the7n  as  of  individuals, 
but  I  will  give  hej-  as  of  the  church  collectively.  The  typical  Achor 
Mas  in  that  day  niade  a  door  of  hope  to  the  congregation  of  Israel ; 
for  as  soon  as  Achan,  with  the  pledges  of  his  v.ickedness  was  con- 
sumed in  the  valley,  their  drooping  hope  was  revived;  and  whereas 
they  had  been  smitten  before  their  enemic!^.,  they  immediately  after 
v.'ent  up  and  prospered  and  tcok  the  Inhevilancc  v.-hich  ansv,cred  lo 
the  heavenly  Canaan.  So  shall  t!:e  church  of  Christ  triumph  in 
glory  when  all  the  Achans,  with  all  the  accursed  things  arc  purged 
out ;  as  it  is  written  ;  "  The  Son  of  man  sliall  send  forth  his  angel?, 
*'  (or  ministers,)  and  they  shall  gather  out  of  his  kingdom  all  things 
"  that  ofTend,  and  them  that  do  iniquity  ;  and  shall  cast  them  into  a  . 
*'  furnace  of  fire ;  there  shall  be  wailing  and  gnashing  of  teeth. 
*•  Then  shall  the  righteous  shine  forth  as  the  sun  in  the  kingdom  of 
*■'  their  Father.  Who  hath  cars  to  hear,  let  him  hear."  (M-it. 'l3.  41.) 
This  view  of  the  case  of  Achan  doth  net  conti-adict  its  being  an  illus- 
tration of  the  practice  of  confessing  sins  nndcr  the  gospel,  as  it  cc.v- 
firms  the  necessity  of  universal  ccnfcssion.  And  it  shows  that  in  a. I: 
cases,  unpardonable  as  well  as  pardonable,  confession  is  not  made  im- 
mediately to  God,  but  through  his  witnesses. 

The  Israelites  might  seek  God  upc)n  the  mountains  and  hills,  or  in 
anv  place  or  manner,  besides  the  place  and  order  appointed  by  Lin-- 
sclf,  and  confess  and  make  sacri-accs,  but  there  was  none  to  hear  or 
regard.  If  on  extraordinary  occasions  some  migiit  have  transien.t 
visions  of  God  in  those  places,  there  was  no  forgiveness  or  atone- 
ment. Not  even  the  name  of  God  v/as  found  in  tha^  wovk,  except 
in  the  place  where  he  had  the  ark-.of  his  covenant,  his  mercy-seat, 
lib  altar,  his  holy  fire  and   his  priesthcod.     And  even  in  that  place 

Tf    1 


2'i6  THE  CONFESSION 

none  could  be  accepted,  either  in  their  offerings  or  confessions,  ex- 
cept in  the  appointed  order :  all  must  be  done  through  the  priest- 
hood ;  and  that  was  offering  and  confessing  to  God  according  to  hia 
own  appointment;  and  so  they  esteemedit.  Accordingly  the  priest 
was  not  only  the  mouth  of  God  to  the  people  but  the  ear  of  God  also; 
a  mediator  between  God  and  man.  And  every  man  was  accepted  of 
God  in  being  accepted  of  the  priest;  for  the  priest  made  the  atone- 
ment ;  the  reconciliation  was  effected  betAveen  the  offender  aiid  the 
priest,  God's  minister,  who  covered  the  sin  that  it  might  be  done 
away  ;  and  it  v.-as  forgiven.  But  whoever  spoke  or  rebelled  against 
the  priest,  or  any  of  God's  ministers,  rebelled  against  God ;  as  it  is 
written ;  "  And  the  whole  congregation  of  the  children  of  Israel 
"  murmured  against  jMoses  and  Aaron  in  the  wilderness  :  and  Moses 
"  said  ;  The  Lord  hath  heard  your  murmurings  which  ye  murmur 
"  against  him  :  and  what  are  we  ?  your  murmurings  are  not  against 
"  us,  but  against  the  Lord."  (Ex.  16.  2,  8.) 

But  when  the  Israelites  transgressed  the  law  and  covenant  of  God, 
and  were  given  to  captivity  ;  when  the  temple  at  Jerusalem,  where 
he  had  placed  his  name  and  covenanted  to  dwell  between  the  cheru- 
bim, was  destroyed  ;  his  altar  thrown  down,  the  ark  of  the  covenant 
and  the  mercy-seat  removed ;  the  holy  fire  extinguished  and  the 
priesthood  dispersed  ;  in  these  circumstances  there  cculd  be  no  ac- 
ceptable offering  according  to  the  law.  Yet  God  did  not  wholly  cast 
off  his  people,  but  noticed  for  good,  all  who  came  as  near  the  mark 
as  was  in  their  reach,  while  the  true  order  was  impracticable.  In 
this  state  of  things  the  prophet  Daniel  kneeled  down  and  prayed 
three  times  a  day,  v.ith  his  face  towards  Jerusalem,  as  he  could  not 
go  to  the  spot.  By  this  he  showed  his  regard  to  the  true  order  ;  and 
the  more  so,  as  his  observing  it  was  directed  against  his  own  life,  by 
the  decree  of  the  king  of  Babylon.  Had  it  been  according  to  true 
order  to  seek  God  and  find  him  any  where,  Daniel  might  have  turn- 
ed his  face  another  way  as  well  as  towards  Jerusalem.  But  that  was 
not  Daniel's  faith  ;  nor  was  it  the  faith  of  any  except  those  who  chose 
to  run  their  own  way,  and  go  a  whoring  after  their  own  idols,  on  the 
mountains  and  hills  and  under  every  green  tree ;  which  the  laAV  of 
God  soleninly  forbade.  (Dan.  6.  10,  &c.) 

"While  in  Babylon  also,  Daniel  made  a  general  and  serious  confes- 
u'lon  of  the  sins  of  the  house  of  Israel ;  and  it  is  a  reasonable  con- 
clusion, that  he  then  also  turned  his  face  to  Jerusalem,  in  obedience, 
to  the  established  order  of  God's  worship  :  according  to  the  words  of 
Solomon  at  the  dedication  of  the  temple.  "  If  they  shall  bethuik 
"  themselves  in  the  land  whither  they  were  carried  captives,  and  re- 
"  pent,  and  make  supplication  to  thee  in  the  land  of  them  that  carried 
"  them  captives,  saying.  We  h.-.ve  sinned,  and  done  perversely,  we 
"  have  committed  wickedness ;  and  so  return  to  thee  v.ith  all  their 
"  heart,  and  with  all  their  soul,  in  the  land  of  their  enemies  who  led 
"  them  away  captive,  and  pray  unto  thee  toward  their  land,  which 
"  thou  gavest  unto  their  fathers,  the  city  which  thou  hast  chosen.) 
»'  and  the  house  which  I  have  built  for  thv  name  :  ■  Then  hear  thoU 


OF  SINS.  S2r 

*  their  prayer  and  their  supplication  in  heaven  thy  dwelling  place, 
«  and  maintain  their  cause,  and  forgive  thy  people."  (1  Kin.  8.  47, 
kc.)  Thus  their  prayers  and  their  confessions  were  all  to  be  made 
towards  Jerusalem  and  towards  that  house  where  God  had  placed 
his  name,  in  those  times  when  they  could  not  come  before  the  altar 
and  the  priest  in  the  correct  order  of  God's  appointment.  But  v,-hea 
they  were  released  from  captivity,  and  the  temple,  the  altar  and  the 
priesthood  became  accessible,  they  could  no  longer  be  accepted  un- 
less they  observed  the  prescribed  order,  as  in  the  case  of  those  v.ho 
had  taken  strange  wives  as  already  shown. 

My  reason  for  dwelling  so  much  on  the  confession  of  sins  among 
the  Jews  and  Israelites  is  to  show  that  there  never  was  any  confe:5- 
sion  of  sins  from  the  beginning,  which  v/as  acceptable  to  God,  unless 
in  the  appointed  order  in  the  presence  of  his  witnesses,  except  when 
the  thing  was  impossible  ;  and  that  in  that  case,  it  was  only  accepta- 
ble for  the  time  being  in  coming  as  near  to  the  mark  as  it  was  practi- 
cable to  come  ;  and  also  that  as  the  law  was  an  appointed  pattern  or 
•hadow  of  the  gospel,  and  was  so  considered  by  the  inspired  apos- 
tles, the  confession  of  sins  under  the  laAv,  in  a  perpetual  order,  is  a 
confirmed  reason  that  we  may  look  for  it  in  the  gospel ;  but  especi- 
ally when  we  find,  not  only  John  the  forerunner  of  Christ,  but  chris- 
tians themselves  confirming  and  practising  it.  It  may  appear  strange 
to  some,  but  not  the  less  true,  if  it  be  found,  on  a  strict  examination, 
that  no  people  ever  pi"etended  to  confess  their  sins  with  any  hope  of 
pardon  and  acceptance,  either  under  the  law  or  the  gospel,  without  ^ 
bringing  them  to  tliC  witnesses  of  God,  until  after  the  falling  away, 
spoken  of  by  the  apostle,  took  place,  and  the  reign  of  the  beast  com- 
menced, and  the  doctrines  and  works  of  Anti-christ  v/ere  promulgat- 
ed and  adopted. 

We  have  now  gone  through  the  dispensation  of  the  law  and  the 
prophets,  which  continued  until  John,  to  whom  Avas  given  a  nev,'  and 
farther  revelation  from  God,  which  was  preparatory  to  the  gospel  dis- 
pensation. "  The  law  and  the  prophets,"  said  Jesus,  "  were  until 
•'John;  since  that  time  the  kingdom  of  God  is  preached."  (Luke 
i6.  16.)  But  though  the  old  dispensation  then  began  to  come  to  its 
end,  the  article  of  confessing  sins,  was  not  disannulled,  but  continued 
yvixh  an  increase  of  light  and  energy  ;  so  that  they  who  had  been  long 
acquainted  with  the  law  and  its  order,  and  no  doubt,  had  confessed 
according  to  that  order,  came  an<l  confessed  to  John.  As  it  is  writ- 
ten ;  "  John  did  baptize  in  the  wilderness  and  preach  the  baptizm  of 
*'  repentance  for  the  remission  of  sins.  And  there  went  out  unto 
*  him  all  the  land  of  Judca,  and  they  of  Jerusalem,  and  were  bap- 
«  tized  of  him  in  the  river  of  Jordan,  confessing  their  sins."  (Mar.  1. 
4,  5.)  From  these  things  it  appears  that  the  matter  of  confessing 
sins  was  not  a  ceremony,  although  performed  among  the  ceremonial 
observances,  but  a  direct  act  of  duty  and  worship  to  be  continued 
throughout  the  work  of  salvation,  as  prayer,  praise  and  other  duties 
pf  perpetual  obligation.     The  Hebrew  term  [min]  which  signifies 


228  THE  CONFESSION 

corfcssion,  sigiiiHcs  also  tlicmkagiviiig,  impoi'ting  the  laying- open  t<> 
God,  of  the  blessings  received  as  well  as  the  sins  committed. 

Mow  the  people  iiad  sinned,  not  against  Jolin,  but  against  God  ; 
the  confession,  therefore,  was  not  due  to  John,  but  to  God.  But  a» 
John  was  the  medium  of  the  revelation  of  God  to  tiiem  for  the  work- 
to  which  they  v/ere  called,  they  came  and  confessed  to  God  in  his 
presence  and  hearing,  or  to  God  in  him.  Thus  God  continued  to 
;J;ow  his  regard  to  order,  cis  a  God  of  order  and  not  of  confusion: 
he  still  had  a  witness ;  and  as  the  ministry  of  John  was  preparatory 
and  introductory  to  that  of  Christ  who  was  one,  John  was  for  a  time 
the  only  ministering  vdtness  :  all  the  faithful  went  to  him.  And  in 
ac!;r)OV.'Icdging  that  order  of  God  and  that  minister  cf  order,  thc;^ 
;iCknov,k'dged  God  in  the  only  acceptable  manner  then  extant,  and 
confessed  their  sins  to  him  in  the  only  acceptable  method.  Probably 
the  most  rebellious  man  ^.vould  be  willing  to  acknowledge  God  ia 
some  manner;  he  m.ight  acknowledge  his  name  and  authority  at  a 
distance ;  but  tlie  disorderly  nature  of  man  is  opposed  to  ordesr. 
Korah,  Dathan,  Abiram  and  their  company,  rebelled  against  the  ap- 
pointment at^.d  order  of  God  in  Moses  and  Aaron,  and  at  the  same 
time  professed  to  be  God's  people — ail  holy.  The  pharisees  also, 
who  rejected  John's  baptism  and  the  confession  of  sins  accompanying 
it,  and  thereby  rejected  the  counsel  of  God  and  refused  to  justify 
God  ;  and  who  also  said  of  Jesus  Christ, '"  "Who  is  this  that  speak- 
"  cth  blasphemies?  who  can  forgive  sins  but  God  only?"  (Luke  5-. 
21.  and  7.  29,  30.)  nevertheless  made  a  high  profession  of  being 
God's  peculiar  people,  having  faith  in  the  coming  of  both  Elias  and 
Christ  that  v;ere  to  come.  Many  also  in  these  days  who  have  cast 
ofi'  almost  every  trace  of  the  true  order  of  God  in  the  gospel,  still 
profebs  to  be  christians. 

He  who  confesse'tb  his  sins  in  secret  is  not  certainly  conscious  that 
any  beir.g  hears  or  rer,ardshim,  or  iOhe  believes  he  is  heard,  he  hath 
no  idea,  that  any  thing  m.ore  is  known  af.cr  his  confession  than  be- 
fore. He  may  say  it  is  his  choice  to  confess  to  Gcd  >vhom  he  feais 
and  regards  more  than  man.  But  that  he  hath  mere  fear  towr.rd  a 
man  like  himself,  than  towards  God  is  evident;  because  when  he  is 
confessing  his  sins  to  God  in  secret  without  dread,  were  he  consci- 
ous tliat  a  man  of  like  passions  with  himself,  especially,  a  hater  of 
sin,  were  in  hearing,  he  would  be  alarmed,  or  filled  with  consterna- 
tion. And  why  so ;  only  becauf:e  the  fear  of  man  is"  deeper  in  his 
heart  tlian  the  fear  cf  God  out  cf  man  ?  It  is  hifinitely  more  m.orti- 
fyirg  for  a  man  to  confess  his  sins  in  faith  and  honesty,  in  the  hca:  ing^ 
and  presence  of  God's  witnesses,  than  to  confess  to  Gcd,  as  they  say, 
abstractedly  from  men  ;  which  conclusively  proves  that  to  confess  to 
Ciodin  men,  is  the  deepest  v;ork,  and  the  nearest  possible  approach 
to  (4cd.  It  fills  up  what  is  written,  "  lie  that  ccvereth  his  sins  shall 
"  not  prosper:  but  whoso  confcsseth  and  forsaketh  them  shall  Lave 
''  m-ercy."  "  For  every  oce  that  doeth  evil  haleth  the  light,  neither 
"  Cometh  to  the  light,  lest liis  deeds  should  be  reproved."  [discover- 
ed, cr  convicted,  u:  the  Greek,  that  is,  lest  he  'jhculd  be  convicted  of 


or  SINS.  229 

them,  they  beinsj  laid  open  in  their  true  colors  to  his  conscience,] 
"  There  is  nothing-  covered  that  shall  not  be  revcaicrl ;  neiilitr  hid 
«  that  shall  not  be  known."  But  to  confess  secretly,  brings  nothing- 
to  light;  it  makes  nothing  known.  These  hate  the  light,  ar.d  come 
not  to  the  light ;  they  seek  deep  to  hide  counsel  (rem  the  Lord  ■ 
for  no  man  will  imagine  he  can  hide  nom  God  ubsohitely,  or  f.ttempt 
to  do  it;  but  many  seek  with  profound  subtlety  to  hide  from  him  in 
his  witnesses.  And  Woe  to  them,  saith  the  Lord.  But  he  that  con- 
fesses to  God  in  the  true  and  esiabiished  order,  knows  and  sensibly 
feels,  that  he  is  heard  and  understood  ;  that  what  he  hath  dene  is 
made  known.  This  is  coming  to  the  light  and  uncovering;  it  is 
coming  to  truth  and  honesty  ;  it  is  contrary  to  the  spirit,  or  piinci- 
ple,  V  hich  inclines  men  to  com.mit  dn  ;  for  that  spirit  can  never  lead 
a  man  to  confess  and  expcue  his  sins  in  so  open  a  method,  in  so  ner.r 
tui  approach  to  God,  until  satan  can  be  divided  against  satan.  By 
thus  confessing  in  the  light,  the  spiiit  of  sin  and  of  darkness  which 
rules  in  the  corrupt  and  deceitful  heart,  is  sensibly  detected  and  ex- 
posed ;  this  is  coming  to  a  light  and  a  judg-ment  of  which  the  sinner 
is  sensible  ;  and  this  shows  the  iKJccssity  and  propriety  of  God's  ha- 
ving a  witness.  This  is  coming  to  tlie  living  God,  on  his  living-  throne 
and  in  his  living  temple.  As  it  is  written ;  "  Ye  are  the  temple  of 
*'  the  living  God,"  and  again;  "  The  place  of  my  throne  ;  and  the 
"  place  of  the  souls  of  my  feet ;  where  I  will  dwell  in  th.e  midst  of 
"  the  children  of  Israel  for  ever."  A.nd  again  ;  "  To  whom  coming 
"  as  unto  a  living  stone  disallowed  indeed  of  men ;  but  chosen  .of 
<'  God,  and  precious,  ye  also,  as  living  stones,  arc  built  up  a  spiritual 


(E^  

4,  5.)  Nov/  v,-e  have  already  shown  that  tlie  priesthccd  v/ere  God'r* 
ininisters  to  the  people,  and  the  people's  ministers  to  God ;  that  the 
people  presented  to  the  priesthood  what  they  offered  to  God,  and 
confessed  to  God  in  them,  or  to  them  in  God's  stead,  the  sins  which 
they  liad  committed  against  him.  Thus  believers  in  Christ  are  (not 
now  a  legal  or  ceremonial,  but)  a!i  holy  priesthood.  Not  that  each 
one  of  them  is  an  appointed  ministering  priest ;  but  the  true  priests 
of  God  are  ail  among  them,  Jesus  Christ  being  the  high  priest :  and 
separately  from  them,  there  is  no  access  to  God  for  salvation. 


CTiAFTER  IL 

The  stibjcct  continued^  as  It  respects  the  tvork  of  God  In  the  Gos/iel. 

THAT  the  confession  of  F'n  is  necessary,  and  co  rem:'.ir';,  under 
the  dispensation  of  the  gospel,  it  is  e\ident,  from  tlie  ccnsideration, 
tlvat  the  v/hole  order  of  the  law  was  typical  of  the  gcspcl,  and  the 
baptism  cf  John  figurative  of  that  of  Christ,  but  ako  by  the  express 


230  THE  CONFESSION 

teachings  of  ihc  ministers  of  the  gospel.  "  If  we  confess  our  sins, 
*'  he  is  faithful  and  just  to  forgive  us  our  sins,  and  to  cleanse  us  from 
"  all  unrighteousness."  (Jno.  1.  9.Y 

After  the  introduction  of  the  gospel,  God  continued  to  show  him- 
self a  God  of  order  ;  and  continued,  or  renewed,  the  direct  line  of 
order  for  his  people.  For  although  the  priesthood  was  transposed 
from  Aaron  to  Melchizedec,  that  is,  to  Christ,  and  the  law  transposed 
also,  neither  the  law  nor  the  order  thereof  was  lost.  (See  page  73.) 
God  had  prepared  a  Mediator,  a  merciful  and  faithful  high  priest,  in 
tilings  pertaining  to  God,  a  shepherd  of  the  sheep  ;  the  great  antitype 
of  all  that  had  been  before  exhibited,  the  beginning  of  the  new  and 
spiritual  building  of  God,  the  Judge  of  quick  and  dead.  None,  there- 
fore, could  approach  God,  or  confess  their  sins  to  him,  or  receive 
forgiveness,  except  through  that  Mediator  :  no  attempts  of  the  kind, 
in  any  line  or  way,  detached  from  him  as  the  medium  could  succeed. 
Accordingly  he  said,  "  I  am  the  way,  the  truth  and  the  life  ;  no 
"  man  cometh  to  the  Father  but  by  me."  (Jno.  14.  6.)  But  as  the 
office  of  Christ  was  represented  by  that  of  the  levitical  high  priest, 
we  are  not  to  look  for  much  confession  of  sins  made  immediately 
to  him  ;  for  there  was  another  medium,  subject  to  him,  and  through 
which  to  approach  him.  "  Now,  when  these  things  were  thus  or- 
*'  dained,  the  priests  went  always  into  the  first  tabernacle,  accomplish- 
*'  ing  the  service  :  but  into  the  second  went  the  high  priest  alone, 
"  once  every  year."  (Heb.  9.  6,  7.)  It  was  not  the  manner  under 
the  law,  for  the  people  to  come  with  their  sacrifices  immediately  to 
the  high  priest  who  went  alone  once  a  year  into  the  most  holy  place, 
but  to  the  second  order  of  priests,  who  went  always  into  the  first  ta- 
bernacle, accomplishing  the  service  for  the  people.  This  is  made 
evident  by  the  commandments  which  were  given  directly  after  the 
tabernacle  was  reared  up  in  the  wilderness.  Aai'on's  sons,  the  subor- 
dinate priests  were  they  who  received  the  offerings  at  the  hands  of 
the  people,  and  of  course  heard  their  confessions,  as  before  shown. 
And  the  same  order  obtains  v/ith  Christ  and  his  ministers.  The 
priests  of  Levi  were  not  ordained  and  qualified  as  priests  in  their  or- 
der, until  the  tabernacle  was  reared  ;  so  neither  were  the  gospel  mi-. 
nisters,  until  the  gospel  was  given;  as  said  Jesus;  "  Behold,  I  send 
"  the  promise  of  my  Father  upon  you :  but  tarry  ye  in  the  city  of 
"  Jerusalem,  until  ye  be  endued  with  power  from  on  high."  (Luke 
24.  40.) 

The  rearing  up  of  the  Jewish  tabernacle  consisted  in  bringing  the 
different  parts  together,  on  an  appointed  day,  sometime  after  tr.ey 
had  been  foj-med,  and  joming  them  one  to  another,  so  as  to  make 
one  tabernacle.  So  the  rearing  of  the  spiritual  tabernacle  also  con- 
sisted in  uniting  the  parts,  in  that  day  when  God,  and  Christ,  and  the 
churcli,  became  united  in  one  according  to  the  words  of  Christ ;  "  In 
"  that  day  yc  shall  know,  that  I  am  in  my  Father,  and  ye  in  me,  and  I 
"  in  you."  "  For  where  two  or  three  are  gathered  together  in  my 
"  name,  there  am  I  in  the  midst  of  them."  (Jno.  41.  20.  Mat.  18. 
28.)     TJiis  took  place  after  Christ  ascended .  to  tlic  right  hand  of 


OF  SINS.  831 

|)Ower,  and  his  disciples  were  baptized  with  the  Holy  Spirit,  that  ce- 
ment of  love  and  union,  by  whose  influence  they  became  of  one 
heart  and  one  soul.  It  was  then  Christ  Jesus  properly  became  an 
high  priest  of  that  living  tabernacle ;  as  saith  the  apostle  ;  «'  We 
"  have  such  an  high  priest,  who  is  set  on  the  right  hand  of  the 
"  throne  of  the  majesty  in  the  heavens;  a  minister  of  the  sanctuary 
"  and  of  the  true  tabernacle,  which  the  Lord  pitched,  and  not  man. 
"  For  every  high  priest  is  ordained  to  offer  gifts  and  sacrifices  : 
"  wherefore  it  is  of  necessity  that  this  man  have  somewhat  to  offer. 
"  For  if  he  were  on  earth  he  should  not  be  a  priest,  seeing  that  there 
"  are  priests  that  offer  gifts  according  to  the  law;  who  serve  unto  the 
"  example  of  heavenly  things.  But  wow  hath  he  obtained  a  more 
"  excellent  ministry,"  or  priesthood.  [Heb.  8,  1.  to  6.]  By  this 
view  of  the  subject,  it  is  evident,  that  while  Christ  Jesus  was  on 
earth,  he  was  not  properly  qualified  to  execute  his  office,  as  it  re- 
spected the  offerings  of  the  people  to  be  made  through  him,  any 
more  than  Aaron  was  before  the  tabernacle  was  reared  and  he  anoint- 
ed. As  Aaron  then  became  a  medium,  for  others  to  make  their  of- 
fering through  him,  so  did  Jesus  Chiist ;  the  one  being  the  type  and 
the  other  the  antitype. 

Abundance  was  spoken  concerning  tlie  office  and  duty  of  Aaron, 
and  the  offerings  of  the  people,  through  them,  long  before  the  taber- 
nacle was  set  up.  A  great  part  of  the  book  of  Exodus  is  taken  up  in 
treating  on  these  subjects;  but  the  last  chapter  gives  the  first  ac- 
count of  the  actual  setting  up  of  the  tabernacle,  and  the  eighth  of 
Leviticus  of  Aaron's  being  actually  anointed.  And  then  his  sons 
were  also  consecrated  with  him  ;  and  at  the  same  time  also,  the  ta- 
bernacle with  all  its  utensils,  and  the  altar  with  all  belonging  to  it,  were 
anointed,  sanctified  and  prepared,  for  the  use  long  before  prescribed. 
When  this  was  done,  Aaron  entering  through  the  vail  into  the  most 
holy  place  of  the  tabernacle,  found  immediate  access  to  God,  and 
his  throne,  or  mercy-seat,  there  placed;  and  the  priests,  standing  in 
the  first  apartment  of  the  tabernacle,  and  fulfilling  their  part  of  the 
service,  in  union  with  the  high  priest,  found  their  access  to  the  mer- 
cy-seat through  him,  in  their  gifts  and  offerings  ;  and  the  congrega- 
tion, meeting  the  priests,  at  the  door  of  the  tabernacle,  with  their 
gifts,  found  access  to  God  in  his  mercy-seat,  through  the  whole 
priesthood.  And  thus  they  all  found  access  to  God,  and  were  ac- 
cepted, and  received  blessings ;  but  each  in  his  own  oidcr.  In  these 
things  the  priests  of  Levi  served  to  the  exam  file  and  shadotv  of  hea- 
venly ihiriga  ;  and  answerable  to  that  example,  or  pattern,  were  the 
gospel  order  and  ministry  established.  Therefore,  as  the  confession 
of  sins  and  offering  for  sins  \vcnt  together,  under  the  law,  as  before 
shown,  and  as  they  were  not  presented  immediately  to  the  high  priest, 
but  to  the  subordinate  priests,  so  after  the  gospel  day  and  woi  k  took 
place  the  confession  of  sins  was  not  im.mediately  to  Christ  Jesus,  but 
to  his  ministers,  who  are  the  gospel,  or  christian  piiests,  and  his 
church,  or  people,  are  the  temple,  or  house,  where  the  offerings  are 
ruade  to  God  in  order,  as  it  is  written ;  "  To  whcm  ccmir?'  as  to  a 


232  THE  CONFESSION 

"  [C^.;vra]  ii^  ing  stone,  dis?.llowcd  indeed  of  men,  but  chosen  of  Goa 
"  and  precious  ;  ye  also  ns  [_(uvtic'j  living  stones,  are  built  up,  a  spi- 
'•  riiiiiai  house ;  an  hoiy  priesthood,  to  offer  up  spiritual  sacrifices, 
••  acceptable  to  God  througn  Jesus  Christ;"  "  But  ye  arc  a  chosen 
'-  generation,  a  royal  priesthood,  that  ye  should  shov/  forth  the  praises 
'-'  of  hiiTiwho  hath  called  you."  (1  Fet.  2.  4,  9.)  These  words  eni- 
!)vace  the  v.'hole  Jewish  order,  with  manifest  application  to  the  chris- 
.^i:in  church  and  uiinislry.  But  this  subject  v.-ili  be  faither  considered 
hereafter. 

i  am  avrare  of  the  objections  of  some,  against  the  appcir:ted  order 
of  confessing  siijs,  on  account  of  the  evil  conduct,  or  heretical  name 
of  a  certain  people,  who  have  maiiitained  it  the  nearest  of  any,  in  tlie 
outward  form,  and  say  tliey  have  preser^'cd  it  dr  wn  from  the  apostles., 
E-.it  the  abuse  of  the  order  of  God  is  no  exception  against  the  order 
itself.  If  any  abuse  it,  they  are  criminal ;  but  that  is  no  cause  why 
odiers  shouid  neglect  it.  No  truth  is  to  be  neglected  or  condemned 
because  a  wicked  people  profess  it. 

Now  as  the  ministering  priests  of  the  law,  dTored  up  their  own 
sacrifices  and  those  of  the  people  through  the  high  priest,  so  the 
priests,  or  ministers,  of  the  gospel,  offered  up  their  o-sm  sacrifices 
mid  those  of  the  people  through  Christ,  the  great  high  priest  of  the 
gospel.  To  this  these  words  agree  and  are  justly  applicable ;  Ye 
alao  as  living  stones  are  built  uji  a  spiritual  hotiscy  aji  holy  priest- 
hood., to  qffrr  up  spiritual  sacrijices  acceptable  to  God  through  Jesus 
Chrift.  They  were  not  to  offer  up  material  sacrifices,  as  the  Jewish 
u,'Ic3';3,  hvX  those  v/hich   pertained  to  the    spirit — those  which  were 

r'l.-^ulated  to  purge  the  conscience  from  dead  works,  and  make  it  fit 
;  '  f;crve  the  living  God.  And  as  the  people  under  the  law  could  nqt 
;^;,-ke  an  acc3ptabl«  offering  to  God,  except  in  the  appointed  place, 
■"-•.c  t(^mple^  or  house  of  God,  and  through  the  priesthood,  so  neither 
•:.:•»  any  in  t!::e  gospsi  make  an  acceptable  offering  to  God  to  purge 
'  .!"  conscience  fi'om  dead  works,  or  offer  themselves  up  a  perfectly 
rp' able  sacrifice  in  the  spirit^  unless  in  this  spiritual  house, built 

;•  ('iViiving  stcucs,  on  Christ  the  living  stone.  Whosesoever  sins  ye 
■'•.•,■.■■.'',  they- are  remitted  to  them;  and  iv  hoses  oever  sins  ye  retain^  they 
■m-  retained.  And  as  Aaron  bore  the  sins  of  the  people,  evevi  of 
L heir  holy  things,  or  things  devoted  to  God  in  sacrifice,  (not  the 
puuishmenl  or  reward  of  sins,  for  there  was  no  punislnnent  or  re- 
'■.arcl  of  iniquity  laid  on  Aaron,  in  the  performance  of  his  duty  in  the 
'■.eimif  of  the  pccple,)  and  these  sins  were  first  borne  fi-om  t'r.c  peo- 
,>is  by  the  subordinate  nriests,  to  wliom  the  confessions  were  made  ; 
.•oin  .the  gospel,  Jesus  the  high  priest  bears  the  sins  of  those  things, 
that  is,,persons  who  devote  themselves  to  Gcd,  making  covenant  with 
him  l>y  sacrifice,  and  sins  arc  firvSt  removed  from  th.c  people,  by  tlic 
ministers  of  the  gospel,  to  whom  confession  is  made,  while  they  mi- 
nister in  the  nnnjc  of  Christ  and  in  his  beh.alf.  Thus  I  sr^y  Christ 
and  h.ifi  people  bear  the  sms  of  those  who  make  covenant  with  God 
by  sacrifice,  or  who  confess  and  forsake  their  sins  accortUng  to.thc 
true  ordL^rof  God  for  that  purpose.     Not  the  punislimr.U  of  sins,  ^r,- 


OF  SINS.  233 

reward  of  iniquity.  No  punishment  was  inflicted  on  Christ  Jesus  iu 
the  execution  of  his  office  in  the  behalf  of  the  people  ;  neither  is 
there  on  his  ministers,  except  that  which  is  inflicted  by  the  enemy,, 
who  waged  war  agahist  Christ  and  his  people  for  doing  their  duty. 
But  the  sins  of  those  who  faithfully  make  their  oflTerings  to  God  arc 
borne  by  Christ  who  is  in  the  people,  and  by  his  people  in  charity  to 
those  who  offer  them,  and  for  the  destruction  of  the  sins,  to  bury 
them  out  of  sight.  Charity  covereth  the  multitude  of  sins.  And 
this  is  the  substance  of  the  atonement  made  by  the  priests  of  Levi 
imder  tlie  law.  And  as  Jesus  Christ  bore  the  sins  of  many  ;  as  he 
took  our  infirmities  and  carried  our  sorrows ;  so  it  is  written  ccn- 
ceming  christians  ;  "  Brethren,  if  a  man  be  overtaken  in  a  fault," 
y-twi  ttapaTtti^fiafi,  any  offence  ;  the  very  word  which  is  used  by  the 
same  apostle  to  express  our  offences  for  which  Christ  was  delivered. 
Ro.  4.  25.]  "  Ye  that  are  spiritual  restore  such  an  one  in  tlic  spirit 
"  of  meekness;  considering  thyself  lest  thou  also  be  tempted.  Bear 
"  ye  one  another's  burdens,  and  so  fulfil  the  law  of  Christ."  "  Con- 
"  fess  your  faults  one  to  another,  and  pray  one  for  another,  that  ye 
"  may  be  healed.  Brethren  if  any  one  of  you  do  err  from  the  trutii 
"  and  one  convert  him ;  let  him  know,  tliivt  lie  who  converteth  the 
"  sinner  from  the  error  of  his  way  shall  save  a  soul  fro7n  death,  and 
"  shall  cover  a  multitude  of  sins."  (Gal.  6.  1,  2.  Jas.  5.  16,  19,  20.) 
And  as  quoted  above  ;  "Whosesoever  sins  ye  remit,  Ihey  are  remitted 
♦'  to  them."  An  objection  hath  been  made,  against  the  use  of  the 
saying  of  James,  "  Confess  your  faults  one  to  aiiothcr,"  in  provins-- 
the  true  order  of  confession  ;  and  the  same  exception  may  be  taken 
at  the  above  quotation  from  the  epistle  to  the  Galatians  :  but  it  will 
be  obviated  in  a  convenient  place. 

As  the  priesthood  under  the  law  of  IMoses  included  both  the  high 
priest  and  the  second  order,  so  in  tlie  gospel  of  Christ,  the  church, 
or  body  of  Christ,  is  composed  of  the  head  and  the  members,  and 
there  is  no  true  church,  or  body,  without  both.  But  as  under  the  law, 
when  Aaron  was  anointed,  he  was  tlie  priest,  and  the  only  anointed 
one  on  earth,  though  incapal)le  of  serving  at  the  altar,  until  he  had 
offered  a  sacrifice,  and  then  his  sons  were  anointed  with  the  same  oil ; 
and  yet  the  service  could  not  be  all  performed  in  ordei-,  in  behalf  of 
the  people,  until  the  high  priest  went  into  the  Most  Holy  place  and 
returned.  So  when  Jesus  was  anointed  with  the  Spirit,  h.c  alone  was 
the  only  anointed  priest  of  the  gospel ;  the  only  true  habitation  of 
God  on  earth,  the  true  tabernacle,  which  the  Lord  pitched  and  not 
man,  until  he  had  made  his  sacrifice,  and  then  his  disciples  were 
anointed  with  the  same  Spirit  and  became  one  with  him  ;  for  he 
breathed  on  them,  and  said,  receive  ye  the  Holy  Ghost.  Hov/beit 
they  were  not  fully  commissioned  nor  qualified  to  minister  the  gos- 
pel to  the  people,  until  he  had  ascended  to  the  Father  and  returned 
in  the  gift  of  the  Holy  Ghost,  on  the  day  of  pentecost  ?  They  v.crc 
then  fully  empovrercd,  according  to  the  work  of  that  day,  to  preach 
repentance  and  the  remission  of  sins  in  his  name,  and  to  do  all  that 
work  in  the  spiritual  house,  which  was  set  forth  in  a  shadow,  by  the 

G   2 


2C4  THE  CONFESSION 

service  oi  the  tabernacle.  They  were  then  one  with  Christ  and 
with  the  Father,  according  to  the  work  of  that  day  ;  and  these  in 
their  proper  order  and  pov/er  are  the  true  body  of  Christ,  and  the 
true  Christ,  having-  received  the  same  anointing  of  the  Father,  as 
Jesus  himself,  while  he  stood  alone,  and  of  the  people  there  Avas  none 
with  him.  Accordingly  it  is  written,  "  He  that  hath  seen  me  hath 
"  seen  the  Father."  And  again  ;  "  At  that  day  ye  shall  know  that  I 
"  am  in  my  Father,  and  ye  in  me,  and  I  in  you."  (Jno.  14.  9  to  20.) 
And  again  ;  "  But  ye  have  an  unction  from  the  Floly  One,  and  ye 
"  know  all  things — But  the  anointing  which  ye  have  received  of  him, 
"  abideth  in  you  ;  and  ye  need  not  that  any  man  teach  you  :  but  as 
"  the  same  anointing  teacheth  you  of  all  things,  and  is  truth,  and  is 
"  no  lie."     Further. 

To  prove  that  the  church  is  one  with  Christ,  they  being  one  body 
and  constituting  the  true  seed  and  true  Christ  to  whom  the  promise 
was  made,  the  words  of  the  apostle  Paul  may  be  introduced.  "  Now 
"  to  Abraham  and  his  seed  were  the  promises  made.  He  saith  not, 
"  And  to  seeds,  as  of  many :  but  as  of  one,  And  to  thy  seed,  v/hich 
''•  is  Christ."  (Gal.  3.  16.)  Now  all  the  faithful  are  the  seed;  not 
seeds,  for  they  are  one,  as  it  is  again  written  ;  "  The  children  of  the 
"  promise  are  counted  for  the  seed."  (Ro.  9.  8.)  And,  as  it  were, 
to  put  the  question  beyond  a  doubt,  the  following  words  are  to  the 
point.  ''•  For  as  the  body  is  one,  and  hath  many  members,  and  all 
"  the  members  of  that  one  body,  being  many,  are  one  body  :  so  aisa 
"  is  C/irist.  For  by  one  Spirit  are  we  all  baptized  into  one  body : 
"  whether  Jews  or  Greeks,  bond  or  free  ;  and  have  been  all  made  to 
"  drink  into  one  Spirit.  For  the  body  is  not  one  member  but  many." 
(1  Cor.  12.  12  to  14.  See  the  chapter  throughout.  See  also  B.  W^, 
Stone's  Reply  to  Dr.  J.  P.  Campbell.  Let.  4.  Pag.  19.)  The  apos- 
tle calls  the  church,  Christ,  by  name.  So  then  wherever  the  true 
chui'ch  of  Christ  is,  there  is  the  true  Christ  of  God,  the  light  of  the 
world,  the  light  of  men,  and  the  salt  of  the  earth  ;  as  said  Jesus  to 
his  cUsciples  ;  "  Ye  are  the  salt  of  the  earth  ;"  "  Ye  are  the  light  of 
"  the  world."  (Math.  5.  13,  14)  And  wherever  a  true  church  of 
Clirist  is  found,  having  regained  the  communion  and  unity  of  the 
Spirit,  after  the  falling  away  by  anti-christ,  there  is  Christ  in  his  se- 
cond appearing  without  sin  to  salvation.  Such  was  the  light  into 
which  honest  believers  brought  their  deeds,  by  confessing  them,  in 
the  apostolic  dispensation,  according  to  the  work  of  that  day :  and 
such  is  the  light  to  which  all  souls,  who  esteem  Christ  and  his  salva- 
tion above  all  inferior  enjoyments,  bring  their  deeds  and  expose  them 
in  the  judgment,  in  his  second  appearing  for  a  last  and  finishing  woi'k 
of  salvation. 

As  it  was  the  anohiting  of  the  Holy  Ghost  that  constituted  Jesus 
the  A.ncinted,  or  the  Christ,  which  is  the  same  ;  so  the  church  be- 
ii>g  anointed  with  the  same,  they  were  constituted  the  anointed,  the 
Christ.  And  the  same  authority,  power  and  office  ascribed  to 
and  possessed  by  Jesus,  the  Christ,  as  such,  was  also  ascribable  to 
and  possessed  by  the  church,  as  will  hm  seen  by  and  by.     But  to  Jc- 


OF  SINS.  535 

BUS  were  given  other  names  or  titles  besides  Christ,  or  in  addition  to 
that,  as,  "  The  mighty  God,  the  everlasting  Father,"  which  are  not 
ascribable  to  the  church.  Nor  is  it  to  be  understood  that  any  one 
member  of  the  church  received  that  anointing  in  its  fulness  which 
constituted  Jesus  the  Christ,  but  the  church  collectively.  /'  The 
"  glory  which  thou  gavest  me,  I  have  given  them  ;  that  they  may 
"  be  one  even  as  we  are  one  ;  I  in  them,  and  thou  in  <me."  (Jno.  17. 
22,  23.)  "  To  one  is  given  by  the  Spirit,  the  v/ord  of  Avisdom  ;  to 
*'  another,  the  word  of  knowledge  by  the  same  Spirit ;  to  another, 
''  faith  by  the  same  Spirit ;  to  another,  the  v/orking  of  miracles  ;  to 
"  another,  prophecy  ;  to  another,  discerning  of  spirits :  to  another, 
"  divers  kinds  of  tongues;  to  another,  the  interpretation  of  tong-ucs  : 
"  but  all  these  worketh  that  one  and  the  self  same  Spirit,  dividing  to 
"  every  man  severally  as  he  will.  For  as  the  body  is  one  and  hath 
"  many  members,  and  all  the  members  of  that  one  body,  being  ma- 
"  ny,  are  one  body."  "  For  we  are  members  of  his  body,  of  his 
"  flesh,  and  of  his  bones."  "  Know  ye  not  that  your  bodies  are  the 
"  members  of  Christ?"  "  Touch  not  mine  anointed,  [r^n'tyo  my 
"  christs,]  and  do  my  prophets  no  harm." 

Thus  the  true  church  of  Christ  is  very  Christ  and  possesses  all  the 
power  of  Christ  as  a  Savior  and  a  Judge.  First;  Jesus  saith,  (Jno. 
-5.  22.)  "  The  father  judgeth  no  man  ;  but  hath  committed  all  judg- 
■♦<  ment  unto  the  Son."  And  then,  in  his  address  to  his  Father,  (Jno. 
17.  22.)  "  The  glory  which  thou  gavest  me,  I  have  given  them." 
What  glory  then  was  it  which  his  Father  had  first  given  to  him,  and 
he  afterwards  gave  to  his  disciples,  but  that  which  included  the  pow- 
er and  office  of  judgment  ?  What  else  did  he  mean  when  he  told 
his  disciples,  (Jno.  20.  22.)  that  what  they  did  on  earth  Avith  respect 
to  binding  and  loosing,  remitting  and  retaining  sins,  was  done  in  hea- 
ven ?  And  what  else  is  meant  by  the  following  language  ?  "  Do 
*'  ye  not  know  that  the  saints  shall  judge  L'le  Avorld  ?  Know  ye  not 
**  that  we  shall  judge  angels  ?"  (i  Cor.  6.  2,  3.)  "  And  I  saw 
-■♦'  ,thrones,and  they  sat  upon  them,  and  judgment  Svas  given  to  them." 
(Rev.  20.4.)  "  Behold,  the  Lord  cometh  with  [or  in,  Greek,]  ten 
"  thousand  of  his  saints  to  execute  judgment  upon  all."  (Jvide.  14. 
•15.)  "  I  beheld,  and  the  same  horn  made  war  v.'ith  the  saints,  and 
♦•  prevailed  against'them  ;  until  the  Ancient  of  days  came,  and  judg- 
«♦  ment  was  given  to  the  saints."  [Dan.  7.  21,  22.]  This  last  is  the 
same  that  is  shown  in  Revelations,  as  quoted  above ;  "  And  I  saw 
*'  thrones,  and  they  sat  upon  them,  and  judgnnent  was  given  to  them ;" 
which  shows  it  to  be  the  final  judgment  which  is  there  intended,  and 
not  any  thing  that  took  .place  in  the  apostle's  time  ;  as  the  book  of 
the  Revelations  was  written  by  the  last  of  the  apostles  near  the  close 
of  his  life.  And  if  the  final  judgment  is  in  the  saints,  how  much 
more  any  judgment  prior  to  that  ? 

An  objection  may  arise  against  the  idea  of  the  final  judgment  be 
k.g  in  the  saints,  because  it  is  thus  written ;  "  When  the  Son  of  man 
**  shall  come  in  his  glory,  and  all  the  holy  angels  with  him,  then  shall 
•^  he  sit  upon  the  thi-one  of  his  glory :  and  before  him  shall  be  ga- 


236  THE  CONFESSION 

<'  thered  all  nations  ;  and  he  shall  separate  them  one  from  another,  as 
»  a  shepherd  dividcth  his  sheep  from  the  goats :  and  he  shall  set  the 
"  sheep  on  his  right  hand,  but  the  goats  on  the  left."  But  this  is  not 
to  be  understood  literally,  any  more  than  the  righteous  and  wicked 
are  literally  sheep  and  goats.  Compare  the  above  text  with  the  fol- 
lov/ing  one.  "  Verily,  I  say  unto'  you,  that  ye  which  have  followed 
"  mc,  in  the  regeneration,  when  the  Son  of  man  shall  sit  on  the 
"  throne  of  his  g'ory,  ye  also  shall  sit  upon  twelve  thrones,  judg- 
"  ing  the  twelve'  tribes  of  Israel."  [Mat.  19.  28.]  This  makes  it 
evident  that  the  apostles  have  part  in  the  Hnal  judgment:  and  it  is 
evident  by  t!ie  same,  that  the  description  is  symbolical ;  for  the  apos- 
tles are  tlieie  represented,  not  only  as  having  part  in  the  judgment, 
but  as  having  the  first  and  principal  place  in  it,  instead  of  Jesus,  the 
twelve  tribes  of  Israel  being  given  to  them  to  judge,  leaving  only  the 
Gentile  nation  for  him  ;  or  rather  none,  as  the  twelve  tribes  of  Israel, 
Eecms  to  be  a  phrase  designed  to  include  the  whole  number  of  the 
saved.  Besides,  Jesus  and  his  apostles  are  here  represented  as  occu- 
pying thirteen  separate  thrones,  and  all  these  distinct  from  the  Fa- 
ther's, which  would  make  the  fourteenth ;  whereas  the  Father  and 
Jesus  and  t!ie  saints  are  elsewhere  represented  as  all  sitting  in  one 
throne.  "  To  him  that  overcomcth,"  says  Jesus,  "  will  I  grant  to 
"  sit  with  me  in  my  throne,  even  as  I  also  overcame,  and  am  set 
<•  down  v/ith  my  Father  in  his  throne."  [Rev.  3.  21.]  If  Jesus  sits 
Avith  his  Father  in  his  throne  and  the  saints  sit  with  Jesus  in  his,  ail 
at  the  same  time,  then  they  must  all  sit  in  one  throne,  which  M'ould 
contradict  the  other  passage,  if  the  two  bear  a  literal  acceptation. 

Now  what  man  is  there  that  doth  not  know  that  a  throne  is  the 
place  and  seat  of  judgment,  and  that  if  two  sit  together  in  on« 
throne  they  both  sit  in  judgment  jointly  ?  To  say,  Fle  that  overcom- 
cth shall  sit  Avith  me  in  my  throne,  is  as  much  as  to  say.  He  that 
overcometh  shall  sit  with  me  in  judgment.  And  if  the  Father  and 
Jesus  and  the  saints  all  sit  in  one  throne  they  are  all  united  in  the 
judgment.  And  where  they  arc  represented  as  silting  in  different 
thrones,  it  only  means  the  different  degrees  of  power  and  authority 
Avhich  they  possess,  or  the  different  stations  and  grades  which  they 
lill  in  the  one  judgment.  The  saints  judge  nothing  of  themselves 
but  Ciuist  in  them  ;  and  Christ  judges  nothing  of  himself  but  the 
Father  in  him.  "  I  in  them,  and  thou  in  me."  "  I  can,"  said  Jesus» 
"  of  mine  own  self  do  nothing :  as  I  hear  I  judge."  [Jno.  5.  30.] 
And  to  his  disciples,  "  My  Father  is  the  husband-man — I  am  the 
"  vine,  ye  are  the  branches — without  me  ye  can  do  nothing."  [Ver. 
1  to  .T.]  "  He  that  receivcth  you,  receiveth  me,  and  he  that  iticeiv- 
"  etb  me,  receiveth  him  that  sent  me."  [Mat.  10.  40.  and  Ver.  29.] 
"  It  is  not  ye  that  speak,  but  the  Spirit  of  your  Father  which  speak- 
"  eth  in  you."  God  the  tather  workcth  all  things  and  judgeth  all 
things,  but  he  worketh  and  judgeth  in  and  by  his  ministcis,  of  whom 
Jesus  Christ  is  first  and  Lord  of  all.  The  root  bears  the  vine,  the 
vine  the  branches,  and  the  branches  the  fruit. 


OF  SINS.  237 

It  may  be  asked,  If  there  is  no  judgment  but  in  the  saints,  then  by 
'svhom  arc  the  saints  judged  ?  With  the  same  propriety  it  may  be 
asked,  If  the  saints  preach  the  gospel  and  minister  it  to  the  uorld, 
then  who  ministers  it  to  the  saints  ?  It  is  well  known  that  Jesus  chose 
and  prepared  certain  individuals  as  the  first  pillars  of  his  church,  and 
that  to  them  he  ministered  the  Holy  Ghost  on  the  day  of  pentecost, 
after  his  ascension.  And  as  he  was  thus  their  m.inister  of  course  he 
was  their  judge.  Btit  the  Holy  Ghost  was  never  given  to  any  after- 
wards in  the  same  manner.  None  afterwards  could  receive  it  im- 
mediately from  heaven,  but  by  the  ministration  of  those  on  earth 
who  had  received  it  before.  But  this  gift  and  oflice  was  not  confined 
to  the  first  apostles  alone ;  for  when  they  had  ministered  the  Holy 
Ghost  to  some,  these  again  could  minister  it  to  others.  And  the 
judgment  was  in  the  same  order,  in  proportion  to  the  work  of  that 
day. 

I  will  now  prove  Avhat  I  have  said  of  the  order  of  the  ministration 
of  the  Holy  Ghost.  How  the  apostles  first  received  it  is  manifest 
as  follows.  "  It  is  expedient  for  you  that  I  go  away  :  for  if  I  go  not 
"  away  the  comforter  (the  Holy  Ghost,)  will  not  come  unto  you  ; 
"  but  if  I  depart,  I  will  send  him  unto  you."  Again,  after  he  rose 
from  the  dead,  "  And  when  he  had  said  this,  he  breathed  on  them, 
"  and  saith  unto  them.  Receive  ye  the  Holy  Ghost.  Whosesoever 
"  sins  ye  remit,  they,  are  remitted  unto  them  ;  and  Avhoseso- 
"  ever  sins  ye  retain,  they  are  retained."  "  And  when  the  day  of 
"  pentecost  was  fully  come,  they  were  all  with  one  accord  in  one 
"  place.  And  suddenly  there  came  a  sound  from  heaven,  as  of  a 
"  rushing  mighty  wind,  and  it  filled  all  the  house  where  they  Avcre 
"  sitting.  And  there  appeared  unto  them  cloven  tongues,  like  as  of 
"  fire,  and  it  sat  upon  each  of  them."  (John  16.  7.  and  20.  22.  Acts 
2,  i.)  Thus  the  apostles  received  the  Holy  Ghost  immediately  from 
heaven  without  the  interposition  of  any  on  earth.  But  that  it  was 
n :)t  fo  af  ervrards  is  manifest  by  the  following.  "  Now  wheii  the 
''  apostles  who  were  at  Jerusalem  heard  that  Samaria  had  received 
<'  the  Avord  of  God,  they  sent  unto  them  Peter  and  John ;  who  when 
<•  they  were  coip.e  down,  prayed  for  them,  that  they  might  receive 
"  the  Holy  Ghost  [For  as  yet  he  was  fallen  upon  none  of  them ; 
"  only  they  Avere  baptised  in  the  name  of  the  Lord  Jesus.]  Then  laid 
"  they  their  hands  on  them,  and  they  received  the  holy  Ghost." 
[Acts  8.  13.  14.  ]  "  Paul  having  passed  through  the  upper  coasts, 
"  came  to  Ephesus  ;  and  finding  certain  disciples,  he  said  unto  them, 
*'  have  ye  received  the  Holy  Ghc-st  since  ye  believed.  ?  And  they 
*'  said  unto  him.  We  have  not  so  much  as  heard  whether  there  be 
"  any  Holy  Ghost.  And  when  Paul  had  laid  his  hands  upon  them, 
"  the  Holy  Ghost  came  on  them;  and  they  spake  with  tongues  and 
"prophesied."  [Acts  19.  1.  to.  6.] 

And  furtheiTnore  it  is  found  that  even  Paul  himself  though  cal- 
led to  be  an  apostle,  ye"t  as  his  conversion  to  the  faith  v/as  after  the 
Holy  Ghost  had  been  committed  to  the  church,  he  could  not  receive 
it  but  by  some  member  of  that  anointed  body.     By  the  vision  he  sav/ 


538  TPIE  CONFESSION 

going  to  Damascus  he  was  struck  bl'uxl  and  converted,  but  could  ifi 
that  way  neither  have  his  sight  restored,  be  filled  with  the  Holy 
Ghost,  nor  told  what  he  must  do.  For,  when  he  asked  saying  Lord 
^vhat  Avilt  thou  have  me  to  do  ?  the  answer  was,  <'  Arise  and  go  into 
*'  the  city  and  it  shall  be  told  thee  v/hat  thou  must  do."  And  when 
he  had  done  so  Ananias  a  member  of  Christ,  having  received  a  com- 
mandment of  liim,  entered  into  the  house,  and  putting  his  hands  on 
him,  Said,  <'  Brother  Saul,  the  Lord,  even  Jesus,  that  appeared  unto 
*»  thee  in  the  way  as  thou  earnest,  hath  sent  me  that  thou  mightest 
*'  receive  thy  sight  and  be  filled  with  tlic  Holy  Ghost.  "  [see  Acts 
9.  chapter.] 

It  is  worthy  of  particular  consideration,  that  before  Ananias  came 
Saul  had  remained  three  days  Avithout  sight  and  under  the  manifest 
marks  of  God's  displeasure;  by  which  it  is  the  more  evident  that  men 
cannot  be  initiated  into  union  and  fellowship  with  Christ,  except  in 
union  with  liis  body  the  church.  Angels  cannot  minister  it.  Even 
the  Angel  that  met  Saul  in  the  way,  although  he  came  in  the  name 
-of  Jesus  and  spake  in  that  name  could  not  mmistcr  it.  Christ  is 
the  Savior  of  the  souls  of  men  not  angels ;  and  Christ  M-as  not  to 
be  found  save  in  his  temple.  The  Holy  Spirit  that  was  sent  in 
Christ's  name  as  he  had  promised,  and  had  taken  its  abode  in  the 
church,  acted  and  judged  in  the  name  and  authoiity  of  Christ  on 
earth.  And  none  could  obtain  judgment  or  atonement  in  any  other 
line.  The  treasures  of  the  gospel  were  commited  to  earthen  vessels, 
these  were  the  light  of  the  world  and  the  salt  or  savior  of  the 
earth;  there  was  the  tabernacle  of  God,  his  altar  and  his  holy  fire, 
so  clearly  prefiguercd  in  the  law  of  Moses — there  were  the  keys, 
and  the  power  to  biiid  and  to  loose,  to  remit  and  retain,  there  was  the 
enterance  into  the  kingdom — and  thei-e  could  be  no  other,  so  long  as 
God  continued  to  be  a  God  of  order  and  not  of  confusion. 

The  case  also  of  Cornelius  the  Centurian  serves  eminently  to 
prove  the  same  thing.  It  is  written  (Acts  10.  3-)  that  "He  saw  in 
*•  a  vision  evidently  about  the  ninth  hour  of  the  day,  an  angel  of 
*'  God  coming  in  to  him,  and  saying  xinto  him,  Cornelius.  And 
<'  v/hcn  lie  looked  on!iim,  he  was  afraid,  and  said  unto  him.  What  is 
"  it  Lord  ?  And  he  said  unto  him,  Thy  prayers  and  thine  alms  are 
"  come  up  for  a  memorial  before  God.  And  now  send  men  to 
*•  Joppa,  and  call  for  one  Simon,  whose  sii-name  is  Peter  ;  lie  lodgetk 
"  with  one  Sirnon  a  tanner  whose  house  is  by  the  sea-side :  he  shall  tell 
'•thee  what  thou  oughtest  to  do."  Peter  himself  afterv/ards  relates 
the  same;  "  Arid  we  entered  into  m:c  man's  house.  And  he  shewed 
"  us  hov/  he  had  seen  an  angel  in  his  house,  who  stood  and  said  unto 
"  him.  Send  men  to  Joppa,  and  call  for  Simon,  whose  sirftame  is  Peter, 
"  v,^ho  shall  tell  the  words  whereby  thou  and  all  thy  house  shall  be 
*'  saved.  And  as  I  began  to  speak,  the  Floly  Ghost  fell  on  them,  as 
"  on  us  at  the  beginning.  But  wliy  could  not  the  angel  have  told 
Cornelius  Avords  whereby  he  and  liis  house  should  be  saved,  and  mi- 
uistercd  to  them  the  Holy  Ghost?  Had  not  Jesus  ascended  to  the 
tlironc  of  Gcd  in  the  heavens?  and  had  not  Cornelius  seen  an  angcJ 


OF  SINS.  iS9 

from  heaven  and  conversed  with  him  ?  "What  need  then  of  sending^ 
all  the  way  to  Joppa,  and  waiting  several  days  for  a  mortal  man  like 
themselves,  before  they  could  know  what  to  do,  or  receive  the  unc- 
tion ?  The  reason  is  plain,  as  shown  above.  "  No  man,"  saith  Jesus, 
«  cometh  to  the  Father  but  by  me."  And  saith  the  apostle ;  "  For  as 
"  the  body  Is  one,  and  hath  many  members,  and  all  the  members  of 
"  that  one  body,  being-  many,  are  one  body  ;  so  also  is  Christ." 
Christ  in  his  body  Was  the  way  the  truth  and  the  life,  and  none  could 
be  taught  the  way  or  receive  the  truth  and  the  life  separately  from 
that  body.  I  am  the  vine,  ye  are  the  branches — As  my  Father  hath 
sent  me  into  the  world  even  so  send  I  you  into  the  world — lie  that 
receiveth  you  receiveth  me,  and  he  that  recciveth  me  receivcth  him 
that  sent  me.  As  ambassadors  of  Christ  therefore,  we  pray  you  in 
Christ's  stead  be  ye  reconciled  to  God — For  judgment  am  I  come 
into  the  v/orld — And  when  he  [the  Holy  Ghost]  cometh  he  shall  con- 
vince the  world  of  sin,  of  righteousness,  and  of  judgment — Know  ye 
not  that  the  saints  shall  judge  the  world?  Receive  ye  the  Floly 
Ghost.  Whosesoever  sins  ye  remit  they  are  remitted  unto  them; 
and  whosesoever  sins  ye  retain  they  are  retained — And  niany  tliat 
believed  came  and  confessed  and  shewed  their  deeds — Confess  your 
faults  oijie  to  another  and  pray  one  for  another,    (.fas.  5.  16.) 

This  effect  of  coming  and  confessing  and  showing  their  decds,^secms. 
to  have  been  the  genuine  influence  of  divine  truth  on  the  heart,  to  turn 
the  man's  inside  out,  and  e:;posc  him  in  the  light  in  his  true  colors. 
Thus  Christ  is  the  true  light  v.'hich  lightencth  every  man  who  cometb 
into  the  world  ;  and  every  honest,  faithful  man  feels  at  once  the  pro- 
priety of  exposing  the  dark  works  of  iniquity  in  the  light,  and  of 
putting  every  man  in  his  own  proper  place  according  to  his  proper 
character.  When  therefore  the  light  has  found  its  entrance  into  any 
man  who  heareth  the  gospel,  he  may  bring  his  deeds  into  the  light, 
and  expose  himself,  in  the  regular  line  of  God's  judgment,  and  hnd 
mercy,  or  he  may,  in  many  cases,  shrink  from  the  light,  and  cover  up 
from  the  judgnTent  of  God  for  a  time,  until  he  shall  be  arraigned  in 
person,  (for  none  can  escape  the  judgment,)  with  all  his  sins  follow- 
ing him  to  his  greater  condemnation  ;  as  it  is  written,  "  Some  men's 
"  sins  are  open  beforehand,  going  before  to  the  judgment:  and 
"  some  they  follow  after."  [1  Tim.  5.  24.]  But  this  influence  of  di- 
vine light,  leading  people  to  confess  their  sins,  was  not  limited  to  the 
primitive  church;  it  hath  been  experienced  in  modern  times,  in  di- 
vers cases,  among  those  who  had  no  understanding  of  the  line  of 
God's  judgment,  or  the  order  of  confession. 

Some  may  suppose  that  the  confession  here  spoken  of  is  not  abso- 
lutely necessary  &r  all,  because  it  is  not  vrritten  that  all  tliat  believed 
came  and  confessed  and  shewed  their  deeds,  but  only  many  of  them. 
But  since  it  is  clear  that  many  did  it,  what  reason  is  there  to  suppose 
that  any  did  not  who  were  sound  and  honest.  It  is  evident  a  great 
part  who  professed  in  that  day  were  for  from  being  real  christians. 
For  a  proof  of  this  see  the  follovving  plain  and  honest  testimonies  to 
tire  point.     "  From  whence   come  wars  and  fightings  an^ong  you  ? 


240  THE  CONFESSIOX 

«  Come  they  not  hence,  even  of  your  lusts,  that  war  in  your  mem- 
"  bers?  Ye  lust,  and  ye  have  not:  ye  kill,  and  desire  to  have,  and. 
^  cannot  obtain :  ye  fight  and  war,  yet  ye  have  not,  because  ye  ask_ 
"  not :  ye  ask,  and  receive  not,  because  ye  ask  amiss,  that  ye  may 
*'  consume  it  upon  your  lusts.  Ye  adulterers  and  adulteresses." 
rjas.  4.  l.~|  "  For  many  v/alk,  of  whom  I  have  told  you  often,  and 
"•  now  tell  you  ev.en  weeping,  that  they  are  the  enemies  of  the  cross 
"  of  Christ ;  whose  end  is  destruction,  whose  God  is  their  belly,  and 
"  Vi'hose  glory  is  in  their  shame,  who  mind  earthly  things."  <'  These 
"  are  spots  in  your  feasts  of  charity,  when  they  feast  with  you,  feed 
"  ing  themselves  without  fear  :  clouds  they  arc  without  water,  car- 
"  ricd  about  of  winds;  trees  whose  fruit  withereth,  without  fruit,  twice 
"  dead,  plucked  up  by  theroots."  "  This  thou  knowest  that  all  they 
"  which  are  in  Asia  are  turned  away  from  me."  fPhil.  3.  13,  19. 
Jude.  12.  Tim.  1.  15.] 

These  false  professors  were  not  real  members  of  the  church  oF 
Christ.  They  received  the  gospel  only  as  seed  sown  on  stony  ground, 
or  among  thorns,  and  very  likely  such  as  never  honestly  brought 
their  deeds  to  the  light,  as  those  did  who  received  the  word  into  good 
and  honest  hearts.  But  that  is  no  proof  that  it  is  not  necessary  for 
all  in  order  to  acceptance  with  God.  The  orderly  work  of  the  gos- 
pel in  one  or  a  few,  showcth  its  nature  and  tendency  as  correctly  as 
in  many,  or  in  all.  Moreover,  the  phrase,  manij^  is  used  more  than 
once,  when  all  are  intended,  particularly  who  belong  to  a  certain 
class,  or  are  the  subjects  of  a  certain  work,  as,  "  If  through  the  of- 
"  fence  of  one  many  (that  is,  the  whole  family  of  Adam,)  be  dead,, 
"  [have  died]  ;  much  more  the  grace  of  God,  and  the  gift  by  grace, 
"  by  one  man,  .Tesus  Christ,  hath  abounded  to  many" — to  tlie  whole 
family  of  Christ.  "  And  many  of  them  that  sleep  in  the  dust  of 
"  the  earth  shall  awake,  some  to  everlasting  life,  and  some  to  shame 
"  and  everlasting  contempt."  That  is,  c//,  both  good  and  bad,  in  the 
day  of  final  rewards.  [Ro.  5.  15,  17,  19.  Dan.  is'.  2.]  Thus  we  un- 
derstand that  "  Many  of  those  who  believed  came,  and  confessed, 
"  and  shewed  their  deeds" — all  those  whose  conviction  was  deep  and 
whose  hearts  were  honest,  and  who  were  intent  on  having  the  gospel 
in  its  fulness  and  purity,  who  were  willing  to  endure  the  cross  de- 
spising the  shame. 

Respecting  the  words  of  James  quoted  awhile  back,  where  he 
teachcth  the  people  to  confess  their  faults  one  to  another,  it  hath 
been  argued  that  they  cannot  relate  to  the  necessity  or  utility  of  con- 
fessing sins  to  God,  or  for  the  purpose  of  obtaining  the  forgiveness 
of  Ciod,  because  the  Mord  is,  faults;  and  a  criticism  hath  been  intro- 
duced on  the  Greek  text,  that  the  Avord  is  not  [a.uapriar]  sins,  but 
[«apttrfT'u,uara]  faults,  errors,  blunders,  or  the  lii;e.  This  is  however 
a  flimsy  criticism  for  a  man  of  learning,  a  mere  evasion  to  blind  the 
weak  and  unlearned.  But  every  honest  man,  acquainted  with  the 
Greek  text,  can  easily  discover  the  cheat  by  observir.g  that  it  is  the 
same  woid,  by  whicli  the  apostle  has  expressed  the  sin,  or  offence,, 
of  him  by  whor^e  ofience  judgment  came  \ipcn  all  men  to  condcm- 


OPSINS.  241 

natibn,  and  by  v/Iiom  death  reigned,  as  well  as  tlie  numerous  ouences 
committed  aftcrv/ards,  all  productive  of  condemnation  and  death. 
These,  therefore,  appear  to  be  doleful  and  pernicious  ofiences,  or 
fluilts,  well  descrvin,^-  the  name  of  sins. 

We  Avill  not  deny  that,  [d^aprta.]  the  word  commonly  translated 
sin,  is  tlie  proper  word  to.commimicatc  the  notion  of  sin,  in  its  na- 
ture and  inward  principles,  as,  "  Behold  the  Lamb  of  God  v/ho  taketh 
"  away  the  sin  [aucpTiai']  of  the  world."  j_Jno.  1.29-3  Neither  will 
we  deny  that  it  is  commonly  and  very  properly  used  to  e::pre33  sin- 
ful actions.  But  it  is  also  certain  tliat  the  apostle  Paul  uses  the 
sams  word  [c;a,iarti'i<)/ia]  which  the  apostle  James  uses,  and  which 
ii  translated  faults  ;  this  same  word,  I  say,  Paul  uses  to  express  those 
acts  of  iniquity  v/hich  Adam  first,  and  his  children  after  him,  com- 
mitted, which  bring  condemnation  and  death  ;  and  these  are  th.e  pro- 
per burden  of  confession  ;  these  are  sins.  "  For  if,  through  the  of- 
"  fence  [tj^ipartrujaart]  of  onc,  many  be  dead,"  [a.-ts^avov,  have  died  ;"] 
"  For  if  by  one  man's  offence  [j^apartto  u-in^^  death  reigned  by  one.'' 
"  Therefore,  as  by  the  offence  [Kapart-rwMaT'oj']  of  onc,  judgment 
"  came  upon  ail  men  to  condem:iation."  The  same  apostle  also  a 
few  verses  before  (Rom.  4.  25.)  hath  used  precisely  the  same  word 
|]r;apartT'co«aT'a]  to  describe  the  sins  for  v/hich  Christ  was  delivered  to 
death  who  was  delivered  for  our  offences  or  faults  according  to  tlie 
same  word,  as  used  by  James.  That  the  apostle  James  had  a  direct 
view  to  the  confession  of  sins,  properly  so  called,  is  confirmed  by  the 
liistory  of  the  cluirch  in  the  first  century,  which  vv^as  that  in  whicii 
the  apostles  lived  and  wrote.  "  Those  v/ho  v/crc  visited  with  violent 
"•  and  dangerous  disorders,  sent,  according  to  the  apostle's  direction, 
"  for  the  rulers  of  the  church,  and,  after  confessing  their  sins,  were 
"  recommended  by  them  to  the  divine  mercy."  (Eccl.  His.  V.  I.  P. 
127.)  The  same  historical  accounts  shov,'  us  that  the  practice  of  con- 
fessing sins  v/as  always  kept  in  the  church ;  among  the  various  classes 
v.ho  professed  the  christian  name,  whether  those  who  v.crc  counted 
the  orthodox  church  and  held  the  power  of  law  in  their  hands,  or 
those  who  were  counted  heretics,  and  suffered  the  pereccution  of 
their  lordly  oppressors.  The  above  extract  gives  us  a  m.odciate  in- 
timation of  the  state  of  tilings  in  the  first  century,  as  being  sanctioned 
by  the  apostle's  counsel  to  the  sick,  v/hich  is  in  immediate  ar.d  direct 
connection  with  the  counsel  to  confess  one  to  another,  as  a  part  of  the 
same  instructions;  and  this  relation showeth  that  the  primitive  churcli 
understood  it  of  the  confession  of  sins  pronerly  so  called.  And  hi 
the  seventh  Ave  have  an  account  of  the  ci  n'.'-ission  of  sins  spoken  of 
as  a  common  matter  known  to  all,  and  not  as  an  innovation  ;  but  like 
other  apostolic  instructions,  afcer  the  apostacy  got  in,  suifeiing  the 
modifications  and  regulations  of  men.  Thus  the  following  extract 
states,  "  This  zealous  prelate,  (Theodore,)  formed  and  executed  sc- 
"  veral  pious  and  laudaljle  projects ;  and  among  other  things  reduced 
"  to  a  regular  science  that  branch  of  the  ecclesiastical  law,  which  is 
"  known  by  the  name  of  penitential  cli';ci/iline.  He  published  a  fic- 
'i  nltcntial  which  was  cntirclv  new  to  the  Latin  world,  \r;  which  the 

'    II  2 


'it2  THE  CONFESSION 

"  clergy  were  laug'hi,  to  distinguish  sins  into  various  classes,  according- 
"  as  they  were  more  or  less  heinous,  private  or  public  ;  to  judge  of 
"  them  and  determine  the  degrees  of  their  guilt  by  their  nature  and 
"  conscfiucnces ;  the  intention  of  the  offender;  tlie  time  and  place 
"  in  viiich  they  v/ere  committed  ;  and  the  ciicumstances  with  which 
"  they  were  attended.  This  new  /lenitential  contained  aho  the  me- 
"  thcds  of  proceeding  with  respect  to  offenders ;  pointed  out  the 
"  penalties  that  vrere  suitable  to  the  various  classes  of  trarisgressicnj 
"  pro^icribcd  the  forms  of  consolation^  exhortation  and  absolution  ; 
"  discribcd  in  an  ample  and  accurate  manner,  the  duties  and  obliga- 
"  tions  of  those  who  were  to  receive  the  confessions  of  the  penitent.'* 
(Eod.  V.  2.  r.  177.)  We  need  no  plainer  testimony  that  this  peniten- 
tial of  Theodore  embraced  the  universally  acknowledged  practice 
and  indisputable  propriety  of  confessing  sins  to  the  gospel  ministry^ 
that  is  to  God  in  them,  or  in  their  presence. 

In  the  twelfth  century,  there  seems  to  have  existed  a  dispute  or 
controversy,  M'ith  respect  to  the  confession  of  sins,  between  the  Wal- 
denses,  a  people  justly  esteemed  for  then-  piety  and  good  faith,  and 
tiie  Roman  church  ;  not  relating  to  the  propriety  or  duty  of  confess- 
ing sins,  for  that  was  granted  on  both  sides,  but  whether  confession 
must  of  necessity  be  made  to  the  priesthood,  or  whether  it  would  be 
sufficient  if  made  to  a  private  christian.  Of  the  Waldenses  it  is  said  ; 
"  They,  at  the  saine  time,  affirmed,  that  every  pious  christian  was 
"  qualified  and  entitled  to  prescribe  to  the  penitent  the  kind  and  de- 
"  gree  of  satisfaction^  or  expiation,  that  their  transgressions  requir- 
"  cd  ;  that  confession  made  to  priests  Avas  by  no  means  necessary, 
"  since  the  humble  offender  (sinner)  might  acknowledge  (confess) 
"  his  sins  and  testify  his  repentance  to  any  true  believer,  and  might 
'•  expect  from  such  the  counsels  and  admonitions  that  his  case  and 
"  circumstances  demanded."  (Eod.  V.  3.  P.  120,  121.)  No  doubt 
but  the  \Valdcnses  were  led  to  this  view  of  confessing  to  believers  in 
common,  from  two  considerations.  The  first  Avas,  that  in  the  days  of 
primitive  Christianity,  the  business  of  ministering  the  gospel,  and 
taking  a  part  in  the  edification  of  others,  was  not  confined  to  the 
priesthood,  or  the  appointed  ministry,  as  it  was  in  after  times  among 
those  who  have  assumed  the  character  of  orthodox  or  orderly  chris- 
tiai^s.  And  the  second,  to  resist  the  abuses  which  were  introduced 
by  the  Roman  priesthood  in  that  with  every  other  christian  institution. 
But  that  a  proper  ministerial  order,  or  priesthood,  belongs  to  the 
ciiurch  of  Christ,  it  is  evident,  not  only  by  the  scripture  testimony, 
an  shown  before,  but  by  the  attempts  which  anti-christ  has  made  in 
his  various  branches  to  imitate  and  keep  it  up :  by  arbitrary  authority 
after  the  apostacy  took  place. 

The  following  extracts  are  taken  from  the  history  of  the  thirteenth 
and  fourteenth  centuries,  and  support  the  evidence  that  the  same 
practice  of  confessing  sins  to  God  in  his  ministers  was  universally 
approved,  though  son^e  <lisputes  existed  relating  to  this  point ;  Who 
were  the  proper  pernons  ?  B'at  that  they  were  in  the  true  church,, 
wherever  that  Vvas,  hath  been  always  granted ;  tor  in  th-at  is  the  pow- 


OF  SINS.  24S 

cr  of  forgiveness  and  salvation,  and' of  necessity  those  wlio  keep  it. 
Accordingly,  in  the  following  extracts  this  power  is  granted  to  exist 
m  the  chvirch  ;  but  a  controversy  existed  with  respect  to  the  order  of 
communicating  it.  They  are  taken  from  the  history  of  the  mendi- 
cant friars,  who  arc  said  to  have  received  such  uncommon  privileges 
as  to  excite  discontent  and  opposition  against  them.  <■-  Such, 
*'  among  many  other  extraordinary  prerogatives,  was  the  permission 
*'  they  received  from  the  pontiffs,  of  preaching  to  the  multitude, 
^"  hearing  confesnion^  and  pronouncing  absolution  without  any  license 
"  from  the  bishops."  (Eod.  V.  3.  P.  194.)  "  But^  John  de  Poi.liac  set 
"  himself  openly  against  them,  publicly  denying  the  validity  of  the 
"  absolution  granted  by  the  Dominicans  and  Franciscans  to  those 
"  who  confessed  to  them,  maintaining  that  the  Popes  were  disabled 
"  from  granting  theni  a  power  of  absolution  by  the  authority  of  th.c 
<'  canon^  entitled,  omniH  utrluscjus  scxus-,  and  proving  from  these 
"  premises,  that  al!  those  Avho  would  be  sure  of  salvation,  ought  to 
"  confess  their  sins  to  their  own  parish  priests,  even  though  they  had 
^'  been  absolved  by  the  monks."  (Eod.  V.  3.  P.  323.)  And  so  uni- 
versally was  the  practice  acknowledged  and  authenticated  tliat  the 
Lutheran  church  kept  up  the  practice,  notwithstanding  the  great  op- 
position between  them  and  the  Catholics,  and  the  casting  off  by  the 
former,  of  so  many  things  practised  b\  the  latter.  But  the  professed- 
principles  of  all  who  dissented  from  the  church  of  Rome  in  many 
centuries,  or  bore  testimony  against  her,  being  to  reform  tlie  church 
or  restore  the  primitive  simplicity  of  the  gospel,  would  naturally 
include  the  confession  of  sins  in  the  living  temple  or  house  of  God, 
which  was  unquestionably  known  to  be  a  practice  and  an  order  de- 
scending indirect  line  from  the  apostles  and  primitive  christians.  It 
is  related  in  history,  that  a  certain  Joiix  Caspar  Sciiade,  near  the 
close  of  the  seventeenth  century,  "  Inveighed  with  the  greatest  Ijit- 
^'  terness,  against  the  custom  that  prevails  in  the  Lutheran  church  of 
-*'  confessing  privately  to  the  clergy."  (V.  5.  P.  317.)  Thus  bv 
these  few  testimonies,  as  well  as  by  the  testimony  of  the  scriptures, 
it  is  sufficiently  evident  that  no  people  ever  had  any  correct  order  or 
form  of  the  christian  profession  without  embracing  in  it  the  univer- 
sal practice  of  confessing  their  sins  to  God,  and  that  too  before  his 
Avitnesses,  or  those  who  were  so  reputed,  or  in  his  living  temple, 
the  proper  place  to  offer  up  sacrifices  according  to  the  gospel,  ac- 
ceptable to  God  through  Jesus  Christ. 

The  Catholics  are  acknowledged  to  have  universally  made  use  of 
confession.  And  I  know  of  nothing  Avhich  the  people  believe  con- 
cerning the  Catholic  faith,  which  discovers  more  brutish  ignorance 
of  God  and  man,  than  the  supposition  that  they  invented  it  them- 
selves, or  introduced  it  from  any  other  source  than  the  revelation  cf 
God  or  apostolic  authority  ;  except  the  supposition  that  they  or  any 
other  people,  ever  invented  the  testimony  or  the  faith  and  cross 
against  the  sexual  intercourse  in  the  flesh,  or  ever  received  such  a 
faith  except  from  God.  The  Catholics  and  others  who  were  covmted 
•heretics  by  them,  agree  in  the  authenticity  and  utility  of  the  prac- 


144  THE  CONFESSIOiV 

tice  ;  and  tbc}'  could  never  have  held  the  people  to  it  so  loBf;,  not 
only  the  ignorant  and  the  superstitious,  hut  the  learned,  the  judicious, 
and  the  most  pious,  had  it  not  been  of  God  and  well  authenticated. 
For  there  is  r.othiug  in  it  so  agreeable  to  nature,  that  men  would  in- 
vent or  cleave  to  such  a  practice  for  nougiit.  And  whatever  earthly 
eniniuments  may  have  accrued  to  the  Roman  priesthood,  and  how- 
ever theyrnif^ht  have  duped  the  laily,  to  the  practice  for  their  own 
interest,  this  could  have  been  no  motive  to  those  who,  from  time  to 
time,  testiiied  against  the  Roman  Catholic  practices,  and  thereby  ex- 
posed tiicmselves  to  persecution  and  to  death.  But  the  corruptions 
and  abuses  with  wh.ich  the  Catholics  have  murdered  all  the  christian 
institutions,  give  tirls  cne  a  poor  appearance  in  their  hsnds,  and  maj 
have  been  one  cav^s3  why  Calvinists  and  other  dissenters  from  t lie 
Reman  church  cast  off  the  practice  with  the  abuses.  Nevertheless 
the  Roman  church,  in  connection  with  those  of  a  more  commenda- 
ble practice,  and  who  arc  called  heretics,  is  an  abiding  and  swift  wit- 
ness in  vindication  cf  the  true  order  of  Gcd  in  the  confession  and  for- 
giveness of  sins.  For  although  they  have  long  been  entirely  desti- 
tute of  the  true  Spirit  and  power  of  Christ,  "  Having  a  form  of  god- 
"  lincss  but  denying  (he  power,"  they  have  preserved  the  form,  or 
rather  the  skeleton  cf  it,  the  most  correctly  of  any  other  people, 
likely,  on  earth,  and  are  the  best  able  to  prove  their  descent  ia  a  di- 
rect line  from  the  apcsllcs. 

But  the  nature  cf  the  gospel  work  is  such  as  to  show,  as  I  may 
say,  in  eKpKT:Tt  terms,  that  the  power  of  sahation,  including  the  con- 
Icssjcn  and  /the  forgiveness  cf  sins,  is  in  the  chi;rch  on  earth.  "  For 
"  we  preach  not  ourselves,  but  Christ  Jesus  the  Lord  ;  and  ourselves 
**  your  scrvints  for  .Tcsns'  sake.  For  Gcd,  who  commanded  the 
*'  light  to  shine  out  of  darkness,  hath  shincd  in  our  hearts,  to  give  the 
"  light  of  the  knowledge  of  the  glory  of  Gcd  in  the  face  of  Jesus 
<'  Christ.  J^ut  wc  have  this  trcasiu'C  (Gcd  and  his  Christ,)  in  earthen 
"  vessels,  that  the  excellency  of  the  power  may  be  of  Gcd,  and  rx-t; 
"of  i\s."  And  again ;  "But  the  righteousness  which  is  of  faith 
"  spcakclh  on  this  wise.  Say  not  in  thine  heart.  Who  shall  ascend 
"  into  ?;cavcn?  (that  is  to  bring  Christ  down  from  above  :)  or,  Who 
"  shall  descend  into  the  deep  ?  (that  is,  to  luring  up  Chris  again  from 
"  tl'ic  dead.)  But  what  saith  it  ?  The  v/ord  is  nigh  thee,  in  thf 
"  mouth  and  in  thy  heart ;  tliat  is,  the  word  of  faith  which  we  preach. 
"  Tliat  if  tlicu  shalt  confess  with  thy  m.outh  the  Lord  Jesus,  and 
"  shall  believe  in  thine  heart  that  God  raised  him  from  the  dead  thou 
"  shalt  be  saved.  For  with  the  heart  man  believcth  unto  rightcous- 
"  ncss,"  (or  acknowledges  and  contemplates  the  way  in  which  it  is  to 
be  obtained ;  and  so  his  faith  is  imputed  to  him  for  lighteousne^s 
thus  far,  n;  (iiiy.aioaw.^v.  The  same  phrase  is  used  which  is  rendered 
^for  riff/iiecvsnrss,  when  Abraham's  faith,  or  believing,  is  said  to  he 
imputed  to  him.  Rut  to  obtain  sal^'aticn,  more  than  bclievir^g  has  to 
be  done.)  "  and  with  lh^  mouth  confession  is  made  unto  salvation." 
(ft;'  (suftniioiv,  for  salvation,  as  setting  out  to  obtain  it:  for  salvation  is 
the  er.dj  or  result,  and  perfecting  of  faith  and  cbcdience  and  net  the 


OF  SINS.  245 

beginning.)  Fcv  the  scripture  saith,  "  Whosoever  believcth  on  him 
*'  shall  not  be  asliamecl.  For  there  is  no  diftcrcncc  between  the  Jew 
*'  and  the  Greek."  (2.  Cor.  4.  5,  G,  7.  Ro.  10.  6,  Sec.) 

In  these  scriptures  we  are  cJearly  taught  that  Christ,  t!ie  salvation 
of  God,  and  the  power  of  God  to  salvation,  dwells  with  men  on  earth. 
IVe  liave  this  treasure  in  earthen  -oensels.  What  treasure  ?  The 
power  of  God  to  salvation — God  himself  who  first  commanded  the 
light  to  shine  out  of  darkness,  and  who  also  hath  shined  into  our 
hearts  to  give  us  the  light  of  the  knov.dedge  of  the  glory  of  God  in 
the  face,  or  person,  [^iv  wpo^rtorrco]  of  Jesus  Christ,  or  as  it  shi'.ictli  in 
him — that  is  very  Christ  the  Savior.  Again ;  The  Word  is  nigh 
thee  ;  the  Logos,  [  "t.oyo^l^  the  eternal  Word.  So  that  there  is  no  need 
to  say  in  thine  lieavt,  even  once  to  think.  Who  shall  ascend  into  hea- 
ven, to  bring  Christ  down  ;  for  he  hath  already  come  and  taken  up 
his  abode  vv'ith  men ;  or  Who  shall  descend  into  the  deep,  or  into 
hades,  the  ]5lace  of  departed  spirits,  to  bring  up  Christ  again  ficni 
the  dead,  for  he  is  already  risen,  and  we  arc  quickened  together  v/ilh 
him  by  the  same  Spirit ;  for  he  dwellelh  in  us.  The  word  v/hich 
"we  preach  say  the  men  of  God.  The  word  of  faith  ;  the  word  of  God 
by  which  faith  cometh,  or  is  produced,  when  it  is  preached  and 
heard,  as  well  as  tliat  Woud  which  is  the  object  of  faith,  the  word  of 
God,  which  is  Christ.  Seeing  then  that  Christ  the  salvation  of  God 
hath  his  habitation  in  his  church  with  the  fulness  of  salvation,  and  he 
is  the  head  of  the  body ;  no  icasonabic  doubt  can  erJst  brt  theie  is 
the  correct  and  orderly  place  to  confess  sins,  and  find  forgiveness  and 
salvation.  And  as  Christ  tlie  ])ower  o^  salvation  is  knoAvn  only  in  his 
body,  the  church,  v/liich  is  Christ,  no  man  can  confess  Christ  the 
Lord  with  his  mouth  in  any  other  order  or  way  disconnected  from 
this  body.  To  confess  nvith  thy  mouth  the  Lord  Jest:s,  is  more  than 
a  verbal  acknowledgment  that  he  is  the  Christ,  and  tiiat  God  hath 
raised  him  from  the  dead ;  for  many  make  this  verbal  cgnfession,  and 
believe  in  their  hearts  that  God  raised  him  from  the  dead,  and  yet 
know  not  the  way  of  salvation.  In  strictness  of  language  all  who  be- 
lieve this  fact  at  all  believe  it  in  their  hearts  ;  for  they  have  no  ether 
method  or  place  to  believe  it.  But  the  phraseology,  both  here  and 
by  Philip  to  the  Eunuch,  is  no  doubt  intended  to  be  very  special  and 
emphatical,  implying  sincerity  of  conviction  and  honesty  of  inten- 
tion with  confession,  or  that  believing  wdiich  taketh  the  heart,  and  the 
heart  chooseth  the  thing  believed :  the  faith  and  confcssicn  must  go 
together.  And  tliis  confession  must  indubitably  be  such  as  to  com- 
prehend the  whole  character  and  commission  of  Christ,  as  the  mes- 
senger of  the  covenant,  or  covenant  of  salvation,  itself,  from  God  to 
men,  with  full  subjection  and  obedience,  according  to  what  is  writ- 
ten. "  I  will  give  thee  for  a  covenant  of  the  people,"  [:r\''i:},  a  puri- 
fier, or  Savior.]  If  tiien  Jesus  Christ  is  the  fcrgiver  of  sins,  in  whose 
name  remission,  or  pardon  of  sins  is  preached  ;  which  is  indubitably 
true-,  and  if  confession  is  necessary  to  forgiveness;  v^liich  is  also 
true,  as  already  proved  ;  it  remains  true  and  proved^^  That  without 
confessing  cur  sins  to  him  in  h.is  body,  where  alone  he  is  kncw'n,  there 


546  THE  CONFESSION 

is  no  confcssin?^  (he  Lord  Jcaiis  -with  the  mouth  to  salvation.  It 
therefore  remains  true,  That  the  Son  of  man  hath  power  on  earth  to 
forgive  sins,  and  a  people  in  whom  that  power  resides  and  operates ; 
iind  the  saying-  is  iulfi'lcd,  which  is  written ;  "  Mercy  and  truth  are, 
*'  met  together  righteousness :  and  peace  have  kissed  each  other. 
"  Truth  shall  spring  out  of  the  earth ;  and  righteousness  shall  look 
*'  down  from  heaven.  Righteousness  shall  go  heforc  him,  and  shall 
♦'  set  us  in  the  way  of  his  steps."  (Psa.  85.  10,  11,  13.)  They  who 
dwell  on  the  earth  and  in  earthly  tabernacles,  practise  on  the  princi- 
ple of  honesty  and  truth  ;  and  the  LORD  OUR  RIGHTEOUS- 
NESS, looks  down  from  heaven  and  takes  his  abode  with  men : 
they  who  in  an  honest  and  good  heart  receive  the  word,  bring  foilh 
fruit. 

The  words  of  the  apostle  Peter,  which  have  already  been  intro- 
duced, perfectly  accord  with  what  is  here  stated.  "  To  whom  com- 
"  ing,  as  unto  a  living  stone,  disallowed  indeed  of  men,  but  chosen  of 
*'  God,  and  precious,  Ye  also,  as  living  stones,  are  built  up  a  spiritual 
*'  house,  an  holy  priesthood  to  offer  up  spiritual  sacrifices,  acceptable 
"  to  God  by  Jesus  Christ.  Wherefore  also,  it  is  contained  in  the 
"  scripture,  Behold,  I  lay  in  Sion  a  chief  corner  stone,  elect,  precious: 
"  and  he  that  believeth  on  him  shall  not  be  confounded."  «  But  ye 
*'  are  a  chosen  generation,  a  royal  priesthood,  an  holy  nation,  a  pecu- 
*'  liar  people ;  that  ye  should  shew  forth  the  praises  of  hhn  who 
"  hath  called  you  out  of  darkness  into  \\\i,  marvellous  light :  Which  in 
"  time  past  were  not  a  people,  but  are  now  the  people  of  God  :  which 
*'  had  not  obtained  mercy,  but  now  have  obtained  mercy."  (1  Pet.  2. 
4,  5,6,9,10.)  Accordingly  we  have  the  united  testimony  of  the 
apostles  in  their  writings,  that  Christ  with  his  whole  salvation  dwells 
in  his  church  on  earth;  the  church  is  his  peculiar  people,  a  people 
for  a  possession,  or  acquisition;  j^xao,'  ft,-  ctptrtoij^rju.  ;~j  that  is,  his 
temple,  or  house,  wherein  to  offer  sacrifices,  make  confession,  and 
offer  praise ;  therein  are  his  priests  to  receive  the  offerings  and 
make  atonement ;  this  same  church  is  his  kingdom,  the  people,  the 
members  of  vv'hich,  show  forth  the  praises  of  him  who  hath  called 
them  out  of  darkness  into  light.  These  are  the  inhabitants  of  the 
kingdom  of  God,  the  kingdom  of  heaven  on  earth,  as  it  is  written  in 
another  place  ;  "  For  our  conversation  is  in  heaven,"  or  [©oxirav^aj 
citizenship  is  in  the  heavens ;  we  are  the  free  inhabitants  of  that 
kingdom ;  we  arc  come  to  Mount  Ziony  the  city  of  the  li-ving  God, 
the  heavenly  Jeruiiale7n  ;  and  there  Christ  dwelleth;  the  same  v/ho 
hath  power  on  earth  to  forgive  sins.  "  From  whence  also  we  look 
"for  the  Lord  Jesus."  [Rhil'  "'>•  19.]  From  the  same  heaven  of 
which  we  are  the  citizens. 

Now  in  all  these  things  it  is  evident  that  Christ  Jesus  the  Lord  is 
acknowledged,  to  be  the  substance  and  fountain  of  the  salvation  of 
God  to  men,  even  to  the  ends  of  the  eai-th  ;  the  Great  High  Priest, 
the  hearer  of  confessions,  and  the  forgiver  of  sins,  through  whom  wc 
receive  the  atonement.  But  Christ  is  in  his  temple  according  to  the 
established  order  of  God ;  and  there  he  is  a  stumbling-stone  and 


OF  SINS.  247 

rock  of  offence ;  '•  As  it  is  written,  Behold,  I  lay  in  Sion  a  stum- 
"  bling  stone,  and  rock  of  oiVcnce :  and  whosoever  bcUeveth  on  him 
"  shall  not  be  ashamed."  [Ro.  9.  33.]  The  people  can  endure  to 
woiship  a  Christ  far  off  whom  they  cannot  sec,  and  whose  habitation 
is  unknown ;  but  Christ  in  his  living  temple,  which  is  visible  and  ac- 
t-cKsible,  and  he  accessible  and  visible  in  it,  is  too  much  for  natural 
men  to  endure — he  is  a  stone  of  stumbling  and  rock  of  offence. 

"  Bvit  such  an  high  priest  became  us,  who  is  holy,  harmless,  un- 
"  defiled  and  separate  from  sinners,  and  made  higher  than  the  hea- 
"  vens."  [Heb.  7.  26.]  It  was  necessary  that  one  should  find  access 
to  the  throne  of  God  first,  as  a  forerunner  in  the  behalf  of  the  rest ; 
and  he  must  necessarily  be  one  who  was  separate  from  sinners,  for 
no  sinner  could  have  obtained  access  to  the  throne,  for  the  want  of  a 
Mediator,  antl  especially  because  he  would  have  been  in  an  agree- 
ment with  other  sinners,  and  therefore  could  never  have  overcome 
the  carnal  mind  which  is  enmity  against  God  and  ruleth  in  the  wicked, 
nor  have  trodden  the  wicked^under  his  feet.  But  Jesus  our  Grkat 
High  Priest, kept  himself  separate  from  sinners;  for  "He  did  no 
sin,  neither  was  guile  found  in  his  mouth;"  and  he  gained  access  to 
the  throne  of  God  and  to  his  mercy-seat,  M'hen  he  had  no  Mediator, 
and  thus  became  a  Mediator  for  sinners  in  their  lost  estate.  And 
this  he  did  through  consummate  sufferings  and_the  most  painful  labors, 
"  And  he  saw  that  there  was  no  man,  (to  stand  i)etv.'ceLi  him  a!)d  the 
"  throne  of  God,)  and  he  wondered  that  there  was  no  intercessor;" 
(or,  he  was  brought  into  consternation ;  .cbinii/''  from  .-CDSty  a  root 
importing,  wasting  or  consumption — The  zeal  of  thine  house  hatii 
consumed  me  ;)  because  there  was  no  intercessor  ;  "  Therefore  hi& 
"  own  arm  brought  salvation  to  him,  and  his  righteousness  it  suslain- 
"  ed  him."  "  I  have  trodden  the  v.ine-press  alone  ;  and  of  the  pco- 
"  pic  there  was  none  with  me  ;  for  I  have  trodden  them  in  mine  an- 
'•  ger  and  trampled  them  in  my  fury  ;  (the  nature  of  men  and  all  the 
«  people  who  abide  in  it;)  and  their  blood  hath  been  sprinkled  upon 
"  my  garments,  and  I  have  stained  aU  my  raiment.  For  the  day  of 
"  vengeance  (against  evil)  is  in  my  heart,  and  the  year  of  my  redeem- 
"  ed  is  come."  (I  am  determined  to  find  eternal  redemption.)  "  And 
"  I  looked  and  there  was  none  to  help  ;  and  I  wondered  that  there 
"  was  none  to  uphold  :  (or  I  was  brought  into  consternation,  as  above, 
"  and  yet  there  was  none  to  uphold  :)  therefore  mine  ov/n  arni 
"  brought  salvation  to  me  ;  and  my  fury  it  upheld  m^e."  "  But  Christ 
"  being  come  an  high  priest  of  good  things  to  come,  by  a  greater 
"  and  more  perfect  tabernacle  not  made  with  hands,  that  is  to  say, 
"  not  of  this  building,  neither  by  the  blood  of  goats  and  calves  ;  but 
"  by  his  own  blood,  he  entered  in  once  into  the  holy  place,  having 
"  obtained  (Greek,  found,  iv^oy-ivo^')  eternal  redemption,"  for  us ; 
having  first  gained  it  himself,  according  to  the  words  of  the  prophet 
just  quoted.  Thus  he  is  become  our  great  high  priest,  Avho  is 
made  perfect  through  sufferings,  and  is  the  head  of  the  body,  in 
whom  all  the  priesthood  are  comprehended,  who  minister  in  the  name 
and  by  the  authority  of  the  great  high  priest,  receive  the  offei'ings 


2i3  Tlii:  CONFESSION 

of  the  people,  hear  their  confL  ssior.s,  and  make  atcnenient,  accorcT- 
iag  to  the  true  order  of  God  in  the  gospel,  the  fulfdnitnt  and  sub- 
stance of  that  which  was  set  forth  by  shadows  under  the  law.  "  As 
"  thou  hast  sent  me  into  the  world,"  said  Jesus,  '•  even  so  have  I  sent 
•'  them  into  tlie  world.  And  the  glory  which  tliou  gavest  me  I  have 
"  given  them;  that  they  may  be  one,  even  as  we  are  one:  I  in  them 
'•  and  thou  \n  me,  that  they  may  be  made  perfect  in  cr.c."  So  that 
wherever  his  people  are,  there  is  Christ,  and  there  is  the  Father;  and 
whateTcr  commission  Jesus  the  Christ  had  to  the  v»crld,  the  same 
have  his  niipisters ;  provided  always,  that  he  is  the  head  and  fore- 
runner, who  opened  the  way,  and  always  hatli  the  pre-eminence.  Is 
it  given  to  him  of  the  Father  to  execute  judgip.ent ;  so  is  ijPto  his 
people.  '•  Know  ye  not  that  the  saints  shall  judge  the  world."  Is  he 
the  hagh  priest  of  his  people,  to  '.vhom  it  is  proper  and  necessary  to 
make  confession  of  sins;  so  are  his  ministei-s  his  'subcminate  priests, 
as  hath  been  fairly  stated  and  proved.  Had  the  Son  of  man  power 
on  eai  t-i  to  forgive  sins,  by  the  commis^icn  ai^.d  gift  of  the  Father ; 
so  have  his  ministers  by  the  comraission  and  gift  of  tlie  Son.  "  Then 
'•  said  Jesus  to  them  again,  Peace  be  unto  you  ;  as  iny  Father  hath 
"  sent  me,  even  so  ser.d  I  you.  And  when  he  had  said  tl'.is  he  breath- 
"  ed  en  them,  aiid  said  unto  them.  Receive  yc  the  Holy  Ghost. 
''  Whosesoever  sins  ye  remit,  they  are  remitted  unto  them ;  and 
'•  whosesoever  sins  ye  retain,  they  are  retained  :"  and  so  in  other  res- 
pects, as  shown  in  ils  place. 

Once  more,  Jesus  said  to-his  disciples;  "  He  that  receiveth  you 
'•  receiveth  me  ;  and  he  that  receiveth  me,  receiveth  him  that  sent 
"  me."  And  that  saying  is  true,  not  only  as  it  respects  the  first 
disciples,  but  of  all  his  ministers.  "  Verily,  vesily  I  say  unto  you, 
"  He  that  receiveth  =iv/iomsoc-,.>cr  I  send,  receiveth  me;  and  he  that 
''  receiveth  me,  receiveth  him  that  sent  me."  '  Mat.  10.  40.  Jno.  13.]] 
20.)  Therefore,  seeing  the  Sen  and  the  Father  arc  in  his  minister, 
or  aiT;bassadcrs,  to  tiiat  effect  that  he  who  receiveth  them  receiveth 
both  t;:e  Son  an-d  the  Father  who  sent  him;  no  rcr.sonabie  objection 
can  be  raised ;  yea,  it  is  undeniable  and  irresistible,  that  they  who 
confess  tl^.eir  sins  to  them  whom  he  hath  sent,  that  is,  to  any  faithful 
and  true  minister  of  Christ,  in  th.e  faith  of  has  authority  and  his  com- 
mission to  his  ministers,  do  in  reality  confess  to  him  and  to  the  Father 
who  sent  him.  And  on  the  ether  hand;  "  He  that  despiseth  you, 
*'  despiseth  me  ;  'and  he  that  despiseth  me,  despiseth  him  that  sent 
'•  me."  (Luke  10.  16.)  It  is  therefore  evident,  that  they  who  reject 
or  despise  tl:e  mmisters  of  Christ,  refusing  to  ccr.fess  their  sins  to 
them,  or  to  God  in  tlicra,  ar.d  in  their  hearing,  will  be  esteemed  by 
Chriit  as  refusing  to  confess  to  him.  Without  this  ccnfession  there- 
fore, CO  real  or  acceptable  ccnfcssion  of  Christ  in  his  true  character 
and  commission,  can  be  made  :  and  they  who  deny  it  deny  Christ; 
ar.d  he  will  deny  them  before  his  Father  and  before  the  hcly  angels, 
lie  is  no  fini-.hcd  minisj^fr  of  Christ,  v.ho  will  refuse  to  stand  m  the 
place  of  Chiist  as  his  witness,  cr  living  temple,  and  hear  the  honest 
co^ifesslcn  of  those  v»"ho  are  intent  on  havinir  nalvaticn.     '•  Now  then, 


OPSINS.  249 

"  wc  are  ambassadors  for  Christ,  [^vTtsit  xpL^\i ;  in  Christ's  stead,  or  in 
*'  the  behalf  of  Christ,]  as  though  God  did  beseech  you  by  us:  we 
"  pray  you,  ia  Christ's  stead,  [or  in  the  behalf  of  Christ,  ^cjsp  A'ptf» 
'•  as  above,]  be  ye  reconciled  to  God."  [2  Cor.  5.  20.]  And  on  the 
same  principle  of  receiving  Christ  and  rejecting  hiin,  confessing 
hioi  and  denying  him,  serving  him  and  neglecting  him  in  his  people, 
the  final  judgment  of  all  men  is  eternally  decided.  "  And  the  King 
''  shall  answer,  and  say,  unto  them,  (the  righteous  who  have  done 
"  good  deeds,  to  their  brethren,)  Verily  I  say  unto  you.  Inasmuch  as 
"  ye  have  done  it  to  one  of  the  least  of  these  my  brethren,  ye  have 
"  done  it  to  me  "  Again  ;  "  Then  shall  he  ansv,  er  them,  (the  wicked 
"  who  have  not  done  good  to  his  people,)  Verily,  I  say  unto  you,  In- 
*'  asmuch  as  ye  did  it  not  to  one  of  the  least  of  these  ye  did  it  not  to 
"  me.  '  And  these  shall  go  away  into  everlasting  punishmciit :  but 
"  the  righteous  into  life  eternal."  [Mat.  25.  31.  &c. 

It  is  .objected  by  some,  as  being  of  great  weight,  against  the  order 
of  confessing  sins  to  God  in  hi^  ministers,  or  to  men,  as  they  call  it, 
that  it  sets  men  in  the  place  of  God,  and  robs  God  of  the  honor  due 
to  him,  transferring  it  to  the  creature.  To  remove  this  difficulty 
from  the  minds  of  tiie  honest,  let  it  be  observed,  that  what  God  re- 
quires h  obi;dicncf,,  v/hich  is  better  than  sacrifice,  and  to  obey.)  than 
all  whole  burnt  offerings.  The  true  way  to  honor  and  glorify  God, 
is  to  yield  a  wi'ling  and  hearty  obedience  to  his  order  and  appoint- 
ments, and  his  order  is  to  do  his  work  through  the  medium  of  men, 
or  by  men,  who  are  his  ministers,  appointed  to  that  office.i  "  Now 
*'  then,"  saith  the  apostle,  "  wc  are  ambassadors  for  [in  the  behalf  or 
*'  in  stead  oi]  Christ,  as  though  God  did  beseech  you  by  us  ;  we  pray 
*'  you  in  Chiist  stead,  be  ye  reconciled  to  God."  And  saith  Jesus; 
<'  He  that  rcceiveth  v/homsoever  I  send  receiveth  me  " 

Now  the  question  is;  Doth  it  honor  God  most  to  submit  to  his 
institutions  and  receive  his  ambassadors  in  their  full  and  proper 
character,  or  to  pass,  them  by,  saying,  We  will  go  directly  to  God,  or 
to  Christ,  and  treat  with  him,  and  so  make  our  'peace  ?  V/hen  the 
American  Government  sent  ambassadors  with  full  powers,  (or  pleni- 
potentiaries, as  the  .modern  term  is :  and  such  are  all  Christ's  miris- 
ters,)  to  treat  with  Great  Britain,  did  Great  Britain  do  most  honor  to 
the  Aijierican  government  by  consendng  to  treat  with  her  ministers 
and  thus  acknowledging  the  validity  of  her  instructions  ;  or  would  it 
have  been  more  honorable  still  to  the  American  government,  for 
Great  Britain  to  have  said,  "  We  acknovdedge  you  as  the  true  minis- 
"  ters  of  the  American  gover.nment,  and  wc  joyfully  receive  all  the 
"  tidings  which  ye  bring,  relating  to  proposals  of  peace  ;  neverthe- 
"  less,  it  is  not  sufficient  to  sign  a  treaty  with  you,  but  v/e  will  re- 
"  ceive  and  obey  you  so  far,  that  we  will  go  to  the  American  govern- 
"  ment  and  to  the  President  and  Congress,  and  t'nere  make  peace 
"  with  them."  Will  not  every  one  understand,  in  a  moment,  that 
the  last  proposition  would  have  been  an  affront  on  the  government, 
by  disallowing  the  validity  of  her  instructions  ■  Or  on  the  other  hand  ; 
had  the  American  ministers  told  the   people  or  ministers  of  Great 

T    2 


250  THE  CONFESSION 

Britain,  saying;,  "  Wc  are  indeed  American  ministers  in  as  full  pow- 
"  er  as  any  such  can  be,  so  that  if  ye  receive  us  and  make  a  treaty 
"  of  peace  with  us,  ye  do  the  same  with  our  government ;  ncverthe- 
"  less,  if  ye  would  be  at  peace  with  America,  ye  must  go  immedi- 
"  ately  to  the  president,  or  to  the  congress,  and  there  make  your  of-p 
*'  ferings  and  come  on  terms."  Would  not  every  one  see,  at  first 
view,  that  they  had  dishonored  their  mission,  and  no  longer  deserved 
the  name  of  ministers-plenipotentiary  ? 

Thus  it  is  sufliciently  plain  to  be  understood,  that  any  man  who 
Cometh  forth,  in  the  character  of  a  minister  of  Christ,  called  and  sent 
of  God,  and  saith  to  the  people,  "  I  am  sent  to  preach  to  you  the 
"  gospel  of  Christ,  for  your  peace  and  salvation  ;  nevertheless,  I  can- 
"  not  help  you,  ye  must  go  to  God,  or  to  Christ,  [be  it  in  secret,  or 
"  where  it  may  be  except  through  the  ministry,")  and  make  your 
''  peace  v.ith  him ;"  he  dishonors  God,  and  forfeits  the  character 
of  a  minister  of  the  gospel  of  Christ.  And  the  people  v.-ho  Avill  ac- 
knowledge the  ministers  of  Chi'ist,  a^such,  but  are  too  incredulous 
to  risk  making  their  peace  with  God  through  them,  or  hope  to  find 
God  in  some  other  way,  are  evidently  unacquau^tcd  with  God,  igno- 
Korant  of  his  true  order  of  salvation,  and  do  dishonor  him,  by  discred- 
iting and  rejecting  his  institutions  and  instructions. 

The  embassage,  or  ministry  of  reconciliation,  with  which  the  mi- 
nisters of  the  gospel  are  intrusted,  is  indeed  a  more  finished  commis- 
sion than  any  such  thing  among  the  nations.  God's  terms  with  which 
he  furnishes  his  ambassadors,  and  by  which  he  limits  them,  are  the 
most  equitable,  and  the  most  profitable  which  can  be  proposed,  so 
that  there  is  no  need  or  room  for  men  to  propose  any  alteration  to 
suit  their  inclinations  or  abilities :  it  is  for  them  to  take  him  on  his 
terms  or  remain  enemies  ;  whereas  nations  have  no  natural  right  to 
such  power  over  one  another.  Besides  as  the  nations  have  their  go- 
vernments, or  centres  pf  power,  ministers  from  one  to  another,  treat 
with  the  nation  through  that  centre,  and  not  with  each  individual 
separately  ;  whereas  God's  ministers  are  sent  to  each  and  every  in- 
dividual, separately  and  collectively,  and  if  a  nation  or  neighborhood 
will  not  receive  them,  each  individual  who  will  comply  with  the  pro- 
posals, is  noticed  of  God  and  taken  into  the  number  of  his  family,  as 
iVcely  and  safely  as  if  all  had  complied,  and  none  have  any  right  or 
power  over  him,  to  hold  him  back.  For  "  God  is  no  respecter  of 
''persons:  but  in  every  nation  he  that  feareth  him,  and  workcth 
"  righteousness,  is  accepted  of  him."  (Acts  10.  34,  35.)  In  every 
nation  or  neighborhood  where  the  ministers  of  the  perfect  gospel  of 
Christ  come,  whosoever  will  keep  treaty  with  them,  as  the  ministers 
of  heaven,  confessing  and  forsaking  their  sins,  sliall  find  mercy,  and 
experience  the  pardon  of  their  sins  and  established  peace  with  hea- 
ven, without  the  labor  of  sending  their  treaty  to  London,  or  to  the 
Federal  City,  or  up  to  heaven  to  have  it  ratified. 

The  gospel  brings  <;alvation  to  the  sinner's  door,  puts  it  into  his 
mouth  and  his  heart,  and  calls  on  him  to  keep  it  and  use  it.  "  But 
"  the  righteousness  which  is  of  faith  speaketh  on  this  wise,  Say  no*; 


OF  SINS.  251 

'*  in  thine  heart,  (do  not  even  think,)  Who  shall  ascend  into  heaven  ? 
"  (that  is  to  bring  Christ  down  from  above  ;)  Or  who  shall  descend 
"  into  the  deep  ?  (that  is,  to  bring  up  Christ  again  fronn  the  dead  :_) 
«'  But  "vvhat  saith  it  ?  The  word  is  nigli  Ihee,  even  in  tfni  mouth,  and 
*'  in  thy  heart ;  that  is,  the  word  of  faith  which  we  preach."  (Ro.  10, 
6,  7,  8.)  And  again,  as  stated  above  ;  "  Now  then  we  are  ambassa- 
*'  dors  for  Christ,  as  though  God  did  beseech  you  by  us  ;  we  pray  you 
•'  (and  others)  in  Christ's  stead  :  be  ye  reconciled  to  God."  We  arc 
ambassadors  for  Christ,  in  Christ's  behalf,  or  in  Christ's  stead,  it 
being  the  same  Greek  phrase  which  is  so  rendered  in  an  after  clause 
of  the  verse.  Christ  Jesus  is  the  first  true  ambassador  of  God  to 
men,  and  next  his  true  apostles  and  ministers  are  God's  ambassadors 
in  Christ's  stead,  to  do  his  work,  according  to  God's  established  or- 
der :  to  these  he  hath  committed  the  word  and  ministry  of  reconci- 
liation. Other  arguments  might  be  introduced,  and  other  objections; 
raised  and  answered  ;  but  the  foregoing  will  satibfy  the  honest,  who 
weigh  matters  candidly,  and  arc  willing  to  obey  the  truth  v/hcn  they 
know  it. 


CHAPTER  III. 

£vid€nces  relating  to  the  Church  of  Christ,  mainly  A'egative. 

THE  two  former  chapters  show  the  order  and  power  of  the  true 
ihurch,  with  respect  to  the ,  confession  of  sins.  A  question  may 
arise  ;  How  are  we  to  know  who  are  the  true  church  of  Christ,  and 
where  shall  we  find  them  ?  So  many  divisions  of  professors  claim  a 
relation  to  Christ  that  sometliing  clear  and  definite  is  necessary,  sa- 
tisfactorily to  show  with  whom  to  cast  our  lots. 

Such  clear  and  definite  knowledge  is  indispensably  necessary  ;  be- 
cause out  of  that  body  salvation  is  unknown,  and  wherever  it  is  there 
is  salvation.  As  it  is  written  ;  I  will  place  salvation  in  Zion  for  Israel 
'' my  glory."  (Isa.  46.  13.)  To  the  same  effect  arc  the  words  of 
Christ ;  "  Whatsoever  ye  shall  bind  on  earth,  sliall  be  bound  in  hea- 
"  vcn  ;  and  whatsoever  ye  shall  loose  on  earth,  shall  be  loosed  in  hea- 
"  ven."  And  again ;  "  Whosesoever  sins  ye  remit,  they  are  re- 
"  mitted  to  them,  and  whosesoever  ye  retain  they  are  retained." 
(Matt.  18.  13.  Jno.  20.  23.}  So  that  what  the  church  do  in  relation 
to  the  forgiveness  of  sins,  is  by  Christ  counted  valid,  to  all  intents. 
That  none  can  be  saved  in  a  disunited  state,  or  separate  from  the 
only  true  church,  is  farther  evident,  because  there  is  one  Christ  and 
one  way.  "  I  am  the  tvay"  said  he  :  and  there  is  not  another.  As 
under  the  lav/  of  Moses,  which  was  a  pattern  of  the  gospel,  there 
was  one  high  priest,  and  also  one  law  and  one  way  for  all.  Thu.s  it 
is  written  ;  "  One  law  shall  be  to  him  that  is  home-born,  and  to  the 
"  stranger  that  sojourneth  among  you."  [Exod.  12.  49.]  So  under 
the  gospel  there  is  one  body  and  one  Spirit,  one  faith,  one  Lord  Jesus 


252  ,  NEGATIVE 

Christ ;  one  High  Priest ;  one  faith  and  one  way,  for  the  Jew  and 
Gentile,  the  professor  and  non-professor,  whosoever  will  eat  of  the 
bread  of  life.  And  disunited  from  the  one  body  and  07ie  faith,  no 
man  can  keep  the  faith  of  Christ.  For  in  the  first  place  ;  He  cannot 
have  a  sufficient  motive.  Every  man  is  influenced  by  motive  ;  no 
man,  therefore,  can  perform  any  great  work,  or  effectuate  any  ardu- 
ous and  important  purpose,  without  an  adequate  motive.  But  no 
man's  motive  can  exceed  his  faith:  By  faith  ni^e  stand.  And  no 
faith,  in  v/holc  or  in  part,  separate  from  the  one  faith  of  the  one  b^riyy 
the  church,  can  furnish  and  maintain  sufficient  motive  to  overcome 
all  sin,  root  and  branch,  because  as  long  as  any  one  hath  any  hope  or 
expectation  that  salvation  can  possibly  be  found  witliout  the  full  cross, 
his  faith  is  inadequate.  In  connection  therefore  with  the  various  de- 
nominations of  professors  whose  faith  is  so  indefinite  and  precarious, 
no  man  can  keep  the  faith  of  Christ,  or  walk  in  him.  And  again ; 
No  man  can  stand  alone.  Not  only  the  strength,  but  the  life  of  the 
body  and  of  each  member  depends  on  union :  and  without  it  all  is 
lost.  No  one  member  can  live  disconnected  v/ith  the  body.  So  is 
Christ,  and  so  is  the  gospel  church-  "  For  as  the  body  is  one,  and 
*'  hath  many  members,  and  all  the  members  of  that  one  body,  being 
<'  many,  are  one  body  :  so  also  is  Christ,  For  by  one  Spirit  are  w» 
<'  all  baptized  into  one  body  ;  whether  we  be  Jews  or. Gentiles,  whe- 
"  ther  we  be  bond  or  free  ;  and  have  been  all  made  to  drink  into  one 
<'  Spirit.  For -the  body  is  not  one  member,  but  many.'*  [1  Cor.  "12. 
12,  13,  14.]  Could  any  man,  therefore,  have  the  true  faith  of  Christ, 
mentally,  while  separate  from  the  body,  he  could  not  keep  it  practi- 
cally, he  could  not  have  it  in //je  truth  and  the  substance,  (or  the 
wint  of  union  :  he  could  not  be  saved:  And  take  away  the  visible 
•union  of  the  member  with  the  body,  ftnd  the  mem.ber  must  perish  ; 
for  there  can  be  no  invisible  union  extant,  so  as  to  support  life,  without 
a  visible.  The  knowledge  therefore  of  the  true  church,  andean  open 
profession  of  the  one  faith,  are  indispensable  in  attaining  to  final  sal- 
vation, and  full  redemption.    ,     ■  '.  '    ■■ 

To  those,  therefore,  who  enquire  as  stated  abo\e,  if  candid  and  in- 
telligent, a  reply  to  the  following  purport,  will  be  satisfactory  ;  That 
nothing  more  is  necessary  to  distinguish  the  true  chui'ch,  than  to  un- 
derstand the  order  of  the  church  and  to  see  the  people  who  keep  it. 
For  as  the  order  of  the  true  church,  is  that  which  no  other  people 
ran  keep,  (as  will  be  shoAvn  hereafter)  among  whomsoever  that  is 
seen,  it  will  sufficiently  evince  that  these  are  the  true  body  of  Christ. 
A  sufficient  evidence,  therefore,  to  any  one  honestly  in  quest  of  sal- 
yation,  is  for  a  people  to  be  able  to  tell  what  are  the  true  order  and 
power  of  the  cliurch  of  Christ,  and  to  keep  that  order  and  power 
themselves,  as  far  as  can  be  discerned :  for  where  these  things  do 
not  exist  in  reality,  the  disguise  can  be  detected  ;  as  will  appear  in 
the  sequel.  It  is  therefore  an  invincible  truth,  that  no  man  who 
knoweth  the  true  character  of  the  church  of  Christ,  will  remain  at 
any  loss  where  to  find  it.  But  it  is  also  true  that,  it  is  easier  to  get 
satisfactory  information  than  to  submit  to  it,  when  offered  ;  "  Because 


EVIDENCES.  253 

^"^  the  carnal  mind  is  enmity  against  God  ;  for  it  is  not  subject  to  tlie 
«  law  of  God,  neither  indeed  can  be."  [Ro.  8.  7.] 

But  considering  the  gre^t  importance  of  being  able  to  discrimi- 
nate, between  the  anti-christian  and  the  christian  church,  we  will 
state  the  evidence,  or  character  of  the  christian  church  in  the  follow- 
ing propositions,  that  the  honest  man  may  be  informed,  and  occasion 
cut  off  from  those  who  desire  occasion.  Not  that  we  expect  what 
is  here  stated  to  be  cordially  received  by  311,  or  by  a  majority  ;  the 
testimony  of  Christ  has  always  been  opposed,  and  we  look  for  it  to 
be  so  stiil ;  there  are  yet  those  who  stumble  at  the  word  being  diso- 
bedient, and  the  way  of  life  is  narrow  as  well  as  heretofore :  but 
truth  must  prevail  in  the  eiid. 

The  first  general  proposition  is  this;  Wherever  the  church  of 
Christ  exists,  it  is  accompanied  with  such  discriininating  characteris- 
tics as  are  sufficient,  satisfactorily  to  disthiguish  between  those  of 
■whom  it  consists,  and  all  other  people  or  professions  on  the  earth. 
Now  unless  this  be  true,  all  the  marks  of  the  true  church,  given  by 
Jesus  Christ  and  his  apostles,  fall  to  the  ground  ;  but  God  doth  no- 
thing in  vain,  and  his  word  shall  not  return  empty,  but  shall  prosper 
in  tlie  thing  whereto  he  sent  it.  But  if  the  body  of  Christ  cannot  be 
known  with  certainty,  all  men  are  left  in  uncertainty  whether  they  aro 
united  to  it  or  not,  and  therefore  whethei'  they  are  in  the  way  of  life 
or  death  ;  consequently  every  man  is  at  full  liberty  to  make  his  own 
choice  his  rule,  and  no  one  has  any  authority  to  dispute  his  being  in 
the  path  of  life,  be  his  practice  almost  what  it  may  ;  for  scarcely  any 
iniquity  is  too  great  to  be  patronised  by  some,  as  being  within  the  li- 
mits of  a  christian's  blunders,  though  not  comprehended  in  the  line 
of  his'duty.  One  may  indeed  scruple  the  standing  of  such  an  one, 
i"aying,"It  is  my  opinion  tliou  art  not  in  Christ,  or  if  he  should  say,  I 
know  thou  art  not,  What  of  it  ?  The  self-determined  professor  hath 
as  good  a  right  to  his  opinion,  as  the  opiniativc  accuser.  'Ilius  all 
restraint  on  sin  produced  by  the  fear  of  coming  short  of  salvation  is 
removed,  and  yet  that  h  the  highest  restraint  of  which  the  unrcgen- 
trate  are  susceptible. 

Nothing  can  be  effected  to  correct  and  undeceive  the  erroneous, 
unless  an  appeal  can  be  made  to  an  intelligible  line  of  demarkation. 
In  vain  therefore  is  an  appeal  to  revelation  unless  it  exhibiteth  such 
a  line,  and  if  it  doth,  the  argument  is  closed  ;  it  can  be  known  who 
are  united  to  the  body  of  Christ,  and  who  are  not. .  Thus  by  an  ap- 
peal to  scripture,  it  is  evident,  that  the  church  is  known,  and  cannot 
be  unknown,  according  to  the  language  of  Christ  to  his  discij)]es, 
•whom  he  was  then  training  up  as  the  first  members  of  his  body ; 
"  Ye  are  the  light  of  the  nvoi'ld.  A  city  that  is  set  on  a  hill  cajinot 
i-  be  hicir  [Matt.  5.  14.] 

•  But  this  truth  will  be  farther  illustrated  and  confirmed  while  v,'c 
consider  the  second  general  proposition;  That  whereas  the  true 
cburch  can  be  certainly  known,  the  next  subject  to  be  considered  is, 
What  are  those  discriminating  characteristics  by  which  that  body  can 
be  distinguished  from  ail  others.     And  here  let  it  be  considered  ; 


254  NEGATIVE 

That  it  is  not  known  by  local  situation.  The  body  of  Christ  i* 
not  limited  to  any  part  of  the  earth  as  the  Jews  were  under  the  law 
of  Moses ;  As  said  Jesus,  "  The  hour  comcth,  when  ye  shall  nei- 
"  ther  in  this  mountain,  nor  yet  at  Jerusalem,  worship  the  Father — 
"  But  the  hour  comcth,  and  now  is,  when  the  true  worshipers  shall 
"  worship  the  Father  in  Spirit  and  in  truth  ;  for  the  Father  seeketh 
*'  such  to  worship  him."  "  For,  where  two  or  three  are  gathered 
"  together  in  my  name,  there  am  I  in  the  midst  of  them."  [Jno.  4. 
21,  23.  Matt.  18.  20.]  From  this,  howcA-er,  it  is  evident,  that  wher- 
ever the  body  of  Christ  is,  its  members  are  all  gathered  into  one,  as 
will  be  farther  shown  in  its  place. 

The  body  of  Christ  doth  not  depend  on  any  name  which  its  members 
may  bear,  or  by  which  they  may  be  called  ;  for  many  have  a  name  to 
live  and  are  dead  ;  and  it  is  no  uncommon  thing  for  the  enemies  of 
the  cross  to  fix  terms  of  reproach  on  those  who  live  nearest  to  God — 
Theij  shall  revile  you,  and  shall  cast  out  your  navie  as  evil. 

In  discribing  the  body  of  Christ,  we  would  not  be  understood,  as 
rejecting  any  real  light  from  God  which  any  people  may  have  receiv- 
ed, because  it  has  been  at  first  short  of  full  measure,  but  as  acknow- 
ledging every  degree  of  the  light  and  power  of  God  to  its  full  extent. 
But  at  the  same  time,  Ave  cannot  consider  any  measure  of  light  and 
power  sufficient  to  characterize  the  church,  which  cometh  short  of 
that  character  which  Christ  hath  given.  It  is  not  by  any  means  in- 
tended to  cramp  or  restrain  the  spirits  of  men  from  improving  every 
degree  of  light  to  the  best  advantage,  to  increase  in  the  knowledge 
of  God  and  the  true  christian  life,  but  we  are  perfectly  Avilling  to 
own  the  work  of  God  wherever  it  appears,  and  to  acknowledge 
the  members  of  Christ  Avherever  they  are  found  and  under  Avhatever 
name,  provided  they  are  lurnished  Avith  that  evidence  Avhich  is  indis- 
pensably necessary  to  constitute  their  real  character.  The  object  of 
our  la!5or  is  not  to  create  parties  and  divisions  in  the  body  of  Christ, 
but  to  be  in  the  number  of  his  real  foUoAvers,  and  to  use  our  faithful 
cndeaA^ors  as  far  as  our  knowledge  and  duty  extend,  that  others  also 
may  partake  of  the  same  blessedness.  But  it  cannot  be  unchaiit?.- 
ble,  to  require,  in  every  man,  the  genuine  evidences  of  Christianity 
before  he  be  encouraged  to  consider  himself  one  of  the  body ;  for 
evidently,  it  can  do  no  man  any  good  to  be  seated  in  the  guest  cham- 
ber Avithout  the  Avcdding  garment,  much  less  can  it  avail  to  any  good 
efi'ect,  to  betray  mankind  v/ith  the  notion  of  having  already  obtained 
it,  until  the  time  is  past ;  but  in  these  cases  it  is  by  all  means  best,  to 
honestly  point  out  the  Avay,  as  opportunity  may  serve,  faithfully  main- 
taining Avhat  is  the  real  character  of  the  christian,  and  Avhat  the  genu- 
ine marks  of  the  body  of  Christ,  and  leave  all  men  under  the  most 
forcible  impression  possible,  as  to  these  points — ivho  are  the  body  of 
Christ,  Kvhat  the  true  7narks,  and  not  to  sto/i  short  of  an  inheritance 
vjith  them  :  for,  that  thcs^  are  attainable  and  free  to  all,  is  just  as 
certain  as  that  they  exist.  Whosoever  will  let  him  take  the  ivatcr  of 
life  freely. 


EVIDENCES.  255 

The  power  and  existence  of  miracles  are  frequently  pleaded  as 
forming  a  prominent  part  of  the  character  of  the  true  church,  and 
particularly  in  these  days  when  men  are  wakened  up  by  the  report 
of  a  new  and  last  dispensation  ;  and  so  far  is  this  particular  urged  by 
some,  that  they  appear  to  overlook,  with  neglect  and  even  contempt, 
every  other  part,  even  those  which  the  scriptures  state  as  superior, 
and  in  which  the  main  force  of  evidence  consists,  according  to  the  in- 
spired writers :  like  the  Jews  who  paid  tithe  of  mint,  anise  and  cum- 
min, and  neglected  the  weightier  matters  of  the  law,  judgment,  mer- 
cy and  faith. 

The  power  of  miracles  no  doubt  belongs  to  the  church,  and  Ave 
have  no  idea  of  any  true  church  of  God  without  such  power.  But 
before  we  proceed  farther,  it  will  be  proper  to  consider  the  nature  of 
miracle,  in  a  few  particulars.  First.  A  miracle  is  something  out  of 
the  ordinary  course  of  nature,  and  which  must  necessarily  proceed 
from  superior  agency.  Hence  'the  term  miracle  ;  something  won- 
derful, or  calculated  to  excite  wonder.  Secondly.  As  m.iracles  are 
not  ordinary  or  natural  events,  but  extraordinary,  it  follows  that  they 
cannot  be  the  product  of  any  ordinary  and  established  medium,  for 
that  would  destroy  their  nature,  and  they  would  become  common 
occurrences.  This  however  relates  especially  to  the  subjects  in 
whom  the  miraculous  power  appears,  and  also  those  event"-  cmr- 
monly  included  in  the  term  miracle,  and  is  by  no  means  intended  to 
deny  the  abiding  power  of  miracle  in  God,  who  ministers  it  when 
expedient,  according  to  his  own  v,  isdom.  The  true  source  of  mira- 
cles then  is  the  power  of  God,  and  they  are  to  be  considered  as  the 
effect  of  the  present  agency  of  that  power.  Thirdly.  It  cannot 
therefore  be  denied  that  miracles  are  wholly  at  the  disposal  of  God, 
who  is  the  most  competent  judge,  when  they  are  ncces.sary  and  v/hen 
not.  Fourthly.  One  thing  more  cannot  be  denied,  Tliat  miracles 
are  at  God's  disposal  also,  with  respect  to  the  kind  and  form  of 
them,  in  what  order  and  with  what  appearance  it  may  be  most  expe- 
dient to  minister  them.  Accordingly  the  attentive  reader  may  rea- 
dily discover,  that  in  the  dispensation  of  Jesus  and  his  apostles,  mira- 
cles were  greatly  changed  in  these  respects,  from  v>hat  they  were  in 
the  days  of  Moses. 

This  change  in  dispensing  miracles  may  be  considered  necessary 
for  three  reasons.  First.  That  their  proper  effect  might  not  be  de- 
stroyed by  the  commonness  of  them,  and  at  the  same  time,  the  ne- 
cessity of  carrying  them  to  an  improper  length  be  prevented.  Se- 
condly. Because  when  impostors  understand  that  certain  miracles 
have  been  wrought  by  the  true  ministers  of  God,  they  will  endeavor 
to  imitate  them,  as  the  magicians  in  Egypt.  And  though  they  ma}^ 
in  many  respects  be  outdone  and  overcome,  as  those  were  finally,  and 
as  the  sons  of  Scheva,  in  the  days  of  the  apostles,  yet  such  is  the 
tliirst  of  many  for  miracles,  lliat  frauds  might  in  many  cases  be 
piactised  :  "  For  false  Christs  and  false  prophets  shall  arise,  and  shall 
'•  show  signs  and  wonders,  to  seduce,  if  possih'le,  even  the  elect." 
"'  For  such  are  false  apostles,  deceitful  workers,  transforming  them- 


255  NEGATIVE 

"  selves  .u7to  fhe  aposHe?  of  Christ  And  no  marvel ;  for  satan  him- 
*'  self  is  transformed  into  an  angel  of  light.  Therefore  it  is  no  great 
"  thing,  if  his  ministers  also  be  transformed  as  the  ministers  of  right- 
"  eousness ;  whose  end  shall  be  according  to  their  works."  [Mar. 
13.  22.   2  Cor.  11.  13,  14,  15.] 

Now  in  what  respect  were  these  deceitful  workers  transformed 
into  the  apostles  of  Christ  and  ministers  of  righteousness  ?  Not  by 
teaching  and  doing  righteousness  after  the  example  of  Christ  and  his 
apostles,*  for  that  would  have  constituted  them  true  ministers  of 
Christ ;  and  to  say  they  taught  and  did  righteousness  as  the  true 
apostles,  is  to  say  that  a  corrupt  fountain  can  bring  forth  a  pure 
stream,  and  an  evil  tree  good  fruit,  contrary  to  the  rule  of  Christ. 
Besides,  their  end  was  to  be  according  to  their  works  ;  if  therefore 
their  works  were  good,  their  end  must  be  good  also,  contrary  to  evi- 
dence. But  the  matter  is  plain  enough,  that  those  deceitful  workers, 
presumed  to  vie  with  the  true  aposlles  or  even  to  surpass  them,  in  a 
fair  and  ostentatious  appearance  of  piety  and  power,  while  they  art- 
fully taught  things  contrary  to  the  gospel,  corrupting  the  minds  of 
the  hearers  from  the  simplicity  which  is  in  Christ. 

Thirdly.  Another  necessity  of  this  change  is  to  check  the  pride 
and  vain  glory  of  mankind,  who  are  prone  to  turn  the  grace  of  God 
into  wantonness,  and  serve  the  purposes  of  a  fleshly  mind,  by  the 
knoMdedge  which  they  obtain  of  the  work  of  God;  by  disappointing 
them  in  their  vievv^s,  and  carrying  on  his  work  in  a  manner  unknown 
to  them,  that  all  may  be  taught  to  wait  on  God,  and  receive  of  him 
in  the  present  tense,  that  no  flesh  should  glory  in  his  presence,  and 
that  he  may  lead  his  people  in  a  way  which  they  knew  not :  Vain 
man  would  be  wise. 

Another  fact  relating  to  what  are  commonly  called  miracles,  is 
that  whatever  purpose  they  may  answer  in  their  ovai  place,  they  are 
not  saving.  Salvation  is  not  necessarily  connected  with  them,  they 
save  no  souls,  and  are  net  a  proof  to  any  man,  that  those  Avho  pcrfoi*m 
them  have  the  power  of  salvation,  for  persons  may  have  them  and 
not  know  Christ  or  be  known  of  him.  "  Many  will  say  to  me  in 
"  that  day, I-ord,  Lord,  lia-oe  toe  not  prophesied  in  tlnj  name?  and 
"  in  thii  name  have  cast  out  devils?  and  in  thy  name  done  incny  ivon- 
"  dcrfnl  Kvorks?  And  then  will  I  profess  to  them,  I  never  knew-  you  : 
"  depart  form  me,  ye  that  work  iniquity."(Mat.  7.  22,23.)"  Though 
"  I  speak  with  the  tonguesof  men  and  of  angels,  and  have  not  chari- 
*'  ty,  I  am  become  as  sounding  brass  or  a  tinkling  symbal.  And 
"  though  I  have  the  gift  of  prophecy^  and  understand  all  my&teries^ 
*'  and  all  knowledge^  andthoitgh  I  have  all  faith,  so  that  I  could  rc- 
"  move  7nountains,  and  have  not  charity,  I  a7n  -nothing.  And 
"  though  I  bestow  all  my  goods  to  feed  the  poor,  and  though  I  give 
"  mv  body  to  be  burned,  and  have  not  charity,  it  profit(;tli  me  no- 
♦'  thing."  (1  Cor.  13.  1,2,  3.)  Thus  every  thing  is  bct  aside  in  making 
proof  of  the  christian,  but  that  wiiicli  cannot  be  imitated  or  forged — 
charitv  ;  of  ^•.•h:ch  hereafter. 


EVIDENCES.  25'r 

•  It  13  therefore  utterly  improper,  in  searching  for  the  chiu-ch  of 
God,  to  give  tlxese  a  first  or  main  p'lace  jn  its  character ;  and  espe-. 
cially  when  it  is  farther  considered  that  if  found,  they  can  prove  no-, 
thing  to  the  point  unless  accompanied  by  such  evidence  as  confirms 
the  matter  without  them  ;  so  that  were  the  greatest  possible  external 
and  visible  miracles  discovered  amongst  any  people  called  christians, 
these  would  not  prove  them  to  belong  to  the  body  of  Christ,  until 
confirmed  by  those  testimonies  which  cannot  accompany  any  other 
people.  Thus  it  is  written  of  the  prophets  of  old.  "  The  propiict 
*^  who  prophesieth  of  peace,  when  the  word  of  the  prophet  shall 
"  come  to  pass,  then  shall  the  prophet  be  known,  that  the  Lord  hath 
■' truly  sent  him."  (Jer.  28  9.)  But  this  could  only  be  admitted  in 
case  of  promoting  the  worship  of  the  true  God  which  had  been 
taught  before,  for  on  the  other  hand,  it  is  written  ;  "  If  there  arise 
"  among  you  a  prophet,  or  a  dreamer  of  dreams,  and  giveth  thee  a 
"  sign  or  a  wonder,  and  the  sign  or  the  wonder  conie  to  pass,  wherc- 
"  of  he  spake  unto  thee,  saying.  Let  us  go  alter  other  gods  which 
"  thou  hast  not  knovrn,  and  serve  them  ;  thou  shialt  not  hearken  to 
"  the  words  of  that  prophet  or  that  dreamer  of  dreams;  for  the  Lord 
"  your  God  proveth  you  to  know  whether  ye  love  the  Lord  your  God 
"  with  all  your  heart  and  with  all  your  soul."  (Deut.  13.  1,  2,  3.)_ 
Thus  we  see  that  signs  and  wonders  were  no  proofs  of  a  true  pro- 
phet even  in  that  dark  day  when  they  were  so  common  and  so  neces^ 
eary  in  the  true  prophet,  unless  corroborated  by  the  end  to  be  pro- 
moted by  them.  Obedience  is  better  than  sacrifice,  and  tu  love  is 
more  than  to  prophesy,  or  to  do  miracles.  In  like  manner,  the  false 
apostles  mentioned  above,  were  known,  at  least  in  part,  by  their 
wicked  doctrine  and  worlys,  corrupting  the  minds  of  the  people  from 
the  simplicity  of  the  gospel,  and  preaching,  in  effect,  another  Christ, 
whom  Paul  had  not  preached."  (2  Cor.  11.  3,4.) 

Those  miracles,  therefore,  which  are  commonly  r.nderstood  by  the 
term,  however  necessary  they  have  been,  in  their ,  proper  place,  or 
may  yet  be  on  certain  occasions,  serve  but  an  inferior  part  in  the 
great  work  of  salvation,  or  in  characterizing  the  church.  And  it  is 
not  to  be  wondered  at  that  God,  the  wise  dispenser  of  his  grace, 
should  discontinue  them,  for  the  most  part,  in  the  present  arrange- 
ment of  things,  and  introduce  in  their  room,  that  which  is  spiritual, 
pure  and  heavenly — the  substance  instead  of  the  outward  sign  ;  es- 
pecially considering  that  the  work  of  God  increases  in  the  ministra- 
tion of  light  and  power,  becoming  more  spiritual  in  each  additipnal 
dispensation  ;  so  that  men  who  fear  God,  are  capable  of  seeing  his 
work,  and  understanding  its  nature  and  evidence  to  their  satisfaction, 
tvithout  those  figurative  representations,  calculated  to'arrest  the  phy- 
sical man,  which  were  necessary  in  former  dispensations ;  having  in 
addition  to  the  weight  of  evidence  attending  those  dispensations, 
transmitted  to  us  by  the  scriptures  and  already  prepossessed  by  all 
professed  christians,  the  increasing  light  of  the  present  day. 

And  it  is  here  to  be  especially  noticed,  that  introducing  a  v,ew  dis- 
pensation of  the  gospel  and  testifying  it  to  the  world,  are  very,^lifrei-- 

K.    2 


25S  ne:gative 

ent  matters  from  emerging'  out  of  the  dispensation  of  Moses  aud  thsr 
prophets,  and  planting-  and  establishing  that  of  Christ ;  for  as  the  foun- 
dation-stone had  not  been  laid/salvation  had  not  appeared,  or  Christ 
been  made  known,  all  that  had  been  in  possession  before,  stood  in 
meats  and  drinks  and  divers  -svashings  and  canial  ordinances,  which 
served  for  the  time  then  present,  as  shadowy  representations  of  a  sub- 
stance to  come,  there  was  a  necessity  of  overturning  the  whole  Jew- 
ish ecomony,  so  that,  as  it  is  written  ;  "  The  priesthood  being  chang- 
"  ed  [or  transposed,]  there  is  made  of  necessity  a  change  [or  trans- 
"  position,]  also  in  the  law  ;"  but  in  the  present  case  there  is  a  transi- 
tion from  the  corruption  and  darkness  introduced  by  the  man  of  sin, 
in  the  time  of  the  faUing  away,  into  the  life  and  light  of  Christ  which 
was  revealed  in  the  beginning ;  so  that  notwithstanding  there  is  a 
difference  in  order  and  economy,  in  several  particulars,  it  is  the  same 
gospel,  as  much  as  a  renewed  portion  oi  physic  out  of  the  same 
mass,  wdth  additional  quantity  and  more  perfect  instruction,  is  of  the  . 
same  nature  with  the  former ;  the  same  Christ,  same  self-denial  and 
same  cross,  insomuch  that  whosoever  honestly  apprehends  and  em- 
braces the  faith  and  life  of  Christ  and  his  apostles,  and  other  real 
followers,  in  the  first  dispensation,  will  be  in  nowise  difficulted  to 
embrace  the  present :  the  same  demand  therefore  for  miracles  is  not 
requisite  in  the  present  dispensation  as  in  the  former,  because  all  the 
miracles  which  were  wrought  to  establish  that,  contribute  to  the  sup- 
port of  this  also. 

Farther  to  elucidate  this  subject,  let  it  be  remembered  that  to  do-- 
miracles  in  the  sight  of  men,  is  a  principal  characteristic  of  the  beast, 
or  anti-christ ;  "And  he  doeth  great  wonders,  so  that  he  maketh  fire- 
«  come  down  from  heaven  on  the  earth  in  the  sight  of  men,  and  de- 
"  ceiveth  them  that  dwell  on  the  earth  by  those  miracles  which  he 
"  had  power  to  do  in  the  sight  of  the  [first]  beast."  (Rev.  13.  13,. 
14.)  It  may  be  objected,  that  this  is  figurative  language.  But  this 
answer  is  at  least  justifiable,  that  the  things  which  the  figure  most 
resembles,  are  most  likely  to  be  those  which  it  represented,  unless 
good  evidence  is  obtained  to  the  contrary ;  and  it  is  more  than  justi- 
fiable, even  forcible,  to  argue,  that  no  good  reason' can  be  offered  for 
reversing  the  figure,  and  concluding  that  it  represents  the  body  of 
Christ  doing  wondei's  in  the  sight  of  men  and  gaining  them  over  to- 
the  truth,  instead  ot  the  beast  deceiving  them.  The  strongest  evi- 
dence therefore  is  that  to  do  miracles  m  the  sight  of  men  is  emi- 
nently the  character  of  the  beast.  And  to  this  agree  the  words  of 
Christ,  which  are  not  so  metaphorical ;  "  For  there  shall  arise  false 
Christs  and  false  prophets,  and  shall  show  great  signs  ar.d  wonders,. 
■*<  insomuch  that,  if  possible,  they  shall  deceive  the  very  elect.'*' 
(Matt.  24.  24.)  Thus  concurring  testimonies  evince,  that  it  is  the 
proper  character  of  the  beast,  or  anti-christ,  to  shoAV  great  signs  and 
wonders,  or  to  work  miracles,  in  the  sight  of  men.  And  this  is  the 
character  which  the  world  try  to  impose  on  the  church  of  God  in 
these  days,  and  then  reproach  them  as  deceivers  and  impostors,  be- 
cause they  do  no  miracles  and  show  no  signs. 


EVIDENCES.  25,. 

:It  is  also  worthy  of  notice,  that  Jesus  or  his  disciples,  never  wrought 
.  a  miracle  to  satisfy  the  inquiries  of  the  curious,  or  to  obviate  the 
cavils  of  adversaries.     "  A  -wicked  and  adulterous  generation  seek- 
"  eth  a  sign;  and  there  shall  no  sign  be  given  to  it,  but  the  sign  of 
• "  the  prophet  Jonas  ;"  the  sign  of  the  cross  which  they  do  not  desire. 
•*'  But  whereto  shall  I  liken  this  generation  ? — For  John  came  neither 
■*'  eating  nor  drinking,  and  they  say.  He  hath  a  deyil.  The  Son  of  man 
"  came  eating  and  drinking,  and  they  say.  Behold  e  man  gluttonous 
"  and  a  winebibber,  a  friend  of  publicans  and  sinners."  (Mat.  1 6.  4.  and 
11.  16,  18,  19.)     The  same  generation  rejected  Christ  demanding  of 
him  a  sign  from  heaven,  because  in  their  carnal  sense,  the  miracles 
which  he  wrought  were  not  equal  to  those  of  Moses,  or  inore  truly, 
because  the  life  which  he  lived  and  the   doctrines  which  he  taught 
were  offensive  to  them  ;  as  they  said,  "  This  is  an  hard  saying  ;  who 
"  can  hear  it  ?"  (Jno.  6,  60.)     He  taught  the  destruction  of  the  flesh, 
and  the  promotion  and  upbuilding  of  the  spiritual  work  and  king- 
dom of  God.     And  for  the  same  reason  do  men  reject  the  testimony 
of  Christ  in  these  days,  because  it  is  offensive  to  their  nature,  being 
for  the  destruction  of  the  flesh  and  the  edification  of  the  Spirit. 

Were  all  the  signs  given,  in  support  of  the  spiritual  v.'ork  of  Christ, 
v.'hich  the  men  of  this  generation  ask,  they  would  be  no  better  satisfied, 
for  all  would  tend  to  promote  the  same  work  of  God  by  the  cross, 
and  they  would  resist  still,  as  was  abundantly  proved  by  the  first  mi- 
nisters of  the  present  testimony.  The  Jews  asked  signs,  but  when 
.rhey  saw  them  they  were  not  relieved ;  these  signs  did  not  alter  the 
nature  of  Christ's  work,  and  they  stubbornly  resisted,  saying,  "What 
'-  do  we  ?  for  this  man  doeth  many  miracles.*'  (Jno.  1 1.  47.)  And 
ivhen  the  apostles  had  done  so  notorious  a  miracle  on  the  lame  man 
-•.hat  they  could  say  nothing  against  it,  and  had  no  prospect  of  erf  - 
"caling  it  by  denying,  they  endeavored  to  crush  its  effects  by  vio- 
lence, for  they  hated  the  name,  work  and  cross  of  Christ,  as  much 
as  ever.  [Acts  4.  13  to  17.]  In  vain  therefore  do  carnal  professors 
call  for  miracles,  for  the  nature  of  Christ  and  his  work  remain  the 
same,  und  ever  will:  But  wisdom  is  justified  of  all  her  children  : 
honest  souls  have  always  found  evidence  enough  in  the  work  of 
Christ  to  satisfy  them. 

That  Jesus  and  his  apostles  wrought  miracles  in  confirmation  of 
their  doctrine  is  a  fact  not  to  be  denied,  according  to  the  testimony  of 
those  who,  in  many  cases,  were  eye  witnesses  of  the  facts  ;  but  it  is 
also  undeniable  that  the  use  of  them  gradually  subsided,  no  doubt,  as 
the  necessity  for  them  ceased,  and  their  use  was  superseded  by  the 
more  permanent,  substantial  and  genuine  fruits  and  evidences  of  the 
gospel — charity,  union  and  good  works.  Accordingly  in  the  latter 
part  of  the  apostle's  ministry  there  is  much  less  said  about  working 
niiracles  than  in  the  beginning :  not  denying  but  that  the  church  in 
that  day  had  the  power  of  miracles  until  the  falling  away.  In  like 
manner,  the  first  ministers  and  witnesses  of  the  second  appearance 
of  Christ,  wi'ought  miracles  in  the  gift  and  power  of  God,  in  con- 
firmation of  their  testimony,  as  it  is  attested  to  us  by  those  who  were 
4pi  many  cases  living  eye  witnesses  of  the  fact*,  and  many  such  wit- 


£60  NEGATIVE 

«.  _  - 

BCsses  are  living  to  this  day.  But  these  things  i.ave  greatly  subsid- 
ed, the  use  of  them  being  superseded  by  the  gathering  together  of 
ihe  church,  and  the  manifestation  of  those  fruits  and  evidences  whdc]^ 
are  more  substantial,  genuine  and  abiding.  At  the  same  time,  every 
necessary  gift  and  po^ver  remain  in  and  ^vith  the  church  at  this  day, 
and  she  is  not  left  destitute  of  that  power  of  miracle  wliich  is  able  to 
silence  the  adversaiy  and  confirm  the  faithful. 


CHAPTER  IV. 

More  .Vegatives.      The  absence  of  Christ.     Christians  do  net  com- 
mit Sin. 

GREAT  contentions  and  animosities  have  subsisted,  for  ages^ 
among  professed  christians,  respecting  the  church  of  Christ,  who 
they  are  and  with  what  limits  circumscribed ;  and  all  about  senti- 
ments and  speculative  doctrines,  and  such  other  tilings  as  were  in  all 
respects  foreign  from  real  Christianity  ;  and  vvliile  these  were  carried 
on,  professors,  like  the  Jews  who  would  strain  out  a  gnat  and  swallow 
a  camel,  have  missed  the  mark  altogether — an  hjimble  submission 
and  obedience  to  the  example  and  precepts  of  Jesus  Christ,  in  which 
it  could  be  said,  and  in  which  alone,  Tu  me  to  live  is  Christy  end  to 
die  is  gain  »  Now  the  end  of  the  com.mandment  is  charity,  out  of  a 
"  pure  heart,  and  a  good  conscience  and  faith  unfeigned  ;  from  which 
some  having  swerved  have  turned  aside  to  vain  jangling."  "  Ye  are 
",iP-y  friends,  if  ye  do  whatsoever  I  command  you."  [l  Tim.  1.  5j 
6.  Jno.  15.  14.]   • ' 

"While  men  have  been  saying,  Lo  here  I  and  lo  there  !  and  the  in- 
quiiy  hath  been  made,  mo  of  them  all  are  the  true  church  ?  they 
have  overlooked  the  dmple  and  plain  answer  of  Jesus  Christ — J\'on€ 
of  them.  "  And  he  said  to  his  disciples,  The  days  will  come,  when 
*'  ye  shall  desire  to  see  one  of  the  days  of  the  Son  of  man,  and  ye 
"  shall  not  see  it.  And  they  shall  say  to  ycu.  See  here,  or  see  there, 
"  go  not  after  them,  nor  follow  them."  "  Then  if  any  man  shall  say 
"  to  you,  Lo  here  is  Christ,  or  there,  believe  it  not."  [Luk.  17.  22, 
23.  ^lau.  24.  23.]  These  things  prove  unequivocally  that  the  days 
were  to  come,  in  which  Christ  should  not  be  knov.n  on  the  earth,  and 
no  people  wtve  to  be  foUov.  ed,  or  believed — not  any  man,  because  no 
man  in  those  days  knev,-  the  truth  or  kept  it :  for  a  man  of  truth  is  to 
be  believed,  and  the  true  follower  of  Christ  are  to  be  followed. 
"  Brethren,  be  followers  together  [Greek,  fellow  imitators,]  of  me, 
<•  and  mark  them  who  walk  so,  as  ye  have  us  for  an  example." 
(Phil.  2.  17.)  Neither  did  Jesus  ever  say  any  tiling  to  the  contrary 
of  this,  but  confirmed  it ;  '^  He  that  hearelh  you,  heareth  me."  But 
such  were  the  days  of  the  false  Christs  and  false  prophets,  who  say, 
Lo  here  I  and  lo  there  I  And  the  very  nature  of  the  language  shows 
ikat  sli  should  be  in  conftision ;  no  one  knov  ing  what  was  the  truth. 


EVIDENCES.  261 

or  what  to  tell  another;  none  knowing  where  to  find  Chiist,  or 
■where  to  direct  the  inquiring  sopI.  Tliis  total  failing  away  hath  been 
spoken  of  by  the  prophets,  by  Christ  and  liis  apostles,  and  by  some 
of  them,  as  having  already  begun  in  their  days. 

To  discuss  this  subject  at  full  length  would  not  comport  -ivith  the 
present  purpose.  A  few  observations,  however,  may  be  for  edificaiion. 
As  a  man  can  receive  nothing  except  it  be  given  him  from  heaven, 
.:>o  the  church  having  once  fallen  as  to  its  true  order,  purity  and  pow- 
er, and  the  power  of  the  holy  people  having  been  scattered,  cuv.ld  no 
more  be  restored  without  a  renewed  revelation  and  manifestation  of 
the  same  power,  the  same  Christ  who  first  gave  them  birth.  And 
this  agrees  with  the  statement  of  the  apostle,  v.hen  speaking  of  tl^e 
man  of  sin,  Avho  sat  in  the  temple  of  God  tliere  to  remain  until  the 
coming  of  the  Lord,  that  is,  until  his  second  appearing,  for  this  v.cs 
written  after  the  first.  Now  this  mystery  of  iniquity,  or  man  of  sir, 
Avas  to  sitj  in  the  temple  of  God,  Christ  therefore  was  not  in  it. 

But  what  is  the  temple  of  God  ?  are  not  his  people  ?  Av;  it  is 
written,  "  Ye  are  the  temple  of  the  living  God;  as  God  hath  said,  I 
''  will  dwell  in  them  and  walk  in  them."  "  Know  ye  not  that  ye  are 
"  the  temple  of  God,  and  that  the  Spirit  of  God  dwelleth  in  you." 
Tl  Cor.  6.  IS.  and  3.  16.1  Wliile  therefore  the  myster}-  of  iniquity 
sat  in  the  temple  of  God,  or  church,  all  v,  as  in  confusion,  tiie  power 
of  the  holy  people  was  scattered,  a:\d  this  beast  made  war  w  ith  the 
saints  and  overcame  them,  as  the  sciipture  expressly  said  he  should. 
TRev.  13.7.1  Here  also  tliis  Tr/c/.f!/ was  to  sit,  making  ai'.d  con- 
tinuing this  havoc,  until  llie  second  coming  of  the  Lord  and  the  day 
of  our  gathering  together  to  iiirn,  as  the  apostle  expressly  states, 
speaking  of  that  day,  that  it  should  not  come,  unless  there  came  a 
laliing  away  firet,  and  also  that  that  wicked  should  be  revealed.  Then 
after  describing  him,  and  telling  that  he  was  then  working,  he  also 
states  the  time  when  he  should  be  revealed,  consumed  and  destiw-- 
ed — at  the  appearing  of  the  Lord.  "  And  now  ye  know  what  m  ith- 
^'  holdeth,  that  he  might  be  revealed  in  his  lime.  For  the  mystery 
"  of  iniquity  doth  already  work  :  only  lie  who  now  letteth  will  let, 
•'•  until  he  be  taken  out  of  the  way,  For  let  him  who  dctaineth  com.e 
••  forth  out  of  the  midst ;  or  be  born ;]  and  then  shall  that  wicked 
■*  [oioaoc,  lawless,]  be  revealed  whom  th.e  Lord  will  consume  v.ith 
•'  the  Spirit  of  his  mouth  and  will  destroy  with  the  brightness  of  his 
"  appearing."  [2  Thes.  ~.  7,  8."|  Thus  it  is  stated  by  Christ  Jesus 
in  the  parable,  that  the  time  of  the  kingdom's  being  made  clean  is  at 
ihe  end  of  the  world,  which  can  be  none  else  than  his  second  coming; 
'^  So  shall  it  be  in  the  end  of  the  world.  The  Son  of  man  shall  send 
'•'  forth  his  angels,  and  they  shall  gather  out  of  his  kmgdom  all  tilings 
"  that  offend,  and  them  that  do  iniquity."  [Matt.  13.  40,  41-.J 

Notwithstanding,  the  scripture  speak  abundantly  of  a  kingdom 
©n  the  earth  already  clean,  extending  itself  over  the  Avhole  earth,  and 
abiding  for  ever,  even  for  ever  and  ever ;  Yet  this  pure  kingdom, 
could  never  commence  until  the  coming  of  Christ  the  second  time, 
^  already  stated,  v.'inch  statement  is  covroborated  by  ar.otiier  sayi:  g 


262  NEGATIVE 

of  the  aposlle  concerning  Christ,  "  Who  shall  judge  the  quick  and 
•^^  the  dead  at  his  appearing,  and  his  kingdom."  Here  it  is  evident 
ihe  coining  and  kingdom  commence  together.  [2  Tim.  4.  1.] 

For  the  church,  after  being  once  scattered,  to  arise  again  to  its 
proper  purity,  order  and  power  before  the  revelation  and  appearing 
of  Christ,  would  be  as  inconsistent  as  for  the  salt  which  hath  lost  its 
savor  to  become  good  without  the  restoration  of  the  saltness,  or  for 
a  dead  man  to  perform  the  functions  of  life  without  I'eanimation. 
Accordirtgly  it  hath  been  found  by  experience,  that  all  the  labored 
attempts  to  restore  the  church  to  its  primitive  purity  and  order,  by 
gathering  up  the  scattered  fragments  and  putting  away  destructive 
errors,  have  proved  abortive  ;  and  they  always  Avill  to  all  people,  un- 
til they  find  the  renewed  revelation  of  Christ  from  heaven,  in  his  se- 
cond appearing.  For  when  any  remarkable  outpouring  of  the  Spi- 
rit of  God  is  known,  it  comes  in  such  a  manner  as  to  show  it  does  not 
spring  forth  out  of  any  or  all  the  established  professions  or  churches, 
as  the  law  coming  forth  of  Zion,  or  the  word  of  the  Lord  from  Je- 
rusalem, but  on  the  contrary,  tends  to  demolish,  rather  tlian  upbuild 
those  churches  of  long  standing.  For  not  unfrequently  new  deno- 
minations or  parties  of  some  renewed  cast  spring  up  in  remarkably 
great  revivals,  carrying  off  the  weight  and  Spirit  of  the  work  and 
leaving  the  old  denominations  in  barrenness,  and  in  a  short  time  those 
■who  keep  the  revival  longest  are  barren  also,  so  that  nothing  of  the 
kind  hath  ever  been  found  abiding.  These  things  however  only 
serve  to  confirm  a  painful  truth  which  is  the  natvu-al  inference  from 
"what  hath  been  before  stated  ;  for  inasmuch  as  the  power  of  the  holy 
people  hath  been  once  scattered,  the  daily  sacrifice  once  taken  av/ay, 
and  the  salt,  which  is  the  church,  has  once  lost  the  savor,  which  is 
the  anointing,  no  church  can  have  the  anointing  or  Spirit,  who  is 
Christ,  abiding  in  them,  until  Christ  is  again  revealed  from  heaven-; 
therefore  all  those  churches  who  claim  their  standing  as  being  in  an 
uninterrupted  succession  from  the  apostles,  .are  nothing  but  anti- 
christ, and  false  prophets,  who  have  lost  the  true  Christ  and  know  not 
Avhere  to  find  him  :  hence  they  say,  Lo  here  !  and  lo  there  !  in  the 
desert  and  in  the  secret  chamber.  They  preach  and  pray  with  such 
uncertainty  that  it  can  be  felt  by  their  hearers ;  and  though  they  pre- 
•sume  to  be  ministers  pf  Christ,  and  can  borrow,  or  more  properly 
steal  the  words  of  his  true  ministers,  not  one  amongst  the  thousands 
of  them  can  tell  any  one  soul  who  inquires.  What  shall  I  do  to  be 
saved  ?  the  way  to  find  Christ  and  salvation,  so  as  to  prove  by  fact, 
that  he  is  a  minister  of  Christ  indeed :  this  truth  is  felt  by  them- 
selves, as  far  as  they  are  awake,  and  when  w^eighed  in  the  balance 
they  are  four*d  wanting. 

That  Christ  is  absent  and  not  present  with  them  their  own  words 
and  works  declare  ;  for  they  arc  continually  preaching  and  praj  ing 
about  his  yet  coming  the  second  time.  The  same  is  farther  confirm- 
ed by  their  perpetual  fastings  before  eating  the  Lord's  supper,  and  at 
other  times,  a  practice,  expressly  predicated  to  be  observed  in  thr 
absence  of  Christ.     It, is  not  the  habit  of  the  foUoAvers  of  Christ  to 


EVIDENCES.  263 

iiist  while  he  is  present  with  them.  «  And  they  said  unto  him,  Why 
'■^  do  the  disciples  of  John  fast  often,  and  make  prayers,  and  Ukewise 
"  the  disciples  of  the  Pharisees ;  but  thine  eat  and  drink  ?  And  Ire 
*'  said  to  them.  Can  ye  make  the  children  of  the  bride-chamber  fast 
•'  while  the  bridegroom  is  with  them  ?  But  the  days  will  come, 
«  when  the  bridegroom  shall  be  taken  away  from  them  and  then  shall 
"  they  fast  in  those  days."  [Luk.  5.  33,  34,  35.]  It  would  be  doing 
violence  to  these  sayings  of  Christ  to  limit  them  to  his  going  out  of 
tlie  tabernacle ;  for  until  after  he  had  ascendc<J  and  sent  the  Com- 
forter they  never  really  knew  him,  or  began  in  truth  to  rejoice  in 
him  ;  with  great  propriety  therefore  they  relate  to  that  period,  when 
the  daily  sacrifice  was  taken  away,  and  the  power  and  presence  of 
Ckrist  not  known — he  is  absent,  therefore  they  fast.. 

Eating  the  Lord's  sOpper  also,  proves  the  absence  of  Christ ;  "  For 
"  as  often  as  ye  eat  this  bread  and  drink  this  cup,  yc  do  shew  forth 
"  the  Lord's  death  till  he  come,"  not  afterwards.  (1  Cor,  1 1 .  26.) 

An  objection  will  here  be  raised,  that  eating  the  Lord's  supper 
and  fasting  can  afford  no  argument  of  the  absence  of  Christ,  because 
Jesus  himself  instituted  the  supper,  and  it  was  praclised  by  the  apo- 
stles and  primitive  christians,  in  those  times  when  it  is  not  pretended 
that  the  apostacy  had  actually  commenced,  and  that  lasting  also  hath 
the  sanction  of  the  same  authority  But  this  objection  is  sufliciently 
obviated  thus ;  That  Jesus  and  his  apostles  knew  and  foretold  tlie 
apostacy  v/hich  actually  began  to  appear  before  the  close  of  the  apo- 
stles' labors  ;  and  as  it  was  necessary  that  some  animating  memorial 
of  the  tru-e  Christ  and  his  gospel  should  be  left  with  the  children,  or 
friends  oi  the  Bridegroom,  during  his  absence,  to  encourage  them  in 
the  prospect  of  his  return,  and  be  a  warning  to  his  enemies,  nothing 
could  be  observed  with  so  good  grace  as  that  vv'hich  had  received  the 
sanction  of  his  own  hand  and  his  own  words,  "Do  tl.is  in  remcm- 
•<'  brance  of  me."  And,  "  When  the  Bridegroom  sliall  be  taken 
"  away  from  them,  then  shall  they  fast  in  those  days." 

No  allegation  of  insincerity  is  here  intended  against  these  whose 
real  faith  it  is  to  fast  or  to  eat  the  Lord's  supper  in  remembrance  of 
Christ,  and  who  have  not  seen  any  farther  ;  it  is  perfectly  consistent 
with  the  faith  of  those  who  do  not  believe,  that  he  hath  come  the  se- 
cond time,  and  it  is,  by  no  means  unaccountable,  that  the  sincere  la- 
mentei-s  of  degeneracy  should  keep  up  the  remembrance  of  former 
times  as  accurately  as  possible.  But  the  most  genuine  sincerity, 
admitting  it  were  found  in  all  who  have  not  the  faith  of  Christ's 
second  appearance,  which  is  far  from  being  the  fact,  cannot  at  all 
invalidate  the  argument,  that  these  memorials  of  his  coming  prove 
his  absence.  Neither  can  it  avail  any  thing  for  them  to  plead  that  he 
is  M'ith  them  in  Spirit;  for  Christ  is  the  Spirit,  and  where  he  dweil- 
eth  HI  Spirit,  there  he  dvvcUeth  in  reality.  The  disciples  knew  little- 
of  Christ  while  they  could  see  his  body  of  flesh  and  bones,  but  when 
that  was  out  of  the  way,  and  they  received  him  in  Spirit,  they  had 
him  in  power,  and  could  call  him  Lord  by  the  Holy  Ghost.  But 
"'■vith  the  denominations  in  these  days  he  is  not  present  in  Spirit,  as 


264  NEGATIVE 

their  o^v IV  words  and  vi-orks  evince  ;  because  iheirmjost  spirited  crici: 
and  prayers  are  to  this  effect.  That  he  ^vould  come  and  take  up  h^s 
abode  ^vith  them  ;  by  which  it  would  be  absurd  to  suppose  they  in- 
tended any  other  coming  than  in  the  Spirit. 

But  the  church  and  ministers  of  Christ  are  not  so;  they  run  not 
as  uncertainly  ;  they  know  Christ,  and  where  he  dwells,  and  can  say 
with  Jesus  himself,  and  with  Philip,  his  young  disciple.  Come  and 
sec.  Christ's  ministers  are  not  sent  without  tidings  j  they  can  direct 
any  honest  inv'|uirer  to  Christ  and  salvation,  so  certainly  and  safely 
that  none  such  can  ever  fail. 

Tliis  brings  us  again  to  the  point  in  hand  ;  That  the  members  of 
Christ  arc  knov/n,  and  hoAV  they  are  distinguished  from  all  others. 
And  as  the  church  is  a  select  people,  and  a  collection  of  many  into 
one,  the  body  being  one  and  having  many  members,  and  all  thcss 
menibcrs  out  one  body,  we  ohall  first  inquire  into  the  subject  as  it  re- 
spects each  one  individually.  The  people  of  God  then,  are  known 
and  distin:;uishcd  by  tiie  fruits  which  they  bear. 

Here  it  (vill  be  expedient  to  clear  up  a  little  farther  a  difficulty 
vi'hich  may  possess  the  breast  of  some  who  are  honest  to  the  best  of 
tliciv  understanding  ;  it  having  been  so  universally  taught,  that  real 
cViibiianity  is  so  great  a  secret,  that  no  one  can  certainly  be  known 
whether  he  is  a  christian  or  not ;  yea  farther  it  is  even  taught  that 
none  certainly  know  themselves  whether  they  are  christians  or  not. 
Some  lay  great  stress  on  those  words  of  the  prophet  Jeremiah,  "  The 
"  lieart  is  deceitful  above  all  things,  and  desperately  wicked  ;  who 
"  can  know  it?"  (17.  9.)  These  words  are  considered  as  an  unre- 
served description  of  the  character  of  all  men,  christians  as  well  as 
otliers.  And  indeed  without  such  an  acceptation,  the  inference  drawn  ' 
from  them,  that  christians  cannot  be  known,  must  fall;  for  it  will 
readily  be  granted  that  if  any  one  can  be  free  from  the  charge  of  a 
deceitful  heart,  it  must  be  one  who  is  a  christian  indeed.  But  it  is^ 
father  to  be  remembered,  that  the  prophet  in  that  paragraph,  ot* 
which  these  words  are  the  beginning,  spake  particularly  of  the  wick- 
ed man  who  gets  riches  not  by  right. 

It  is  also  to  be  considered  as  a  matter  of  great  consequence, 
thout^-h  little  understood  heretofore,  that  the  language  of  a  Jewish 
prophet,  respecting  the  people  in  his  day,  is  not  to  be  taken  as  a  pro- 
per dlscription  of  a  christian.  What  the  law  saith  it  saith  to  them 
that  arc  under  the  law,  but  tliat  by  no  means  makes  the  sayings  of 
tne  law  a  rule  for  those  who  have  the  gospel.  It  was  necessary  for 
them  to  speak  the  truth  according  to  the  day  in  which  they  lived  ; 
it  Is  therefore  no  wonder  if  they  often  complained  of  the  wickedness 
of  the  people  and  the  scarcity  of  the  truth  in  those  days  of  darkness, 
when  salvation  was  not  known  ;  when  all  they  luid  in  possession  con- 
sisted in  carnal  ordinances,  weak  and  beggarly  elements ;  and  they 
■\vcvc  encouraged  and  supported  mainly  by  the  promise  of  that  which 
was  uflerwards  to  be  possessed.  Befoi-e  fcith  came  they  were  ke])c 
under  the  law,  shut  n\)  to  the  faith  which  should  afterwards  be  reveal- 
ed ;  for  i^.olhing  could  be  brought  forth  to  perfection  until  faith  carae,' 


EVIDENCES.  265 

arid  that  could  not  be  until  the  author  of  it  came,  whp  is  Christ; 
»'  For  the  law  made  nothing  perfect,  but  the  bringing  in  of  a  better 
^  hope  (doth,)  by  which  we. draw  nigh,  to  God."  (See  note,  page  1 17.) 
/  The  gospel  of  Christ  therefore  goes  on  a.  very  different  footing 
from  the  law  ;  and  though  deceitfulness  never  could  be  acceptable 
with  God,  it  is  especially  reprehensible  where  tlie  light  of  Christ  has 
appeared,  so  that  all  those  who  harbor  it,  are  entirely  excluded  from 
Christ.  Hence  the  doctrine  of  Christ,  in  the  parable  of  the  sower  j 
none  could  bring  forth  fruit,  but  those  who  received  the  word  in  au 
honest  and  good  heart.  And  it  is  a  fact  to  be  received  with  the  ut- 
most certainty  that  none  but  the  honest  and  good,  v^hq  keep  judgment 
to  the.line  and  righteousness  to  the  plummet,  will  ever  be  able  to  stanil 
before  him  or  partake  with  him.  To  the  same  effect  is  the  sayuig  of 
the  apostle  John  who  appeals  to  the  decission  of  the  heart  as  a  witncsi 
to  give  confidence  before  God  ;  "  Beloved,  if  our  heart  condemn 
"  us  not,  then  have  we  confidence  towards  God."  [1  Jno.3.  21.J, 

What  is  here  stated  in  a  few  words,  could  be  illustrated  to  much 
greater  fulness  in  a  suitable  place  ;  and  it  obviates  all  the  objections 
introduced  from  the  writings  of  the  old  testament,  against  the  truth 
of  christians' being  known, 'and  also  living  without  sin.  And  we 
conclude  that  no  reasonable  man  will  count  it  impi'opei'  in  us  to.  re- 
ject all.  arguments  to  that  effect,  drawn  from  that  quarter,  until  it  can 
be  proved  that  salvation  was  as  real,  not  to  say  as  full,  in  the  days  of 
the  prophets  as  after  the  comipg  of  Christ,  that  is,  in  plain  terms  tiiat 
Christ  came  in  vain  and  died  in  vain.  "  For  if  righteousness  come 
"  by  the  law  Christ  hath  died  in  vain."  "  If  therefore  perfection 
"  were  by  the  Levitical  priesthood  (for  under  it  the  people  received 
"  the  law,)  what  further  need  was  there  that  another  priest  should 
"  arise  after  the  order  of  Melchizcdec,  and  not  be  called  after  the 
"  order  of  Aaroi>?"  [Gal.  2.21.     Heb.  7.  11.] 

But  another  text  hath  been  named,  to  prove  that  christians  cannot 
be  known.  "  The  wind  bloweth  where  it  listeth,  and  thou  hearest 
"  the  sound  thereof,  but  canst  not  tell  whence  it  cometh  and  whither 
"  it  goeth :  so  is  every  one  who  is  born  of  the  Spirit."  (Jno.  3.  18.) 
Jf  it  be  argued  that  the  Spirit  is  here  compared  to  the  wind,  and  tJie 
operations  of  the  one  to  the  movings  of  the  other,  and  therefore  that, 
as  no  man  can  understand  accurately  the  moving  cause  and  secret 
windings  of  the  wind,  so  as  to  know  whence  it  cometh  and  whither  it 
goeth,  so  neither  can  any  one  know  the  manner  of  the  Spirit's  work- 
ing, nor  the  christian  who  is  the  subject  of  it  :  So  is  every  one  who 
is  born  of  the  Spirit.  It  is  answered,  that  this  argument  is  forced 
and  inconclusive  ;  for  let  it  be  granted  that  the  secret  method  of  the 
Spirit's  working  is  unknown,  it  no  more  proves  the  operations  of  tlio 
Spirit  and  the  subjects  of  those  operations  to  be  unknown,  than  tlio 
secrets  of  the  wind  being  vmknown,  proves  that  no  man  can  know 
Tjhen  the  wind  bloweth  or  where.  The  text  therefore  in  consideration 
proA'es  unquestionably,  th.at  as  certainly  as  a  forest  or  grove  can  be 
knoM'n  to  have  the  wind  in  it,  by  hearing;  the  sound  and  observing 
'  L  2 


266  NEGATIVE  r 

other  effectr  just  so  certainly  can  the  subjects  of  the  Spirit's  opcTa- 
tions  he  kn-     n:  so  is  every  o?ic  tj/w  is  bom  of  the  Sjiirit. 

By  then-  'tsye  shall  know  them.  And  however  the  operations 
of  the  Spii  ^  'ly  be  disputed  and  oalled  the  works  of  the  devil ; 
when  men  ..  v  •  tue  operations  of  the  wind  by  its  effects,  (which  are 
otherwise  I-'- own,)  they  are  obliged  to  acknowledge  them  to  be 
beyond  the  ^ch  of  men,  and  are  from  the  most  rational  evidence 
induced  to  atcribute  them  to  the  proper  cause,  becaiise  there  is  no- 
other  pov/er  known  to  produce  such ;  in  like  mp.nner  when  the  ef- 
fects of  the  Spirit'^- operations  appear,  every  man  is  by  the  most  ra- 
tional evidence  invited  to  attribute  them  to  their  proper  source.  The 
only  hindrances  to  this  conclusion  are  found  mainly  in  the  adversaries 
to  the  gospei ;  as,  First ;  An  unacquaintance  with  tlic  Spirit's  ope- 
rations through  inattention,  or  want  of  opportunity.  This  may  be  ea- 
sily removed  in  the  honest.  Secondly  ;  Unwillingness  to  yield  to  the 
truth.  Thi!J  is  so  far  from  being  a  justifiable  objection,  that  it  is  a 
proper  foundation  for  guilt,  and  also  a  strong  argument  in  favor  of 
said  operations'  being  of  God,  because  offensive  to  the  carnal  mind. 
But  I  would  not  anticipate  what  is  to  come  in  another  place. 

The  church  is  so  far  from  being  an  unknowable,  that  nothing  is 
more  expressly  and  cleai'ly  testified  in  the  scriptures  than  that  it  is 
known.  Christians  know  themselves  to  be  of  God  in  Christ,  by  the 
work  of  God  in  them  and  the  fridts  which  they  bring  foi'th.  "  Here- 
"  by  know  we  that  we  dwell  in  him,"  and  he  in  us,  because  he  hath 
"  given  us  of  his  Spirit."  "  He  that  believeth  on  the  Son  of  God  hath 
"  the  witness  in  himself."  "  And  hereby  we  do  know  that  we  know 
■"  him,  if  we  keep  his  commandments.  He  that  saith  I  know  him, 
"  and  keepeth  not  his  commandments,  is  a  liar,  and  the  truth  is  not 
"  in  him.  But  v/hoso  keepeth  his  word,  in  him  verily  is  the  love  of 
"  God  perfected :  hereby  know  we  that  Ave  are  in  him."  "  My  lit- 
"  tie  children,  let  us  not  love  in  v*/^ord,  neither  in  tongue,  but  in  deed 
"(work)  and  in, truth.  And  hereby  v/e  know  that  we  are  of  the. 
"  truth;  and  shall  assure  our  hearts  before  him."  [l  Jno.  4.  13.  and 
s.  10.  and  2.  3,  4,  5.  and  3.  18,  19.] 

Christians  also  know  others,  and  are  able  to  distingtiish  who  are  in 
Christ,  and  wl;o  are  of  anti-christ,  by  their  being  of  tlie  same  faith 
or  not,  b)'  their  CHibracing  or  not  embracing  the  same  Spirit  and 
work  Av!iich  they  have  received.  Accordingly  the  apostle  John 
speaking  of  the  anti-christs  and  christians,  distinguisheth  thus; 
"  They  are  of  the  world,  therefore  speak  they  of  the  wcrld,  and  the  ' 
*'  world  heareth  them.  We  are  of  God :  he  that  knoweth  God  hear- 
"  eth  us ;  he  thr.tis  not  of  God  heareth  not  us.  Hereby  know  we  the 
"  Spirit  of  truth  and  the  spirit  of  error."  [4.  5,  6.j  Thus  there  is 
union  in  all  the  work  of  God,  and  among  all  the  souls  who  serAc  him; 
no  matter  in  what  country  they  live,  or  by  whatever  reproachful 
names  they  may  be  called,  or  whatever  other  circumstantials  majr 
attend  them.  If  any  therefore  are  uncertain  who  are  members  of 
Christ's  body  and  who  not,  or  in  other  Avords,  Avho  are  the  irua 
tl^uvch,  it  proves  in  the  first  place,  that  they  drc  not  christians. 


EVIDENCES.  567 

But  the  children  of  God  are  not  only  known  to  tliemselres  and  to 
one  another,  but  the  evidence  is  sufficiently  plain  to  those  aboivt  them. 
Not  as  thoTigh  the  internal  and  spiritual  nature  of  the  work  can  be 
known  and  understood  by  the  mass  of  mankind,  or  any  one  in  the 
state  of  nature.  "  But  the  natural  man  rcceiveth  not  the  things  of 
"■  the  Spirit  of  God,  for  they  are  foolishness  to  him;  neither  can  he 
"  know  them,  because  they  are  spiritually  discerned.  But  he  that  is 
"  spiritual  judgeth  [or  discernethj  all  things  (or  every  one.)  yet  he 
"  himself  is  judged  [discerned"}  of  no  man."  (1  Cor.  2.  14,  15.) 
But  the  fruits  which  appear  are  so  rational  that  the  understanding  of 
natural  men  ct:n  apprehend  them,  so  far  at  least,  as  to  be  sufliciently 
convinced  of  the  source  whence  they  come.  ?^hese  fruits  consist  in 
the  perfci'mance  of  their  dtity  towards  God,  towards  one  anotlier,  and 
'towards  m.ankind:  and  in  the  perfoi'mancc  of  theso  .duties  tliey  can- 
not neglect  a  duly  to  themselves. 

1st.  The  first  description  of  the  church  which  we  shall  here  state, 
by  which  they  are  known,  is  their  doing  the  will  of  God.  "  Circum- 
<'■  cission  is  nothhig,  and  uncircumcission  is  nothing  but  the  keeping- 
•«  of  the  commandments  of  God."  "  Not  every  one  who  saith  luito 
"  me.  Lord,  Lord,  shall  ente;-  into  the  kingdom  of  heaven,  but  he 
*'  who  docth  the  will  of  my  Father  who  is  in  heaven."  (1  Cor.  7.  16. 
Alatt.  7.  21.)  This  too  is  the  language  of  Christ  Jesus  and  his  apos- 
tles who  well  understood  the  nature  of  the  gospel,  and  not  the  mis- 
takes of  a  formalist  or  hypocrite.  But  as  Christ  Jesus  is  he  Avho 
first  revealed  the  Father,  and  all  Christians  own  him  as  the  head  of 
the  body,  receiving  ail  their  knowledge  of  God,  and  payh::g  all  their 
duty  to  God,  in  obedience  to  him,  we  here  proceed  to  state.     That, 

2d.  The  fruits  of  the  members  of  the  church  by  which  they  are 
known  and  distirgaished  fi-om  all  other  men  are  found  in  keeping 
the  commandments  of  Christ  and  doing  his  will :  short  of  this  in 
vam  do  any  prei.end  to  be  members  of  Christ's  body.  "  Ye  are  my 
"  friendri  if  ye  do  vdiatcoever  I  command  you."  "  If  ye  keep  my 
"  commandments  yc  shall  abide  in  my  love,  even  as  I  have  kept  my 
"  Father^s  commandments  and  abide  in  his  love."  "  If  a  man  love  me 
*'  he  will  keep  my  sayings."  "  Therefore  whosoever  heareth  these 
"  sayings  of  mine,  and  doeth  them,  I  will  liken  him  to  a  wise  man, 
"  who  built  his  house  upon  a  rock  :  and  the  rain  descended,  and  the 
"  floods  came,  and  the  v.'inds  blew,  and  beat  upon  that  house  ;  and  it 
"  fell  not:  for  it  was  founded  upon  a  rock.  And  evciy  one  who 
"  heareth  these  sayings  of  mine,  and  doeth  them  not,  shall  be  likened 
'"  to  a  fobiish  man,  who  built  his  house  upon  the  sand."  "  Blessed  are 
"  they  who  do  his  commandments,  that  they  may  have  right  to  the 
*'  tree  of  life,  and  may  enter  in  through  the  gates  into  the  city."  "  He 
«•  that  saith,  I  knov/  him,  and  keepeth  not  his  commandments,  is  a 
"  liar,  and  the  truth  is  not  in  him."  [Jno.  15.  15.  V.  10.  and  14.  to  23. 
Matt.  r.  24,  25,  2G.  Rev.  22.  14.  1.  Jno.  2.  4."] 

These  are  the  terms  and  these  only  which  Christ  proposes  to  any 
man  who  would  be  a  partaker  with  him ;  and  all  other  plans  or 
.schemes,  however  specious  and  flattering,  are  notlung  but  the  svoi  k^ 


SB«  NEGATIVE 

of  ar.ti-christ,  contrivances  of  men  who  know  not  God  or  Jesus 
Christ  whom  he  liath  sent ;  and. therefore  have  no  power  over  sin',^ 
yet  claim  a  shave  in  the  kingdom  of  God.  Thus  through  such  false 
apostles,  deceitful  workers,  it  has  been  so  universally  taught  that 
cluistians  transgress  the  commandments  of  Christ  as  well  as  others, 
that  the  law  and  rule  of  Christ  are  made  void  by  traditiori,  and  it  is 
esteemed  a  gross  heresy,  a  pernicious  enthusiastic  flight,  for  any  mar* 
to  teach  that  christians  correctly  keep  the  commandments  of  Christl 
This  however  was  not  esteemed  a  heresy  by  the  apostles  who  wrot^ 
thus ;  "  For  though  we  walk  in  the  flesh,  we  do  not  war  after  the 
*'  flesh  :  (for  the  weapons  of  our  warfare  are  not  carnal,  but  mighty 
'<  through  God  to  the  pulling  down  of  strongholds,")  casting  downim- 
'^  aginaiions  (Greek,  reasonings,)  and  every  high  thing  that  exalteth 
"  itself  against  the  knowledge  of  God,  and  bringing  into  captivit}/' 
"  every  thought  to  the  obedience  of  Christ."  [2  Cor.  10.3,4,5.] 
How  diflfcrent  is  the  language  of  those  who  maintain  that  they  and 
all  others  transgress  the  commandments  of  Christ  every  day,  in 
thought,  word  and  deed  !  Will  any  one  suppose  they  serve  one  and 
the  same  Lord  ?  , 

3d.  But  no  man  who  committeth  sin  can  keep  the  law  of  Christ, 
as  he  saith,  "  Whosoever  committeth  sin  is  the  servant;  of  sin." 
Again  it  is  written,  "  Know  ye  not  that  to  whom  ye  yield  yourselves 
"  servants  to  obey,  his  servants  ye  are  to  whom  ye  obey,  Avhether  of 
<'  sin  unto  death,  or  of  obedience  unto  righteousness  ?"  [Jno.  8,  34. 
Ro.  6.  16.J  This  then  is  the  unequivocal  distinction  between  the 
membei-s  of  Christ's  body  and  the  rest  of  the  world,  "  In  this  the 
^'  children  of  God  are  manifest  and  the  children  of  the  devil."  [Jno". 
o.  10.]  Now  that  which  is  nianit'est  is  no  lon.ger  a  mystery,  no  longer 
tmknown.  Tliis  is  the  sv/eeping  rule  of  Christ  and  his  apostles, 
which  puts  a  period  eventually,  to  all  the  contentions  and  debate<», 
about  Who  ia  a  chriiitian  and  who  is  not.         " 

All  therefore  which  is  required  of  any  man,  in  searching  for  the 
true  church,  is  in  the  first  place  to  find  the  people  Avho  bear  a  bold 
and  living  testimony  against  all  sin,  and  confirm  the  same  by  their 
works  :  and  he  is  fully  authorized  pf  Christ  and  his  apostles,  to  set 
aside  all  others,  whatever  zeal,  light,  or  power  they  may  have,  as 
bchig  yet  short  of  the  mark.  V/e  \A-ould  not  be  understood  as  con- 
demning or  rejecting  any  society  of  professed  christians,  on  account 
of  the  misconduct  or  iniquities  of  some  who  may  be  called  by  their 
name,  and  have  some  agreement  with  them  in  sentiment,  but  are  not 
living  in  union  with  the  body,  and  are  not  owned  by  them  as  honest 
subjects  of  their  faith.  Neither  on  account  of  those  who  are-  so 
young  in  their  faith,  as  not  to  have  had  time  to  gain  power  over  sin( 
For  the  discirles  were  subject  to  error  in  the  beginning  of  their  dis- 
cipleship;  but  after  they  received  the  Holy  Ghost,  and  became  ejc- 
perlenced  in  the  gospel,  they  set  another  example,  and  taught  and- 
ther  doctrine,  l^he  work  of  regeneration  is  an  increasing  work  ; 
\ti  it  m^n  cease  to  do  evil  and  learn  to  do  w  ell. 


EVIDENCES.  269 

''  But  if  any  man,  in  quest  of  the  true  church,  find  a  people  whose 
leading  characters,  or  those  members  who  have  professed  long 
e'noiigh  to  have  become  of  age,  yet  commit  sin,  he  must  violate  the 
law  and  rule  of  Christ,  if  he  consider  them  the  church  of  God.  Or 
if  he  find  a  people  whose  acknowledged  faith  it  is,  that  no  man  can 
live,  and  not  sin  ;  or  that  people  may  commit  sin,  and  be  christians 
notwithstanding  ;  such  a  people  are  avowed  enemies  to  the  rule  of 
Christ,  and  in  honor  to  him  are  obliged  to  be  rejected  as  not  belong- 
ing to  his  body.  "  For  he  that  saith,  I  know  him,  and  keepeth  not 
"  his  commandments  is  a  liar,  and  the  truth  is  not  in  him.  He  was 
*'  manifested  to  take  away  our  sins  :  and  in  him  is  no  sin.  He  that 
"  saith  he  abideth  in  him,  ought  himself  also  so  to  walk,  even  as  he 
"  walked."  [1  Jno.  2.  4.  6.  and  3.  5.]  Or  if  a  people  be  found  who 
cannot  show  a  united  body  of  one  faith,  (for  in  the  church  there  is 
one  faith)  who  have  gained  power  over  all  shi ;  and  if  they  do  not 
reject  all  who  have  not  gained  full  power  over  all  sin,  as  not  born  of 
God,  but  at  best,  even  if  of  their  own  faith,  as  no  more  than  learners, 
ruch  people  are  to  be  set  aside  as  not  being  the  body  of  Christ;  for 
the  true  chmxh  are  the  temple  of  God,  and  that  temple  is  holy. 

Finally,  Whatever  work,  under  the  name  of  Christianity,  doth  not 
in  its  progress,  give  power  over  all  sin  and  the  darkness  which  leads 
to  it,  so  as  to  produce  a  people  who  are  saved  in  the  present  tense, 
falls  short  of  being  the  true  gospel,  and  the  subjects  of  it  are  all  un- 
der the  powei"  and  government  of  anti-christian  darkness.  "  This 
<' then  is  the  message  which  w^e  have  heard  of  him,  and  declare  to 
"  you,  that  God  is  light  and  in  Inm  is  no  darkness  at  all.  If  we  say 
"  that  \ve  have  fellowship  with  him,  and  walk  in  darkness,  we  lie  and 
«  do  noi  the  truth.  But  if  Ave  walk  in  the  light  as  he  is  in  the  light, 
*'  we  have  fellowship  one  with  another,  and  the  blood  of  Jesus  Christ 
"  his  Son  cleanseth  us  from  all  sin."  (1  Jno.  1.  5,  6,  7.)  Not  will 
cleanse  us  wi.en  we  die,  or  sometime  hereafter ;  it  is  present  tense  ; 
as  it  is  written  again,  "  How  shall  we  that  are  dead  to  sin  live  any 
"  longer  therein."  (Ro.  6.  2.)  This  then  is  the  character  of  the 
true  church  ;  they  have  fellowship  with  God,  fellowship  with 
one  another,  and  commit  no  sin.  "  In  this  the  children  of  God 
<'  are  manifest,  and  the  children  of  the  devil ;  whosoever  doeth 
''  not  righteousness  is  not  of  God,  neither  he  that  loveth  not 
'-^  his  brother."  But,  "  He  that  doeth  righteousness  is  righteous, 
'"  even  as  he  [the  Son  of  God]  is  righteous."  And,  "  He  that  loveth 
^^  his  bi'other  abideth  in  the  light,  and  there  is  none  occasion  of  stum- 
''  bfing  in  him."  (1  Jno.  3.  10,  7.  and  2.  10.) 


270  CHRISTIANS 

CHAPTER  V. 

Sovie  objections  against  the  sinless  life  of  a  christian  ansivered  cmd 
the  point  confirmed. 

BUT  the  thought  of  God's  having  a  people  on  earth,  in  whom 
J-ie  dwells  as  his  holy  temple,  and  Avho  do  not  cc;>nmit  sm,  is  so  far 
Gilt  of  the  sight  and  remembrance  of  professors,  that  the  very  idea 
■will  appear  to  many  of  them  romantic,  and  the  most  explicit  decla- 
rations of  scripture  appear  to  have  lost  their  edge,  and  a  few  unde- 
fined old  phrases  to  which  they  have  been  accustomed,  partly  scrip- 
tural and  partly  not,  are  suflicient  with  them,  to  counterbalance  all 
the  testimony  of  Christ  and  his  apostles.  Some  also  who  possess  a 
I'cspectablc  degree  of  honesty  and  fceling,  may  through  the  influence 
of  prepossession  and  the  deficiency  of  information,  be  not  altogether 
clear  in  their  judgment.  We  shall  therefore  take  notice  of  some  of 
the  most  plausible  objections. 

The  apostle  John  hath  written  ;  "•  If  we  say  we  have  no  sin  v/e  de- 
*''ceivc  ourselves,  and  the  truth  is  not  in  us."  Hence  it  is  argued 
that  no  man  can  be  free  from  sin ;  for  if  any  man,  be  who  he  may, 
should  say,  I  have  no  sin,  or  I  am  saved  from  all  sin  by  the  blood' of 
Christ,  this  text,  say  they,  would  prove  that  he  is  deceived  and  the 
truth  not  in  him ;  for  the  apostle  said  wc.  If  we  say  we  have  no  sin 
•nve  deceive  ourselves  and  the  truth  is  not  in  us ;  and  surely  if  any 
man  could  become  free  from  sin,  it  would  be  an  apostle,  and  if  any 
amongst  them,  the  beloved  disciple  John.  To  a  man  unacquainted 
•ivith  the  nature  of  language,  this  is  a  considerably  specious  objec- 
tion ;  I  have  therefore  stated  it  in  as  strong  terms  as  I  could,  that  it 
may  be  effectually  removed. 

The  apostle  had  just  stated  the  condition  of  those  who  walk  in  the 
light  as  he  (the  Son  of  (iod)  is  in  the  light,  that  the  blood  of  Christ 
cleanseth  them  from  all  sin.  But  he  well  kuev/  the  enmity  of  the 
Jews  and  others  against  Christ  and  the  doctiine  of  his  blood,  as  sav- 
ing them,  as  well  as  their  pride  in  presuming  they  v/ere  not  sinners, 
and  therefore  had  no  need  of  being  cleansed.  He  therefore  adds  ; 
"  If  we  say  v/e  have  no  sin  we  deceive  ourselves,  and  the  truth  is  not 
*♦  in  us."  If  we,  or  any  of  us,  or  any  man  (let  it  go  to  the  full  ex- 
tenl.)  should  say  we  have  no  sin,  and  therefore  have  no  need  of  Christ, 
he  deceiveth  himself.  That  this  is  the  purport  of  the  apostle's 
statement,  is  sufiicicntly  plain,  if  we  attend  to  the  follov.ing  words. 
"  If  we  confess  our  sins  he  is  faithful  and  just  to  forgive  us  our  sins, 
*'  and  to  cleanse  us  from  all  unrighteousness."  And  then  the  matter 
is  changed  from  the  present  to  the  past ;  "  If  we  say  we  have  not 
'«  sinned,  we  make  him  a  liar,  and  his  word  is  not  in  us."  But  no 
more  talk  of  being  deceived  by  saying  wc  have  no  sin,  after  the  con- 
fession, forgiveness  and  clQjmsing.  It  would  nevertheless  be  false  to 
say  Tje  had  not  sijined  ;  for  one  who  is  saved  from  sin  ever  so  com- 
pletely, connot  say  but  that  he  hatli  sir.ned,  because  all  havi^ 
sinned.    The  apostle  therefore,  by  saying,  in  such  a  connection,  «  If 


NOT  SINNERS.  271 

<^  we  say  we  have  no  sin  we  deceive  ourselves,"  no  more  proves  that 
to  be  the  case  with  christians,  than  it  pi'oves  that  if  a  man  is  once  a 
sinner  he  must  so  remain :  but  Christ  is  manifested  to  take  away  our 
sins.  Besides ;  to  understand  this  passage  as  proving  that  christians 
commit  sin,  excludes  the  apostle's  testimony  on  this  subject  by  ex- 
posing him  to  a  contradiction  ;  becavise  he  hath  so  boidiy  stated  at 
length,  that  they  who  are  born  of  God  do  not  sin. 

As  to  his  saying,  "cue^  it  is  no  more  than  a  familiar  mood  of  speak- 
ing common  to  tiie  apostles.  Thus  James,  speaking  of  the  tongue, 
saith,  "  Therewith  bless  we  God,  even  the  Father ;  and  thcrevrith 
"  curse  we  men,  who  are  made  after  the  similitude  of  God.  Out 
"  of  the  same  mouth  proccedeth  blessing  and  cursing.  IMy  breth- 
"  ren,  these  things  ought  not  so  to  be."  Likely  none  will  insist  that 
the  apostle  James  was  one  cf  those  who  took  part  in  such  cursing, 
and  yet  he  says  we,  in  as  pointed  terms  as  John.  (See  3.  9,  10.) 

Another  portion  of  scripture  which  many  ply  with  great  confidence 
to  maintain  that  christians  commit  sin,  or  live  in  it,  is  that  of  Paul, 
where  he  saith,  "  For  we  know  that  the  law  is  holy,  but  I  am  carnal 
"  sold  under  sin,"  and  more  to  the  same  purport.  (Ro.  7.  14,  he.) 
This  however  is  a  disputed  text  among  the  denominations  of  .profes- 
sors ;  so  that  their  own  testimony  on  this  point  doth  not  agree. 

John  Wesley  and  his  followers  have  maintained  vigorously  that 
the  apostle  did  not  there  speak  of  himself  or  describe  the  chrisUan, 
but  the  convinced  sinner. 

Doctor  Philip  Doddridge,  notv/ithstanding  he  was  possessed  of  tl)C 
common  error,  that  christians  commit  sin,  tliough  unwillingly,  in  his 
notes  on  the  scripture  under  consideration,  observes  that,  "  The 
"  alios  tie  here,  by  a  very  dexterous  turn,  changes  the  peraon  and 
"speaks  as  of  hhnself.  This  he  elsewhere  docs,  when  '  he  is  only 
"  personating  another  character.  And  the  character  here  assumed 
'*  is  that  of  a  man  first  ignorant  of  the  Icnu,  then  under  it,  and  sin- 
t'  cerely  desiring  to  please  God,  but  finding  to  his  sorrovi',  the  weak- 
'  ness  of  the  motives  it  suggested,  and  the  sad  discouragement.  un~ 
'  der  which  it  left  him;  and  last  of  ail,  with  transport  discovering 
<'  the  gof:pel  and  gairiing  pardon  and  strength,  peace  and  joy  by  it. 
"  But  to  suppose  (continues  the  Doctor,)  he  speaks  all  these  things 
"  of  himself,  as  the  confirmed  christian,  that  he  really  w^as  when  he 
"  v/rote  this  epistle,  is  not  only  foreign,  but  contrary  to  the  wliola 
"  scope  of  his  discourse,  as  well  as  to  what  is  expressly  asserted 
"  Chapter  8.  2." 

Osterwald  says.  "  This  is  a  chapter  which  ought  to  be  well  under- 
*'  stood,  and  which  must  not  be  misapplied.  For  tl\is  pxirpcne  it 
"  must  be  observed,  that  the  apostle  represents  in  his  own  persen,  in 
"  a, figurative  way  of  speaking  very  usual  with  him,  the  condirion  of 
"  a  man  who  is  under  tl:ie  law  ;  and  who  not  having  faith  and  tiie  Spi- 
"rit  of  Christ  is  a  slave  to  his  passions."  Thus  this  scripture  isijn- 
dicicusiy  taken  out  of  the  hands  of  the  abettors  of  the  doctrine  that 
dliristianb  are  not  free  from  sin,  by  men  of  their  own  faith. 


S72  CHRISTIANS 

It  is  indeed,  inconsistent,,  that  any  one  of  understanding  should 
build  with  any  confidence  on  the  apostle's  expressing  himself  after 
-that  manner  in  a  figure  so  common  to  him  as  Avell  as  others.  As 
thus,  "  For  if  the  truth  of  God  hath  more  abounded  through  my 
<'  iye  to  his  priory,  vhy  yet  am  I  also  judged  as  a  sinner  ?  And  not 
*'  rather  (as  v/e  are  slanderously  reported  and  as  some  affirm  that  we 
<<  say,)  let  us  do  e\il  that  good  may  come."  [Ro.  3.  7,  8.]  This  is- 
the  language  of  ethers  whom  he  personates,  whose  damnation  is  just, 
and  yet  he  says,  7ny  iye,  and  why  am  /judged  as  a  sinner,  as  though 
it  were  his  own.     But  to  the  chapter  under  consideration. 

In  the  chapter  before,  the  apostle  had  shown  at  length  that  they, 
christians,  were  dead  to  sin  and  could  not  live  any  longer  therein  ; 
free  from  si?i  and  servants  of  righteousness  ;  and  it  is  worthy  of 
particular  cuiisideration,  that  he  finds,  knows,  or  admits  no  middle 
station  between  being  servants  of  sin  and  servants  of  righteousness. 
But  in  the  beginning  of  this  chapter, ,  he  proceeds  to  elucidate  tlie 
state  of  christians,  as  being  delivered  from  the  law,  by  the  case  of  a 
married  v^'oman  Avhose  husband  is  dead  ;  in  consequence  of  which  she 
is  at  liberty  to  be  married  to  another,  which  she  could  not  be  had  he 
been  yet  alive  ;  and  to  show,  that  as  their  first  husband,  the  law,  to 
which  they  had  been  in  bondage,  was  dead,  (or  they  were  dead  to  it, 
Avhich  is  the  same,  for  he  uses  the  phrases  as  beir.g, tantamount,)  they 
were  at  liberty  to  be  married  to  another,  even  to  Christ,  which  could 
not  have  been  while  the  first  lived  and  they  were  bound  to  it, 
"  Wherefore,  ip.y  brethren,  ye  also  are  become  dead  to  the  law  by 
"  the  body  of  Christ ;  that  ye  should  be  married  to  another  even  to 
"  liim  who  is  raised  from  the  dead,  that  we  should  bring  forth  fruit  to 
"  God.  For  when  we  were  in  the  flesh,  the  motions  of  sins,  which 
"  were  by  the  law,  did  work  in  our  members  to  bring  forth  fruit  unto 
"  death  ;  but  now  we  are  delivered  from  the  law,  tiiat  being  dead 
"  wherein  we  were  held  ;  that  we  should  serve  in  newness  of  spirit, 
"  and  not  in  the  oldncss  of  the  letter."  This  shows  the  event  of 
Avhat  had  taken  place  in  them  to  Le  an  effectual  change  from  bondage 
to  liberty,  from  the  service  of  sin  to  the  service  of  righteousness,  as 
above  ;  "  Being  then  made  free  from  sin,  ye  became  the  servants  of 
"  righteousness."  And  again  ;  "  Therefore  if  any  man  be  in  Christ 
"  he  is  a  new  creature:  old  things  are  passed  away, behold-  all  things. 
"  are  Ijecome  new.  And  all  these  things  arc  of  God."  (Chapter 
6.  18.  2  Cor.  5.  17,  18.) 

The  apostle  next  proceeds  to  show  that  the  law  is  not  sin,  neither 
the  proper  cause  of  death ;  but  that  it  discovered  sin,  or  revived  ii ; 
for  without  tl.e  law  sin  Avas  dead;  and  that  sin  works  death  Ijy  that 
which  is  good,  Avhich  is  the  law;,"  Wherefore  the  law  ia  holy,  and 
"  the  commandment  holy,  and  just,  and  good."  He  herein  also 
shows  the  workings  of  the  mind,  in  one  under  the  law ;  and  among 
other  things  says,  "  For  I  was  alive  without  the  law  once."  This 
cannot  apply  to  the  apostle,  Avho  was  n.ot  only  trained  up  in  the  law 
from  his  infancy,  long  before  he  could  have  any  understanding  of  the 
life  of  v/hich  he  here  speaks,  and  which  he  lost  by  the  law  and  th* 


JTOT  SINNERS.  373 

fevivlng  oF  sin,  but  was  so  exceedingly  zealouaof  the  law,  long  be- 
fore his  Conviction  and  conversion,  tnat  in  the  Spirit  of  inspiration, 
after  ha  beca.ne  a  christian,  he  could  refer  back  to  those  times  and 
3av,  "  Touchln'^  the  righteousness  ivhich  is  in  (he  law,  I  was  blame- 
**  less :"  he  taerefore  was  not  without  the  law. 

But  as  all  this  is  in  t'le  past  tense,  and  therefore  cannot,  with  anj 
plausibility,  be  considered  as  Paul's  own   exercise,  except  at  some 
former  period,  when  he  mijht  be  supposed  to  be  in  convictions,  I 
shall  proceed  to  where  he  commences  in  the  present  tense:  "  For 
"  we  know  that  the  law  is  spiritual,  but  I  am  carnal  sold  under  sin." 
Now  if  this  be  true  of  one  born  of  God,  then   the  following  conse- 
quences are  true.     First.  That  Christ  and  sin  are  one ;  for  no  man 
can  serve  two  masters,  but  this  character  serves  sin.    Secondly.  That 
to  bs  carnally  minded  is  not  death  ;  for  sin  has  no  mechanical  or  co- 
ercive power,  but  can  only  prevail  by  influencing  the  mind,  therefore 
this  perso:i'3  m'ad  has  yielded  to  the  ix)wer  of  sin,  and  yet  he  is  esteem- 
ed as  alivj  in  Christ.     Thirdly.  That  to  becarnally  minded,  and  to  be 
spiritually  minded  imply  no  miportant  distinction  ;  for  this  character 
is  both  ;  therefore  the   apostle  is  wrong  in  saying,  "  To  be  carnally 
"  minded  is  death,  but  to   be  spiritually  minded  is  life  and  peace." 
Fourthly.  That  a  slave  to  sin  can  be  a  free  born  son  of  God   at  the 
same  time  ;  "  For  if  the  Son  make  you  free  ye  shall  be  free  indeed," 
but  this  character  is  made  free  by  the  Son  and  yet  sold  under  sin : 
now  one  sold  under  another  aojainst  his  will  is  what  common  language 
calls  a  slave.     So  is  it  with  this  character,  "  For  that  which  I  do  I 
"  allow  not ;  but  what  I  would  I  do  not ;  but  what  I  hate  that  do  I." 
"  If  tjien  I  do  that  which  I  would  not,  I  consent  to  the  law  that  it  is 
"  gooid."     Like  the  impiovis  heathen,  Fideo  mellora  prohogney  dete- 
riora  sequor.     I  see  better  things  and  approve  them,  but  pursue  the 
more  pernicious.     Then  out  of  thine  own  mouth  will  I  judge  thee, 
thou  wicked  servant.     Thou  knowest  thy  Lord's  will,  and  appruvest 
it,  b^it  dost  not  perform  it :  thou  bhalt  be  beaten  with  many  stripes. 
And  yet  this  character  is  called  a  christian.     But  if  a  slave  to  sin  be 
a  christian  who  is  not  ? 

But  hear  his  reasoning.  "  It  is  no  more  I  that  do  it  but  sin  that 
«  dv/elleth  in  me."  This  man  then  is  the  temple  and  agent  of  sin  ; 
it  dwelleth  in  him,  and  he  acteth  it  out.  But  christians  are  the  tem- 
ple of  the  living  God,  and  the  Spirit  of  God  dvt'elleth  in  them  ; 
and  if  any  man  defile  the  temple  of  God  him  will  Gcd  de- 
stroy. (1  Cor,  3.  16,  17.)  Therefore,  "  Whosoever  sinneth  hath 
"  not  seen  him  neither  known  him."  (1  Jno.  3.  6.)  This  person 
therefore  is  not  a  christian,  but  an  assumed  character,  tmder  the  pow- 
er of  sin,  convicted,  but  not  acquainted  with  Christ. 

The  next  verses  are  only  a  kind  of  repetition  of  the  same  work- 
ings, expressing  the  man's  anxiety  about  his  condition.  But  he  adds, 
"  I  find  then  a  law,  that  when  I  would  do  good  evil  is  present  with 
"  me.  For  I  delight  in  the  law  of  God  after  the  invrard  man."  This 
is  counted  an  infallible  proof  that  this  whole  description  applies  to 
the  christian,  not  considering  the  essential  deficiencv  which  would 

M  2 


a74  CHRISTIANS 

attach  itself  to  this  terse  \vith  all  the  rest — that  of  not  dcin^.  «  If 
"a  man  love  rJie  he  will  (unexctpticrabiy)  keep  r>y\vo!c!s;"  (not 
he  would  if  he  could,)  and  "  He  that  iovetn  me  net  keepeth  net  my 
"sayings."  [Jno.  14.23,  24.]  This  is  the  test  of  the  christian; 
and  in  vain  doth  any  man  presume  to  be  a  chiisiian  without  it  Chust 
makes  no  apology  for  those  who  are  r.ot  able;  neither  do  lis  apes* 
ties;  that  is,  where  the  gospel  is  heaid  ar.d  known.  If  many  sl.ail 
seek  to  enter  in  ar.d  shail  not  be  able,  he  hath  no  more  C(,mpyssica 
on  them,  than  on  those  who  do  not  seek  at  ail.  And  wjiy  shcuid  1  e, 
seeing  no  man  will  ever  experience  tlio  fetal  calan^i'y  except  those 
who  waste  their  day  and  stiength  in  puisuing  urjustifiablc  wcys,  and 
rejecting  the  only  true  way  and  lime  of  entrance  ? 

Who  therefore  is  to  bejie\e  tl  at  a  man  has  the  inside  of  1  is  c»  p 
and  platter  clean,  unless  the  outS  de  be  clean  also  ?  Who  is  'o  1  e:itve 
that  there  is  a  gncd  and  puie  fountaai  within,  unless  tl  e  stream  be 
also  clean  and  pure  ?  Who  is  to  beiieve  that  ar.y  man  delights  in  the 
law  of  God  in  the  inward  man,  and  yet  walks,  cv  at  all  atis  ccntiary 
to  it  in  his  life,  on  any  other  principle,  than  that  he  is  mei  ely  a  natuisj 
man,  having  never  kncvin  the  power  of  Chiist  ?.  It  is  a  most  auda- 
cious impeachment  of  the  character  of  Chiist,  for  atiy  man  to  say, 
that  he,  or  any  other,  hath  received  Christ,  1  ath  sulym.itted  to  his  in- 
structions, and  hath  not  received  ])ower  to  cveiccmesin.  Orate 
these  sayings  true  or  false  ?  "  He  that  committeih  sin  is  of  the  ('e- 
*' vil :  for  the  devil  sinneth  from  the  begini.hg;"  and  "  For  ti  ia 
'"  purpose  the  Son  of  God  was  manifested  that  he  might  destroy  the 
"  v/orks  of  the  devil.  Whosoever  is  bonr  of  Gcd  doth  net  ccmjUiit 
"  sin  ;  for  his  seed  remaineth  in  liim  :  and  he  cannt  t  sin  bccanpe  ;  e 
"  is  born  of  God."  I  say,  are  these  s- yingstrue  or  false  ?  And  is  it 
true  or  false,  that  "  To  as  many  as  receive  him,  to  thcMn  he  ei  e  h 
«  power  to  become  the  sons  of  God,  even  to  them  that  beiieve  en  i;i$ 
"  name?"  |  Jno.  I.  12.] 

People  who  ])retend  to  be  christians  on  the  prcsutnption  that  tl  cy 
delight  in  the  law  of  God  after  the  inward  man,  w  hiie  they  find  sncl» 
a  law,  that  when  they  w(juld  do  got  d  evil  is  piesent,  ard  they  do  not 
keep  the  law  of  Gcd,  are  little,  if  at  all,  s<!]ierior  to  the  heatl  tn  n^cri- 
tioned  above,  who  said,  Video  meliora  piobcque.  detetioia  sequor; 
or  those  mistaken  Jews  whom  Paul  describes.  Who  approve  the 
things  which  are  more  excehicnt,  and  yet  the  name  of  God  is  l^lrs- 
phemed  among  the  Gentiles  through  them.  [Ro.  2.  18,24.]  Multi- 
tudes of  such  people  profess  the  name  of  Christ  and  in  wrrVs  deny 
him,  neglecting  the  chiistian  signal,  "  Le^  every  one  tl  at  nameth  the 
«  name  of  Christ  depart  from  iniquity,"  [2  Tim.  2.  lQ.~iard  by  so 
doing  bear  the  boldest  testimony  they  can  readily  do,  to  support  ir  fi- 
delity, and  prove  the  gospel  a  blank,  ai^d  their  profcsf^irn  of  it  a 
farce.  "  Blessed  are  they  that  hear  the  wcid  of  Gcd  and  keep  it.** 
[Luk.  11.  28.] 

Much  stress  seems  to  be  placed  on  the  phrase,  Imvard  wan,  as  if 
this  character  had  some  new  or  distinct  part,  or  faculty,  sr  me  physi- 
cal, moral,  or  intellectual  power,  distiirct  from   other  men,  which 


NOT  SINNERS.  275 

mvist  constitute  him  a  christian,  so  that  his  delighting  in  the  law  of 
God  after  the  in%vai'd  man,  must  prove  liirn  to  be  a  christian  let  him 
be  ever  so  unable  to  do  what  he  ought.  Thus  I  remember  to  have 
heard  a  preacher  of  considerablo  rank,  when  preaching  expressly  on 
tiiis  snbject,  boldly  assert  that,  the  unregenerate  man  has  nu  iii' 
Tier  man.  But  when  people  become  infelligent  enough  to  know,  that 
the  regenerate  possess  no  physical  or  intellectual  faculties,  but  such 
as  are  common  to  them  with  the  unregenerate,  and  that  the  xniDarA 
man.,  is  no  otoer  than  the  intellectual  spiiit  which  we  commonly  call 
tie  soul,  tiiey  need  not  be  surprised  that  men  should  approve,  be 
p  ^ased  and  delighted  with  the  law  of  (icd  after  the  inward  man,  and 
yet  be  only  natural  men.  God's  works  have  a  beauty  and  order 
w.iich  are  fit  to  attract  the  approbation  and  delight  of  intelligent  raer* 
in  an  unprej'idiced  state  of  mind,  and  especially  when  conviction  of 
duty,  sense  of  necessity,  and  the  hope  of  salvation  all  press  to«aid 
the  same  point :  but  these  come  far  short  of  that  renovating  work  of 
the  Spirit-  in  which  the  man  receives  pov/er  to  becoine  a  sod  of  God, 
and  improves  it  to  that  efiecL 

"  But  I  see  another  law  in  my  members  warring  against  the  lawoi 
"  my  mind,  and  bringing  me  into  captivity  to  the  law  of  sin  wliich  is 
"  in  my  members."  This  decides  the  point  that  this  is  the  charac- 
ter oi  one  yet  under  the  power  of  sin,  for  the  law  in  his  members  is 
too  strong  for  the  law  in  his  mind;  therefore  he  is  either  not  a  chris- 
tian, or  the  opposing  law  in  the  members  of  a  christian  is  superior 
to  the  law  or  Spirit  of  Christ,  for  christians  have  the  mind  of  Christ, 
[I  Cor.  2.  16.~j  and  ^'  If  any  man  have  not  the  Spirit  of  Christ  he  is 
<'  none  of  his."  [Ro.  8.  9.] 

"  O  wretched  man  that  I  am  !  who  s!ia!l  deliver  me  from  the  body 
"  of  this  death  ?  I  thank  God  through  Jesus  Christ  our  Lord."' 
This  is  the  first  expression  in  the  whole  desciiption  which  savers  of 
the  g  snel.  When  in  the  last  extremity,  and  would  probably  have 
sunk  without  some  relief,  he  is  at  last  shut  up  to  the  faith  of  Christ, 
and  findci  the  prospect  of  deliverance  which  gives  him  some  courage: 
But  that  until  now  be  had  never  known  tlie  way  of  deliverance,  and 
especially  th\  t  he  had  never  experienced  it,  is  still  farther  proved  as 
fuHows.  First.  Uiitii  now  he  complains  of  that  opposing  law  having 
power  over  him  and  keeping  him  in  bondage.  But  of  the  christian 
it  is  said,  "  For  sin  shall  not  have  dominion  over  you  :  for  ye  are 
"not  under  the  law;  but  under  grace."  [Ro.  6.  14.]  Secondly. 
Those  who  arc  in  Ch;  ist  are  not  at  any  loss  about  who  shall  deliver 
them  from  the  body  of  death  ;  they  both  know  him  and  his  work 
and  Irave  found  it  to  be  suffici^^^nt  and  complete.  "  And  ye  are  com- 
"plete  in  him  who  is  the  head  of  all  principality  and  power,  in  whom 
"  als'*  ye  are  circumcised  with  the  circumcission  made  without 
*'  hands,  in  putt'ng  off  the  hcdy  of  the  sins  of  the  flesh  by  the  circum- 
"  cission  of  Christ:  buried  with  him  in  baptism,  wherein  also  ye  are 
«•  risen  with  hi;n  (Yea !  already  risen,)  through  the  faith  of  the  ope- 
f  ration  of  God,  w'-o  hath  raised  him  from  the  dead."  [Col.  2.  /O, 
n.]     Thirdly.  This  character  under  consideration  doth  not  evejji 


276  CHRISTIANS 

pretend  to  be  an  overcomer  yet,  notwithstanding  he  hath  gotten  somo 
discovery  of  the  way,  but  remaineth  just  aa  he  was  exceptinj^-  the 
prospeet.  "  So  then,  with  the  mind,  I  niyseJf  serve  the  law  of  God; 
"  but  with  the  fiesh  the  law  of  sin."  He  is  therefore  not  yet  in  Christ ; 
for  they  tliat  are  in  Christ  do  not  serve  the  law  of  sin  with  the  flesh 
itself,  They  have  crucified  it  with  its  affecticns  ai.d  lusts.  "  I  say 
"  then  walk  in  the  Spiiit,  and  ye  shall  not  fulfil  the  lusts  of  the  fiesi;." 
^'  For  if  ye  live  af  er  the  flesh,  y©  shall  die  ;  but  if  ye  through  the 
"  Spirit  do  mortify  ths  deeds  of  the  body,  ye  shall  live."  "  But  i 
"  keep  ray  body  under,  and  biing  it  into  subjection."  [Gal.  5.  24. 
16.  Ro.  8.  13.  1  Cor.  9.  27.^  Now  thatv/hich  is  crucified,  mortified, 
or  brought  into  subjection  by  the  christian,  cannot  have  power  to 
serve  the  law  of  sin. 

But  the  christian  again  comes  into  view.  ''  There  is  therefore 
"  now  no  condemnation  to  those  who  are  in  Christ  Jesus,  vv'iio  walk 
"  not  after  the  flesh  but  after  the  Spirit."  [s.  I. J  'I'his  is  an  infer- 
ence from  the  sixth  verse  of  the  seventh  chapter,  wliere  the  av-cstle 
left  the  subject  and  made  a  digression  to  speak  of  the  man  under  the 
law,  before  he  proceeded  to  the  full  description  of  a  christian.  Ob- 
jections have  been  made  against  the  division  between  the  seventli  and 
eighth  chapters,  as  being  in  an  improper  place,  considering  the  first 
verse  of  the  eighth  an  inference  from  the  last  of  the  seventh  :  hut  a 
man  of  discernment  must  see  the  weakness  of  such  reasoning.  To  say 
there  is  no  condemnation  to  those  who  are  in  Christ  Jesus  who  walk  not 
after  the  flesh  l5Ut  after  the  Spiiit,  because  I  serve  the  law  of  God  with 
my  mind,  but  the  law  of  sin  w  ith  my  flesh,  is  at  best  inconclusive,  not  to 
say  absurd.  Euttiiat  justification  should  be  the  consequence  of  be- 
coming dead  to  the  lav/  and  living  to  Christ  in  the  Spirit  is  rational, 
and  according  to  the  gospel.  "  But  now  we  are  delivered  from  the 
"  the  law,  that  being  dead  wherein  we  were  held ;  that  we  should 
"  serve  in  newness  of  Spirit  and  not  in  the  oldness  of  the  letter." 
[7.  6.]  «  There  is  therefore  nov/  no  condemnation  to  those  who  are  in 
"  Christ  Jesus,  who  walk  not  after  the  flesh,  but  after  the  Spirit. 
"  For  the  law  of  the  Spirit  of  life  in  Christ  Jesus  hath  made  me  free 
"  from  the  law  of  sin  and  death-  For  God  sending  his  own  Son  in 
"  the  likeness  of  sinful  flesh,  and  for  sin,  (on  account  of  sin,  to  put  it 
"away  by  the  sacrifice  of  himself ;)  condemned  sin  in  the  flesh; 
"  (where  it  hath  its  source,"^  that  which  the  law  could  not  do  in  that  it 
"  was  weak  through  the  flesh ;  that  the  righteousness  of  the  la\r 
'•  might  be  fulfilled  in  us,  who  walk  not  after  the  flesh,  but  after  the 
"  Spirit."  [8.  l,&c.] 

Here  is  a  christian  indeed  ;  one  who  doth  not  walk  after  the  flesh, 
but  after  the  Spirit ;  one  who  is  set  free  from  the  law  of  sin,  by  the 
Spirit  of  life  in  Christ  Jesus ;  one  who  hath  a  work  done  in  him, 
■wliich  the  law  could  not  do,  and  which  no  man  under  the  law  ever 
experienced,  or  ever  could,  until  God's  own  Son  appeared  to  do  it; 
that  is,  to  condemn  sin  in  the  flesh.  It  is  woithy  of  chservation,  that 
in  all  the  dcscri])tion  of  a  christian,  there  is  no  account  that  he  would 
do  good,  and  cannot. 


NOT  SINNERS.  27? 

But  Paul  is  again  introduced  by  seme,  as  an  instance  cf  a  christiiin 
who  is  plagued  with  the  power  and  vigorous  cffons  oi"  sii.,  cs  i.:  ti.ese 
words;  '»  And  lest  I  should  be  exaUed  above  measure  thi-cugh  the 
«  abundance  of  revelations,  there  was  given  to  nie  a  thorn  in  tbo 
«  flesh, the  messenger  of  satan  to  bufiet  me,  lest  1  should  be  exalted 
«  above  measure."  (2  Cor.  12.  7.)  This  thorn  in  the  fiesh,  it  is 
pleaded,  was  remaining  sin,  with  which  he  had  to  contend.  But  it 
might  be  asked,  Why  is  it  said  to  be  given  to  him  ;  for  it  it  was  re- 
maiiling  sin  it  v/as  with  him  all  along.  Besides  ;  A  thorn  in  the  flesh 
must  be  painful  to  the  fiesh,  as  this  no  doubt  was,  for  the  purpose 
intended  ;  but  sin  in  nature  or  works,  is  not  painful  to  the  fiesli,  it  is 
what  it  loves,  as  being  its  own  kind,  its  ov.n  offspring.  Taul  was  no 
better  than  Jesus  his  Lord  ;  who,  "  Though  he  m  as  a  Son,  yet  Icanv 
«  ed  he  obedience  by  the  things  which  he  suffered  ;"  and  by  his  ow  n 
account  this  thorn  was  given  lor  the  purpose  of  humi'.iaticn,  central y 
to  any  effect  of  sin.  Should  this  thorn  be  understood  to  be  the  juda- 
izing,  and  otherwise  corrvipt  teacher,  who  gave  Paul  so  much  dis- 
tress and  tribulation,  the  Greek  text  would  not  by  any  means  contra- 
dict the  idea,  "  There  was  given  to  me  a  thorn  in  the  fiesh,  themes- 
"  senger  of  sa'an,  that  he  might  buffet  me,  lest  I  should  be  exalted 
"  above  measure."  But  it  would  be  beside  the  piesent  purpose  to 
enter  into  a  full  investigation  of  what  this  thcrn  was  :  it  is  enough  to 
be  satisfied  it  v/as  not  sin  in  him. 

It  would  also  be  endless  to  enter  upon  all  the  contentious  argu- 
ments and  objections  against  the  faith  of  a  sinless  life  in  christians.  I 
have  purposely  noticed  those  which  are  most  commonly  offered,  ar>d 
which  appear  most  plausible.  As  for  those  frequently  introduced 
from  the  Mosaical  dispensation,  I  have  already  dismissed  them  as 
coming  from  a  source  incapable  cf  furnishing  the  example  or  pat- 
tern of  a  christian.  The  law  made  nothing  perfect,  but  the  bringing 
in  of  a  better  hope  doth.  By  the  law  was  the  knowledge  of  sin,  but 
not  of  salvation. 

It  remains  nov/  to  be  observed  that  in  all  the  arguments  proffered 
insiupport  of  the  sentiment,  that  christians  live  in  sin,  or  commit  sin, 
no  scripture  asserts  the  fact.  AH  that  can  be  done  is  to  argue  by  in- 
ference, and  such  as  is  very  precarious;  such  as  can  easily  be  under- 
stood differently  without  distottion  ;  such  as  must  necessarily  be  re- 
ceived in  a  different  sense  or  set  the  scriptures  to  clr.sb  one  part 
against  another,  and  the  more  feeble  and  precarious  evidence  to  con- 
front and  overturn  the  more  plentiful,  most  pointed,  cornected  ard 
forcible.  For  in  proof  of  the  sinless  life  cf  th.e  clvristian,  all  and 
every  one,  stands  connected  and  pointed  work,  such  as  is  not  foui-'d 
on  the  other  side,  and  which  will  not  admit  of  any  acceptation  con- 
trary to  proving,  as  expressly  as  language  can  do  it,  tijat  the  regene- 
rate sons  of  God  do  not  commit  sin,  but  are  saved  from  it.  "  There- 
"  fore  if  any  man  be  in  Christ,  he  is  a  new  creature ;  old  things 
*'  are  passed  away ;  behold,  all  things  are  become  new.  And  ail 
"  these  things  are  cf  CJod,  who  hath  reconciled  us  to  hitnsclf  throi-gh 
«  Jesus  Chpist."  (2  Cor.  5.  17.  18.)     It  may  be  inquired;  Is  sin  '"cf 


278  -  CHRISTIANS 

the  old  fjihn  creation,  or  of  the  new  ?  If  it  be  of  the  old  it  is  pass- 
eci  away  IVum  those  who  are  in  Christ;  but  if  sin  be  tlie  whole,  or 
ar,y  part  of  the  new  creation  of  God  in  ChV'st,  it  may  abide  for  ever. 
Ciinst  came  to  save  his  people  fronri  their  sins ;  ap.d  if  an  end  to  sii\ 
be  Dot  the  certain  concomitant  of  being  in  Christ,  it  may  be  asked, 
What  I  ath  the  new  cieation  effected  ?  If  he  be  yet  a  sinner,  he  was 
tiiat  hef  re,  arid  thus  the  new  creation  is  made  a  mere  sound,  a  name 
v.itiioiit  substance,  a  true  description  of  the  religion  of  the  bulk  of 
professors.     But, 

Paul,  in  his  epistle  to  the  Romans,  hath  in  the  mrst  explicit  tormi 
dedcired,  t.iat  they  who  are  in  Chiist,  are  dead  to  sin,  so  as  to  live  no 
longer  therein,  and  ^rc  already  free  from  it.  "  Wl.at  shall  v/e  say 
*' then  ?  S;iail  we  continne  in  sin  that  grace  may  abound?  God 
'•  iOilid,  [It  cannot  bej  :  how  shall  we  who  are  dead  to  sin  live  any 
'•  loiigi  r  therein  ?  Know  ye  not  thst  so  many  of  us  as  were  baptized 
"  into  Jesus  Ciirist,  were  baptized  into  lis  death  ?  Wherefore  we 
'•  are  buiicd  with  him  by  baptism  into  death. ;  that  like  as  Christ  was 
"  rais;d  up  from  the  dead  by  the  gloi\v  of  the  I'ather,  even  so  we 
"  aiso  should  walk  in  newness  of  life.  For  if  we  have  been  planted 
*  together  in  the  likeness  of  his  death,  we  shall  he  also  in  the  like- 
"  ness  of  ii's  resurrection."  Here  the  end  of  Chiist's  death  and  re- 
surrection is  stited  in  plain  terms  to  be  our  dyirg  luith  Jiinu  that  is, 
to  sin  as  be  died,  arjd  rising  with  him,  or  walking  in  i.ewncss  of  lile  ; 
if  therefore  we  be  in  Christ,  and  not  dead  to  sin,  and  consequently  do 
not  walk  in  newness  of  life,  the  end  of  his  death  and  his  lising  again 
is  lost,  Christ  hath  died  in  vain,  we  are  yet  in  our  sins,  and  he  hath 
failed  in  his  undei  takir.g. 

It  is  vain  to  argue  that  these  h^ppy  effects  are  to  take  place  at 
some  future  period,  for  the  apostle  brings  the  matter  riglit  down  to 
the  present  tense,  to  take  effect  now  and  henceforth,  as  the  founda- 
tion v,'(  rk  cf  futxire  increase  and  glory.  We  viho  are  dead  to  sir- — are 
buri  'd  with  him — "Knov  in<r  this  that  our  old  man  is  (already)  criicijit  d 
"  nvith  hhn,  that  the  bodv  of  sin  might  he  destroyed,  that  henceforth  nve 
'■^  should  not  AcrT'e  sin.  For  lie  that  is  dead  is  freed  from  siii."  That  is, 
as  we  ai'e.  And  t!  en  on  that  position,  that  vje  are  deadivith  him,  he 
grounds  the  argument  of  o"r  living  as  he  lives ;  that  is,  to  God — in  the 
Sfiirit — in  the  resurrection.,  or  m  ni  •:vvess  of  life.  ''  Now  if  we  be  dead 
'•  w'v.h  Christ  we  believe  that  we  shall  also  live  with  him.  Knowing  that 
"■'  Christ  being  raised  from  the  O.^z^.^  dieth  i.o  more  ;  death  hath  no 
''  more  dominion  over  him.  For  in  tl  at  he  died,  he  died  to  sin  once  ; 
"  but  in  that  he  liveth,  he  liveth  to  Gcd.  Likewise  reckon  ye  alsQ 
"  yourselves  to  be  dead  indeed  to  sin,  (not  in  name,  or  in  prospect,) 
"  but  alive  to  God  through  Jesus  Christ  our  Lord." 

It  might  be  asked,  Why  should  he  counsel  them  to  reckon  them- 
selves dead  to  sin  and  alive  to  God.  if  they  were  not  so  in  truth  ? 
Did  he  want  them  to  be  deceived  ?  Or  did  he  expect  that  to  esteem 
themselves  what  they  were  not,  or  coidd  not  be,  would  be  for  their 
edification  ?  But  it  was  reasonable  to  encourage  all  who  believed*  to 
inherit  their  privilege. 


NOT  SINNERS.  273 

After  some  counsel  to  live  up  to  their  privilege,  he  adds  ;  "  For  sin 
"  shall  not  have  doniion  over  ycu ;  for  ye  are  not  under  the  law  bnt 
"  under  grace  ;"  aiid  cuts  oft'  efi'ectualiy  all  pretext  tor  sin,  or  for  any 
to  think  they  could  sin,  and  yet  be  in  Christ.  "  What  then  ?  shall  we 
"  sin  because  we  are  not  under  the  law  but  under  grace  ?  Gcd  for- 
<'  bid.  Know  ye  not,  that  to  whom  ye  yield  yourselves  servants  ta 
"  obey,  his  servants  ye  are  to  whoui  ye  obey,  whetl  cr  ot  siti  unio 
♦'  death,  or  of  obedience  unto  righteousness.  Bui  Gcd  be  thanked 
"  that  ye  were  the  servants  of  sin  ;  (not  ye  are)  ;  but  ye  have  obeyed 
"  from  the  heart  tliat  form  of  doctrine  which  was  delivered  unto 
"  you.  Being  then  made  free  fiom  sin,  ye  became  servants  of  righ- 
"  teousness."  And  a  little  after;  ''For  when  ye  nverc  the  servants 
"  of  sin,  ne  ivre  free  ^from  rightcotisness.  What  fiuit  had  ye  tliCn 
"  in  those  things  whereof  ye  are  now  ashamed  ?  for  the  end  of  those 
"  things  is  death.  But  now,  being  made  free  from  sin^  and  become 
*'  servants  to  God,  ye  have  your  fiuit  unto  holiness,  atid  the  end  ever- 
"  lasting  life."  It  is  here  Xr>  be  paiticulaily  noticed, that  the  apostle 
leaves  no  middle  station  «)r  condition,  between  being  a  servant  of  Gcd 
and  a  servant  cf  sin— A  man  must  be  either  the  cue  or  the  other. 
*'  For  when  ye  were  the  servai>tsof  sin  ye  were  free  ficm  lighteous- 
«  ness  ;"  and,  "  Being  then  made  free  from  sin,  ye  became  tlie  ser- 
"  vants  of  righteousness  ;'*  "  But  now,  being  made  free  from  sin, 
4'  and  become  servants  of  God,  ye  have  your  fruit  to  holiness."  No 
difference  between  sinning,  and  being  the  servants  of  sin  ;  "  What 
"  then  ?  shaU  we  sin,  because  we  are  not  under  the  law,  but  under 
"  grace  ?  God  forbid.  [Never."]  Know  ye  not  that  to  whom  ye 
"  yield  yourselves  servants  to  obey,  his  servants  ye  arc  to  whom  ye 
"  obey."  All  reasonings  therefore,  that  christians  sin  unwillingiy  and 
without  intention,  through  the  suddenness  or  violence  of  temptation, 
are  false  and  vain,  the  pleas  of  hypocrites  and  those  who  obey  not 
the  gospel. 

We  do  not  mean  by  this,  that  true  believers  have  no  temptations ; 
«  The  disciple  is  not  above  his  master,  nor  the  servant  above  his 
"  Lord.  It  is  enough  for  the  disciple  that  he  be  as  his  tnaster,  and 
"  the  servant  as  his  Lord."  (Matt.  10.24,25.)  What  therefore  is 
necessary  to  be  a  disciple  indeed,  is  to  overcome  as  he  ^\r]^  and  when 
tempted  in  all  points,  as  he  was,  to  remain  as  he  did — Without  sin. 
"  Behold,  we  coimt  them  happy  who  endure  temptation."  (Jas.  5.11.) 
If  therefore,  those  especially  who  are  young  in  the  faith,  should  be 
greatly  beset  throuc^h  the  infirmity  of  the  flesh,  that  is  not  to  say 
they  serve  the  flesh  or  commit  sin,  so  long  as  they  stedfastly  refuse 
to  yield  to  the  temptation,  any  more  than  Jesus  Christ  could  be 
said  to  serve  the  devil,  when  he  was  sorely  tempted  of  him  forty 
diays :  for  he  was  tempted  in  all  points  in  like  manner  as  we  are, 
tvithout  sin.  (Heb.  4  Mi.)  To  this  agree  the  words  of  the  apostie  ; 
"  I  speak  after  the  m.anner  of  men  because  of  the  infirmity  of  your 
«  flesh:  for  as  ye  have  yielded  your  members  servants  to  unclcar- 
'■'  ness,  and  to  iniquity,  unto  iiiiquity ;  even  so  now  yield  your  mem« 
"  bers  servants  to  rigljteousness  nnto  holiness."     Thus  christians  in- 


280  CHRISTIANS, 

deed  give  themselves  wholly  to  God  and  yield  to  notliing  else.  «  Fof 
"  though  we  walk  in  the  fiesh,  we  do  not  war  after  the  ficsh  :  (for  thfe 
"  weapons  of  our  warfare  are  not  carnal,  but  mighty  through  Gcd  to 
"  the  puliiiig  down  of  strong  holds :)  casting  down  imaginations, 
"  [rcasoningsj  and  every  high  thing  that  exalteth  itself  against  the 
"  !:nowicuge  of  God,  and  bringing  into  captivity  every  thought  to 
"  the  obedience  of  Christ."  (2  Cor.  10.  3,  5.) 

The  conquered  are  not  conquerors.  If  a  man  contend  against 
tie  r'esh,  and  he  at  all  overcome,  so  as  to  commit  sin  or  be  def-icd 
ii  'li  sp'ri ,  1x2  canno;:  be  said  to  be  free  from  sin,  "For  of  whomsoever 
*■•  a  man  is  overcome,  of  the  same,  is  he  brought  into  bondage.!* 
(2  i'et.  2.  19.)  And  though  his  freedom  may  have  been  proposed 
to  liim,  and  he  may  have  engaged  in  the  war,  he  has  not  yet  gained 
his  point — he  is  not  born  of  God.  "  We  know  that  whosoever  is 
"  born  of  Gcd  sinneth  not ;  but  he  that  is  begotten  of  God  keepeth 
"  hims'f,  and  that  wicked  one  toucheth  hitn  not;"  (Jno.  5.  18.) 
tl;eicibrc  to  be  brought  into  captivity  to  The  law  of  sin  is  incompati- 
ble with  being  a  christian  indeed.  (Ro.  7.  33.) 

Enough  is  said  to  satisfy  any  man,  who  doth  not  yield  to  prejudice 
and  the  carnal  mind,  more  than  to  truth,  that  they  who  are  christians 
indeed  do  not  sii^,  and  are  in  no  degree  subject  to  serve  sin.     But 
knouing  the  force  of  education  and  the  strength  of  prepossession  on 
the  mind,  that  the  unwary,  though  intentionally  honest,  may  be  liable 
to  overlook  the  evidence,  v/e  shall  here  add  a  series  of  scriptures  in 
connec'jon,  so  plain  and  pointed,  that  nothing  but  wilful   dishonesty 
can  easily  ward  off  the  conviction,  in  those  who  vaivie  the  truth  of 
the  scriptures.     ''  And  every  man  that  hath  this  hope  in  him  purifieth 
"  himself  even  as  he  [that  is  Chiist]  is  pure.     Whosoever  commit- 
'^  tcth  sin  transgresseth  also  the  lav/  :  fcr  sin  is  the  transgression  of  the 
«•  law.     And  ye  know  that  he  was  manifested  to  take  away  ovr  sins  t 
"  and  in  him  is  no  sin.    Whosoever  abideth  in  him  sinneth  not :  who- 
"  soever  siniieth  hath  not  seen  him  neither  known  him.     Little  child- 
"  ren,  let  no  man  deceive  you :  he  that  dceth  righteousness  is  right- 
"  eons  even  as  he  (the  Son  of  Gcd)  is  righteous.   He  that  committeth 
"  sin  is  of  the  devil :  for  t!;e  de\  il  sinneth  from  the  beginning.     For 
"  this  purpose  the  Son  of  God  was  manifested,  that  he  might  destroy 
"  the  works  of  the  devil.     Whosoever  is  born  of  God  doth  not  com- 
"  mit  sin  ;  for  liis  seed  remaineth  in  him :  and  he  cannot  sin,  because 
"  lie  is  born  of  God.     In  this  the  children  of  God  are  manifest,  and 
"  the  children  of  the  devil :  whosoever  doeth  not  righteousness  is  rot 
"  of  God,  neither  he  that  loveth  not  his  brother."     Thus  boldly  and 
iF.iequivocally  do  tl^.e  scriptures  testify,  that  sin  is  not  found  in  those 
who  are  born  of  God,  or  are  the  true  followers  of  Chrir.t. 

The  learned  student  of  Edinburgh,  Macknight,  on  the  passage ; 
"  Whosoever  is  born  of  God  doth  not  com.mit  ein  ;"  which  he  ren- 
ders;  Whosoever  is  begotten  of  Cod  doth  not  kvoi-J:  sin;  hath  the 
following  remark.  "  By  translating  »  wotrc  a^ucpna?'  [on  poiei  amar- 
"  tiaa]  doth  not  work  sin  according  to  the  tvtie  import  of  the  phrase^ 
"  the  argument  dravai  from  this  text  in  favor  of  the  sinless  perfection 


NOT  SINNERS.  55.1 

of  th3  sain*3  in  th^  present  life,  is  precluded."  Bj  this  gloss  he  hath 
ai.iiJLl  to  prove  that  all  a  christiaa  can  gai:i  in  the  present  stage  of 
action  is  to  nat  make  a  trade  or  business  of  sinning,  or  perhaps  to  not 
sia  H'iilingly,  as  often  expressed  :  for  should  we  take  his  comment  iii 
an  acceptation  more  favorable  to  him,  it  must  lose  all  its  force  ;  be- 
cause, to  understand  his  phraseology,  Dot/i  not  uvork  sin.,  as  meaning, 
Djc/i  not  sin,  or  dolh  not  coJnmit  nin  at  all,  would  be  to  make  hiux 
acknowledge  the  fact  whicli  he  aimed  to  overturn.  But  the  nakedness 
aad  impotency  of  his  criticism  might  have  appeared  to  himself  had  he 
been  critic  enough  to  inspect  with  some  discernment,  the  next  clause 
of  the  verse;  "  For  his  seed  remaineth  in  him:  and  he  cannot  sin 
{_«  Svvafai  afiajifaviiv^  because  he  is  born  of  God."  Or  this  ;  "Who- 
soever sinneth  laaj  o  awapraj-ovj  hath  not  seen  him  neither  known  hin),'"' 
Or  had  he  attended,  witiiout  prepossession  to  another  phrase  of 
the  same  apostle  on  the  same  subject.  "  We  know  that  whosoever 
*'  is  bora  of  God  sinneth  not :  [«&;•  o  y£y?vvi^!x.rvo;  ;  every  one  who  is 
"  born,  or  hath  been  begotten,  ovx  at-iaptavsi,  sinneth  not,  or  doth  not 
"  sin :  real  sin  is  not  chargeable  or  applicable  to  him  in  the  minutest 
*'  sense;]  but  he  that  is  begotten  of  God  fcsefiet/i  himself,  and  thai 
"  rjicked  one  toucheth  him  not :  ^j>  yswriOsi^,  one  who  is  a  subject  of 
*'•  that  birth  or  begetting  which  is  of  Gud."]  According  to  our  au- 
thor's reasoning  \vq  may  conclude  that  a  christian  is  about  on  erjual 
standing  with  the  devil  with  respect  to  the  commission  cf  sin  ;  '>  For 
the  devil  sinneth  from  the  beginning  ;  [_auapravct,  ;j  but  whosoc-ver  is 
begotten  of  God ;  every  christian;  doth  ?iot  wor/c  sin;  fa/tanrtav  ou 
rtoi,ti;~\  yet  according  to  him,  he  sinneth ;  [auaoraKft  ;J  that  is,  he  is 
just  equal  to  the  devil,  except  that  the  devii  may  be  the  oldest  and 
most  deliberate.  Such  labored  and  unnatural  turns ;  such  forced 
constructions,  in  the  writings  of  studious  and  learned  men,  show  the 
amazing  influence  of  systematic  prepossets'nn,  and  the  indispensable 
necessity  for  the  light  of  the  Spirit  in  those  who  would  give  a  genu- 
ine and  liquidated  explication  of  the  holy  scriptures.  The  lai  guage 
of  the  apostle  is  explicit,  plain  and  simp'.e,  that  they  xvho  are  born 
or  begotten  of  God,  (for  the  Gr^ek  word  is  t'r.e  same  )  do  not  si.i. 

Where  can  the  abettors  of  sin  in  God's  children,  find  such  express 
and  pointed  testimony  ?  Until  they  can,  it  is  time  tor  them  to  cease 
to  sow  pillows  to  all  armhnles,  to  daub  with  untempered  moitar,  to 
soothe  and  flatter  souls  with  the  notion  of  eternal  life,  while  they 
come  short  of  the  mark  v/hich  Christ  and  his  apostles  liave  given. 
But  such  tesdmony  is  not  to  be  found:  not  a  single  text  of  holy 
scripture  saith,  that  those  v/ho  are  born  of  God  commit  sin,  or  ha.ve 
sin  in  them,  or  any  tiling  tantamount.  Other  scriptures  might  be 
adduced,  but  the  above  are  sufficient  here  :  the  evidence  is  as  point- 
ed as  language  will  admit. 

It  is  indeed  the  greatest  absurdity  to  suppose  that  chiistlans  com- 
mit sin,  or  are  subject  to  sin  ;  for  there  is  no  supposable  cause  for 
such  a  state  of  things,  unless  they  either  choose  to  sin,  or  God  choos- 
elh  they  should,  or  they  cannot  avoid  it.  The  two  first  are  too  ab- 
surd to  be  avowed.     If  the  last  be  true  j  it  is  cither   because  God  is 

N  2 


S32  CHRISTIANS 

unable,  or  nmvUiing  to  save  them  ;  which  iinolves  the  same  ahsurdi- 
tv,  as  no  violence  to  the  conscience  or  agency  cf  man,  is  requisite  to 
caue  them  to  do  what  they  desire  to  do.  To  argue  that  cl.iistiai;S 
sin  through  the  strength  and  subtlety  of  the  temptations  cf  the  devil, 
notwithstanding  the  will  of  Gcd  and  their  own  choice  to  the  contra- 
ry, as  many  arc  '.veak  enough  to  say,  this  at  once  acknovilcdges  the 
devil  to  possess  more  power  and  intfuence  over  christians,  than  Cicd 
himself  possesscth,  consequently,  that  the  devil  is  most  wise  and  most 
powerful. 

After  all ;  people  are  so  fond  of  a  pretext  for  sin,  of  a  name  to 
live  while  they  are  dead  i7i  sin  and  not  to  sin,  and  especially  so  un- 
willing to  take  the  conviction,  that  they  are  the  thie  body  of  Christ, 
and  they  only,  who  are  free  from  sin,  that  some  will  likely  raise  ob- 
iections,  saying.  May  not  people  be  deceived,  and  think  they  do  not 
commit  sin  when  they  do  ?  This  objection,  weak  as  it  is,  I  have^ 
heard  from  the  mouth  of  professors  of  great  zeal,  and  no  contcmp- 
table  degree  of  respectability.  But  be  that  objection  as  it  may, 
there  can  be  no  deception  in  the  strongest  confidence  that  tliCy  who 
are  visible  sinners,  they  who  are  conscious  to  themselves  that  they  are 
sinners,  and  they  who  acknowledge  tney  are  sinners,  and  under  that 
impression  are  habitually  praying  to  God  to  forgive  their  daily  trans- 
gressions, are  none  of  them  christians.  Neither  can  there  be  any 
deception  in  setting  aside  those  bodies  of  people,  whose  faith  it  is, 
that  all  men  commit  sin,  even  after  they  are  born  of  God,  as  beinsj 
none  else  than  branches  of  anti-chiist.  If  pe^^ple  may  be  deceived 
where  no  sin  appears  and  none  is  acknowledged,  no  deceptions  need 
be  dreaded  where  it  is  manifest,  or  where  it  is  acknowledged  lo  exist. 
If  wolves  may  appear  in  shecps  clothing,  sheep  do  not  appear  in 
'.solves'  clothing. 

But  let  it  be  considered  against  whom  this  objection  is  leveled  : 
not  man  but  Gnd — not  a  scheme  of  men  but  the  teaching  of  Christ, 
if  the  rule  of  C'lristand  his  apo";!  es  be  de^eptii'is,  if  h's  te  iching 
be  unsafe,  it  is  time  to*look  out  for  another  head  of  the  body  But 
if  Christ  is  a  true  teacher,  there  is  no  deception  in  the  case  ;  his  wor(S 
and  those  of  his  apostles  put  the  matter  out  of  doubt ;  "If  a  man 
«  love  me,  he  wull  keep  my  word — He  that  loveth  me  not  keepeth 
«  not  my  sayings."  "  Either  make  the  tree  good  and  his  frt'it  good, 
"  or  else  make  the  tree  corrupt  and  his  fnnt  corrupt:  for  the  tree 
<' is  known  by  his  fruit."  "  He  that  foUowcth  me  shall  net  walk  in 
«  darkness,  but  shall  have  the  light  of  life."  "lie  that  loveth  his 
«  brother  abidcth  in  the  light  and  there  is  nor.e  occasion  of  stumbling 
"  in  him."  [Jno.  14..  23,  24.  Matt.  12.23.  Jno.  8.  12.  1  .Tno.  2.  10.] 
NowAvho  Avill  pretend  to  be  christians  and  not  love  the  brethren  ?  yet 
many,  if  not  all  of  those  wlio  profess  in  the  varirn:s  dencminaticns 
called  christian,  complain  of  getting  into  darkness,  and  being  in  great 
darkness.  Let  all  men  spediiy  determine  who  ai  e  the  true  witnesses, 
Chribt  and  his  apostles,  or  these  dark  souls. 

But  perhaps  it  will  be  pleaded,  that  the  n;le  of  Christ  and  his 
apostles  is  true  and  safe  enougii,  but  the  danger  is  in  the   weakness 


NOT  SINNERS,  2U3 

and  inability  of  men  to  corapreliend  it.  Men  arc  very  apt  to  plead 
thus,  saying,  He  is  true,  but  we  are  false — the  wrong  is  all  in  us. 
This  objection  reflects  just  as  much  dishonor  on  Christ,  and  is  just 
as  weak,  as  in  any  other  form  ;  for  Christ  gave  his  instructions  for  the 
use  of  men  just  such  as  they  are,  their  weakness,  darkness  and  loss 
being  all  included,  that  they  might  be  delivered,  walk  in  the  truth, 
and  know  it  to  their  satisfaction  ;  "  For  the  Son  of  man  is  come  to 
*•  s^sk  and  to  save  that  which  was  lost  "  And  again,  ''  The  Spirit 
•'  of  the  Lord,  is  upon  me,  because  he  hath  anointed  me  to  preach 
"  the  gospel  to  the  poor  ;  he  hath  sent  me  to  heal  the  broken-hearted, 
"  to  prea;!ft  deliverance  to  the  capiivcs,  and  recovering  of  sight  to 
"  the  blind  ;  to  set  at  liberty  them  that  are  bruised;  to  preach  the 
"  acceptable  year  of  the  Lord."  [Luke  19.  10.  and  4. 18,  19.]  Now 
t:>  suppose  any  danger  from  the  weakness  and  blindness  of  men  res- 
poctiig  the  law  of  Christ,  (except  in  those  who  are  wilfully  ignorant 
and  disobedient,)  is  to  impea  h  the  character  of  Christ  as  an  unsafe 
and  incapable  teacher,  thxt  is,  an  impostor,  inasmuch  as  his  avouched 
commission  is  to  relieve  those  in  that  very  condition.  Cease  then  to 
contend  against  the  benevolent  and  condescending  king  of  heaven, 
who  make  i  the  way  so  plain,  that  he  may  run  that  readeth  it — that 
way  in  which  the  wayfaring  man  though  a  fool  shall  not  err,  and  ac- 
knowledge the  truth — Lay  aside  all  pretensions  to  be  christians,  un- 
til ye  get  the  faith  and  works  which  will  stand  the  test. 

Ign')rance  of  the  life  and  power  of  the  gospel  may  lead  some  to 
conclude,  that  deceivers  may  live  so  like  true  christians,  that  they 
cannot  be  known,  or  fully  distiiiguished.  This  argument  will  be 
■granted  to  be  valid,  provided  nature  can  equal  the  gospel,  or  the 
fruits  of  the  gospel  are  not  such  as  cannot  be  imitated  by  the  strict- 
est riles  of  mora,Uty,  or  greatest  exertions  of  wisdom  and  prudence 
of  natural  men.  If  the  life  of  christians  is  not  such  as  cannot  be 
imitated, they  cannot  be  distinguished  from  others;  for  if  any  de- 
ceivers, or  any  other  class  of  the  children  of  this  world,  can  produce 
as  good  fruit,  and  consequently  as  good  evidence  of  ceristianity  as 
the  truehearted  christian,  they  will  have- as  good  a  claim  to  the  char- 
acter as  he,  consequently  Jesus  Christ  and  his  apostles  must  be  found 
false  witnesses,  in  proposing  a  rule,  and  giving  instructions,  which 
are  iiisulBcient,  and  by  consequence  dangerous.  But  as  this  will  not 
rediiy  be  granted  by  professors,  we  shall  persist  in  proving  accord- 
ing to  tb.eir  words,  that  the  true  church  can  be  known  and  distiiv 
j;'aishecl  li'om  all  others. 


fBi  UNITED 


CHAPTER  VI. 

Xjiimitabls  Love  and  Union  obtain  in  the  Church  of  Christ,  and  ere 
7nanifcstcd  in  a  Joint   Inheritance  in  things  temjioral  as  %vell  a* 

s/iiriruaL  

THE  same  rule  of  judgment,  and  ilie  same  marks  by  ■which, 
christians  know  themselves,  and  know  one  another,  so  as  to  appre- 
hend the  body  of  Christ  collectively,  serve  in  the  main,  to  pi  eve  to 
the  world  and  to  all  men,  who  are  the  true-  church.  For  notwith-, 
standing-  the  wicked  may  calltheni  devils,  and  i-epioach  them  as  de- 
ceivers, because  of  the  very  evidences  of  Christiai.ity  which  tbef 
"manifest,  such  are  these  same  evidences,  that  tbey  must  be  confessed 
to  proceed  from  a  source  superior  to  human  Avisdom  and  human  art. 
Therefore,  "  Beware  of  false  prophets,  -who  come  to  you  in  sheep** 
"  clothing,  but  inwardly  they  are  ravening  wolves.  Ye  shall  knew 
"  them  by  their  fruits.  Do  men  gather  grapes  of  thorns  fr  figs  tf 
"  thistles  ?  Even  so,  every  good  tree  bringeth  forth  good  fruit ;  but 
"  a  corrupt  tree  bringetl)  forth  evil  fruit.  A  good  tree  cannot  bring 
"  forth  evil  frviit ;  neither  can  a  corrupt  tree  bring  forth  good  fruit— 
**  Wherefore  by  their  fruits  ye  shall  know  them."  [Matt.  7.   15  Sec."] 

No  doubt  false  prophets  may  appear  with  great  zeal,  and  make  a 
fair  show  ;  but  they  can  nevertheless  be  known  ;  /L?-  dy  iherr  finit* 
yc  sltall  knotv  them.  Now  these  fruits  can  be  known  and  distin- 
guished from  all  others,  else  an  appeal  to  them  as  the  criteiian  by 
which' to  distinguish  the  true  prophets,  or  church,  from  the  false, 
would  be  useless.  Thus  it  iswritten  ;  "  In  this  the  children  of  Gtcl 
"  are  maiiifest,  and  the  cliildren  of  the  devil  :  wht  soever  doeth  i,ct 
•'  righteousness  is  not  of  God,  neither  h«  tliat  loveth  not  his  brother.** 
Here  then  is  the  evidence  ;  "  Love  is  the  fulfilling  of  the  law."  [Ro. 
13.10.]  So  also  the  substance  and  work  of  ti'Te  gospel  appear  to 
concentrate  in  nothing  so  much  as  love;  '•  For  in  Jesus  Christ  r.ei* 
"  ther  circumcission  availeth  any  thing,  nor  uncircumcission,  but 
-•  faith  v/hich  vvoikelh  by  love."  [Gah  5.  6.'1  "And  now  abideth 
"  faith,  hope,  charity  [lovcv]  these  three  ;  bu^  the  greatest  of  these  is 
*'  charity  [love."]  "If  a  man  love  me  he  will  keep  my  words  :  and  my 
«'  Father  will  love  him,  and  we  will  corne  to  him  and  make  our  abode 
«'  with  him."  (1  Cor.- 13.  43.  Jno.  14.  23  )  "  God  is  love  ;  and  he 
<=  that  dwclleth  in  love  dwelleth'in  God  and  Gcd  in  him."  <'  Behold, 
"  if  God  so  loved  us,  Ave  ought  also  to  love  one  another."  {1  .Inc.  4. 
1 6,  1 1 .)  These  scriptures,  and  a  multitude  more,  show  that  the  sub- 
stance and  work>cf  the  gospel  dwell  in  love.  Therefore  said  Jcs\i« 
Christ,  "By  this  shall  all  men  know  that  ye  are  my  disciples,  if  ye  have 
<«  love  one  to  another."  (.Tno.  13.  25.) 

Men  are  so  ter.acicus  of  that  kind  of  sense  that  the  life  of  a  chris- 
tian is  so  hidden  a  matter  as  not  to  be  known  by  any  means,  that  ma- 
ny will  prclably  ccnclude,  that  nctliing  can  be  determined  by  thi§ 
love,  for  who  knows  v<  hethcr  a  man's  love  to  the  brethren  be  gci;uiG^ 


INHERITANCE.  285 

or  not  ?  But  the  scripture  cuts  this  matter  short ;  for  hy  this  shall 
all  men  kriow  ;  they  are  not  left  to  guess  at  it,  but  they  shall  knew 
that  ye  are  my  disciples  ;  love  therefore  must  be  satisfactorily  maui- 
fested  to  all  candid  men,  v/here  ever  it  existeth. 

But  let  it  be  gi  anted  that  love  is  not  known  by  intuitive  knowledge, 
that  the  gift  and  sensation,  or  internal  aft'ection  of  love  is  not  visible, 
or  in  the  abstract,  to  the  natural  man,  it  can  nevertheless  be  discov- 
ered in  its  operations ;  for  as  faith  without  works  is  dead,  being  alone, 
so  love  without  effects  would  be  a  contradiction  of  terms.  "But 
"  whoso  keepeth  his  vvoid,  in  him  verily  is  the  love  of  God  perfect- 
"  ed  :  hereby  know  we  that  we  are  in  him."  (1  Jno.  2.  5.)  "  But 
"  whoso  hath  this  world's  good,  and  seeth  his  brother  have  need,  ai:d 
*'  shutteth  up  his  bowels  of  compassion  from  him,  how  dweiieth  the 
'« love  of  God  in  him  ?  My  little  children,  let  us  not  love  in  word, 
"  neither  in  tongue,  but  in  deed,  [or  work]  and  in  truth,  and  hereby 
"  we  know  that  we  are  of  the  truth  and  sliall  assure  our  hearts  before 
"  him."  (1  Jno.  3.  17  to  19)  Love  therefore  is  manifcsteu  by  its  ope- 
rations as  the  cause  by  the  effect.  But  as  the  love  of  the  body  of 
Christ  is  peculiar  to  his  members,  separate  and  distinct  from  ali  love 
of  the  children  of  this  worl;l,  (otherwise  it  would  rot  distinguish 
them)  so  its  operations  must  be  such  as  do  not  pertain  to  any  lank 
or  class  except  the  aforesaid  body  of  Christ  so  as  to  prove  the  present 
agency  and  indwelling  of  the  Spirit  of  Gcd. 

Now  the  Immediate  production  of  love,  in  the  meinbers  of  Christ's 
body,  and  that  also  by  which  the  world  are  to  know  and  believe  ttieiu 
to  be  the  people  of  his  love,  is  union — such  an  union  as  the  worid 
know  not,  "  That  they  all  may  be  one  ;  as  thou.  Father,  art  in  me, 
"  and  I  in  thee,  that  they  also  may  be  one  in  us :  that  the  world  may 
*'  believe  that  thou  hast  sent  me.  And  the  glory  which  tnou  gavest  nxe 
"  I  have  given  them  ;  tliat  they  may  be  one,  even  as  we  are  one.  I 
"  in  thee,  and  thou  in  me,  that  they  may  be  perfect  in  one ;  and  that 
"  the  world  maij  know  that  thou  hast  sent  me,  and  hast  loved  them, 
'■'-as  thou  hast  loved  me  "  (Jno.  17.  20,  to  23.)  This  then  is  the 
state  of  the  body  of  Christ  here  on  earth,  in  sight  of  the  world,  that 
they  might  know  and  believe  the  work  of  God — Perfect  in  one. 
This  evidence,  in  the  esiimadon  of  Jesus  Christ,  is  sufficient  to  con- 
vince the  world,  Who  are  the  people  of  God's  love — and  who  is  he 
that  will  scruple  the  propriety  of  his  judgment?  But  where  such 
r.n  union  doth  not  subsist,  as  evidences  the  present  agency  and  in- 
dwelling of  the  Spirit  of  God,  as  being  his  holy  habitation,  the  true 
evidence  of  Christianity  is  wanting. 

This  union  is  of  a  different  nature,  separate  and  distinct  from  all  the 
union  which  can  possibly  subsist  among  the  children  of  the  flesh, 
professed  christians  or  others :  "  The  unity  of  the  Spirit  in  the  bond 
"  of  peace."  (Eph.  4.  3.)  Therefore  it  is  that  true  believers  are 
able  to  maintain  and  increase  in  that  union  wliich  the  world  cannot 
touch  ;  gathering  together  more  and  more  as  they  increase  in  the 
v/ork  of  God  in  Christ  Jesus,  as  it  was  prophesied  of  them  ;  "  Thcre- 
"  fore  they  shall  come  and  sing  in  the  height  of  Zion,  ai.d  sii^ll  fiow 


235  UNITED 

"  tog-ether  to  the  goodness  of  the  Lord,  for  wheat,  and  for  wine,  and 
''  for  oil,  and  for  the  young  of  the  flock  and  of  the  heid :  and  their 
*'•  soul  shall  he  as  a  watered  garden  ;  and  they  shall  net  sor- 
"  row  any  mere  at  all.  Then  shall  the  virgin  rejoice  in  the  dance, 
*' both  yoiu.g  n-en  and  old  together  :  for  I  v.  ill  turn  their  mourning 
"  into  joy,  and  will  comfort  tl»em,  and  make  them  rejoice  from  their 
"  sorrow.  And  I  will  satiate  the  soul  of  the  priest  with  fatness,  and 
"  my  people  shall  be  satisfied  with  my  goodness,  saith  the  Lord." 
(Jer.  31.  12,  to  14.)  "  Now,  therefore,  ye  arc  no  more  strangers 
"  and  foreigners,  but  fellow  citizens  with  the  saints,  and  of  thehousc- 
*'  lioid  of  God ;  and  are  built  upon  the  foundation  of  the  apostles 
and  prophets,  Jesus  Christ  hiiriself  being  the  chief  corner-stone ;  iu 
<'  whom  all  the  building,  fitly  framed  together,  groweth  unto  an  holy 
"  temple  in  the  Lord  ;  in  whom  ye  also  are  buiided  together  for  an 
"habitation  of  God  through  the  Spirit."  (Eph.-2.  19,  to  22.) 

Numei'oiis  other  passages  might  be  quoted  to  prove  that  christians 
are  united  i,y  one  Spirit  into  one  body,  as  the  habitation  or  temple  of 
God.  And  as  like  cause  produceth  like  effect,  the  unity  of  Spirit 
within,  produceth  ur.ity  of  operation  witliout,  for  as  is  the  fountain  so 
are  the  streams.  Therefore  it  is  that  believers  are  united  in  a  man- 
j:ter  and  degree  which  the  Avorld  cannot  ia)itate,  and  the  rule  of  Christ 
is  proved  true  by  e?vpcriment.  Thus  iilso  it  took  place  in  the  days 
of  the  apostles ;  "  And  the  multitude  of  them  that  believed  were  of 
"  one  heart  and  of  one  soul :  neither  said  any  of  them  that  ought  of 
'•the  things  which  he  possessed  was  his  own;  but  they  had  all  things 
*'  common.  And  with  great  power  gave  the  apostles  witness  of  the 
*'  resurrection  of  the  Lord  Jesus:  and  great  grace  was  upon  them 
"  all.  Neither  Avas  there  any  among  them  that  lacked  :  for  as  many 
«  as  were  possessors  of  lands  cr  houses  sold  them,  and  brought  the 
'■'■  prices  of  the  things  which  were  sold,  and  laid  them  down  at  the 
"•  apostle's  feet:  and  cuatributioii  was  made  to  every  man  according 
«  ds  he  had  need."  (Acts  4.  32,  See.) 

Not  only  the  cxam])!e  of  tlie  primitive  clnistians,  in  whom  dwelt 
the  Spirit  of  Christ,  but  the  doctrine  of  the  apostles  afterwards  teaches 
tbe  same  union  and  disinterested  benevolence  and  charity.  "Let  no 
"  man  seek  his  ov.n,  but  every  man  another's  wealth."  "  Fulfil  yc 
''  my  joy,  that  ye  be  like  minded,  having  the  same  love,  being  of  one 
"•'  accord,  [Greek,  one  soul,]  of  one  mind.  Let  nothing  be  done 
"  through  strife  or  vain  glory  ;  but  in  lowliness  of  mind  let  each  cs- 
"  teem  others  better  than  themselves.  Look  not  every  man  on  his 
"  own  things  but  every  man  also  on  the  things  of  others.  Let  this 
*■  mind  be  in  you  which  was  also  in  Chiist  Jesus."  "  Let  tlie  brother 
"  of  low  degree  rejoice  in  that  he  is  exalted :  but  the  rich  in  that 
"  he  is  made  low."  (1  Cor.  10.  24.  Phil.  2.  2.  to  5.  Jas.  1.  9,  10.) 

Thi!sthe  church  and  people  of  God  are  united  in  one  body  and  iv 
one  Spirit  and  have  all  things  common,  a  common  interest  and  coni- 
riHU  inheritance  in  all  ffood  things,  whether  temporal  cr  spiihual. 
And  all  those  who  yield  to  the  truth  of  God,  impelled  by  the  same 
Spiiit,  knov/ nothing  better  to  do  with  all  tliey  liave  and  are  then  to 


TNHEHITANCE.  2§r 

give  all  up  to  God  ;  that  is,  to  his  people  ;  for  llils  is  to  ;:^ive  it  to 
lum,  as  it  is  written ;  "  Inasniuch  as  ye  have  done  it  to  oiie  of  t'r.e 
"  least  of  these  my  brethren,  ye  have  done  it  to  me."  (Matt.  25.  40.) 
This  fulfils  the  word  of  the  Lord  by  the  prophet,  to  his  church,  in  the 
day  when  her  deliverance  should  come.  "  Arise  and  thrciih,  O 
"  daughter  of  Zion  :  for  I  wiil  make  thine  horn  iron,  and  I  will  make 
"  thy  hoofs  brass  :  and  thou  shalt  beat  in  pieces  many  pec]>ie  :  and  I 
'•  wiil  consecrate  their  gain  unto  theLoul,  ai;d  their  siibsiancc  unto 
"  the  Lord  of  the  whole  earth."  (Mic.  4-  l.S.) 

The  world  have  no  such  ur.ion,  neither  can  have,  because  thty  are 
governed  by  a  different  pnnciple  incapable  of  praducinti;  it;  not  f> 
piinciple  of  purity  jn  the  Spirit,  but  a  fkfehly  piir.tipie  of  lust,  fs  it 
is  Vv'ritten;  "  AH  that  is  in  the  world,  the  lust  of  trlx  iiesh,  the  iti-t 
"  of  the  eyes,  and  the  pride  of  life,  is  not  of  th.e  Father,  I)ut  is  cf  the 
"world."  (1  Jno.  2,  16.)  God  is  Spirit ;  a-.d  when  m?.n  fell  from 
God,  he  fell  from  the  Spirit  into  the  fiesii ;  hence  the  fiesh  is  consi- 
dered as  being  in  opposition  to  the  Spiiit.  God  is  love;  and  there- 
fore Vi'hen  man  fell  fiom  God,  he  fell  out  of  Jove  into  lust.  The  love 
of  God  unites,  but  the  lust  of  the  flesh  separates  arid  divides.  ",  Frcrh 
*'  whence  come  wars  and  fightings  among  you  ?  ccnie  they  not 
"  hence,  even  of  your  lusts  that  war  in  your  incmbci'S  ?"  (Jarr^  4.  ) .) 
The  world  therefore  cannot  live  in  a  joint  union  ;  jealousies  and  divi- 
sions arise  too  easily,  because  they  are  in  the  llesb,  and  valk  asnier, 
that  is,  in  the  fleshly,  fallen  nature  of  men.  "  For  wiiercas  there  is 
"  among  you  envying,  and  strife,  and  divisions,  are  ye  not  carnal  ai:d 
"  ivalk  as  men."  (1  Cor.  3.  3.) 

To  avoid  these  things  therefore  as  much  as  pcssibic,  and  partake 
such  comfort  as  Esau's  portion,  the  earth,  aflerds,  the  world  find  it 
expedient  to  keep  a  convenient  distance  apart,  at  least  so  far,  that 
evei'v  one  can  liave  his  own  moiety  separate  atd  unniixed  with  that 
of  his  neighbor,  or  even  l:is  broth.er.  And  if  at  any  timCr  two  or 
more  remain  in  conjunction  for  a  time,  it  is  ofi  tiic  principle  of  each 
one  advancir.g  his  iiidividuai  profit,  better  tlian  in  any  other  method, 
still  keeping  the  dividing  line  marked.  And  wliatever  small  digres- 
sions from  this  general  state  cf  things,  may  baprcn  in  a  few  instance-, 
these  do  no  h.onor  to  the  profession  of  Christianity,  and  arc  no  proof  of 
the  reality  cf  those  wh)  profoss  it ;  for  those  wl  o  make  no  pieter.se  to 
the  profession,  and  some  of  them  even  to  the  belief  of  it  at  all, 
equal,  if  not  exceed,  tlie  boldest  professors  amongst  tl-e  dcncmina- 
tions  of  reputed  christians.  This  proves  that  all  those  professors 
have  gotten,  falls  short  of  tiie  mark,  because  it  can  be  equricd.  ?ikI 
in  many  instances,  exceeded  by  men  who  do  not  '■';'''  to  be  influ- 
enced by  any  thing  more  than  natural  reason. 

Thus  father  and  son  must  divide  as  soon  as  one,  pa.ncularly  the 
latter,  concludes  it  is  for  his  individual  advantage.  Brot]:er  and  I)ic- 
ther  must  part,  lest  one  should  oppress  the  other,  or  take  seme  unc'  •; 
advantage  of  liim  :  or  jicrhaps  tlreir'  families  arc-  in  dana:ei:  of  disa- 
greeing— their  love  is  v-armest  at  a  distance.  ProfeSsors  and  ti.eir 
brother  professors  must  be  apart ;  and  ccuf;t  it  a  r-''tatfnattcr,  if  they 


283  UNITED 

live  in  one  neighborhood  and  have  no  jars ;  and  perhaps  boast  of 
\vhat  brotherly  love  is  among  them — that  tliey  love  their  biethren 
as  themselves.  But  let  them  come  into  contact ;  let  them  take  each 
ot:ier's  property,  and  minister  it  to  their  families  ii;disciiminatcly,  as 
every  orie  hath  need  ;  or  let  one  come  to  another,  and  ask  i'avors  ot  va- 
lue fron)  day  to  day,  and  say  nothing  of  any  reti  ibution ;  or  let  them  en- 
ter into  a  stipulation  to  be  thus  liberal  and  disinterested  with  each  other, 
and  the  scale  wiil  soon  be  turned;  jealousies  will  arise  and  all  iheir^ 
chrisii^anity  cannot  prevent  them. 

Or  if  professed  christians  are  able  to  come  together  and  inherit 
jointly,  and  so  prove  in  fact,  that  they  possess  the  cnaracter  of  Christ's 
disciples,  or  body,  in  having  love  one  to  another,  and  having  the  same 
care  one  of  aiiother,  why  do  they  not  put  it  into  practice,  ar.d  so  do 
honor  to  their  profession,  and  wipe  off  reproach  fiom  the  name  of 
Christianity  ?  Or  will  they  presume  to  say,  that  their  love  is  suftici- 
cient  in  sLrength,  to  overcome  eveiy  bariier,  and  bring  them  togeth- 
er, and  keep  them  so,  but  is  not  so  great,  as  to  render  such  a  situation 
desirable  ?  Many  have  acknowledged  that,  it  is  the  true  and  proper 
order  of  ch.ristians,  and  that  possessing  separately  is  selfish  and  cur- 
rnpt.  Some  have  tried  it  in  vain.  Others  have  acknoAvledged  it  to 
be  the  most  comfortable  and  proper  method  of  living,  and  some  even 
of  those  who  profess  no  Christianity.  But  how  shall  it  be  effectuat- 
ed ?  No  human  wisdom — no  philosophy — no  philanthropy — no  de- 
gree or  order  of  god.iness,  short  of  crucifying  the  flesh  with  its  af- 
fections and  lusts,  each  one  denying  himself,  taking  up  his  cross,  re- 
nouncing the  old  generation  and  following  Christ  in  the  regeneration., 
can  ever  lay  a  proper  foundation  for  this  union.  Now  when  a  man 
is  not  as  willing  that  his  brother  should  use  his  property,  as  he  is  to 
i^sc  it  hiiTiself,  in  the  same  circumstances,  he  cannot  be  said  to  love 
his  brother  as  himself  But  the  members  of  Christ's  body  have  the 
same  care  cne  of  another.  And  whether  one  member  suffer,  all  the 
members  suffer  with  it ;  or  one  member  be  honored,  all  the  member* 
rejoice  with  it.  (1  Cor.  12.  26.) 

Any  people  may  live  in  a  manner  esteemed  peaceable,  in  their 
towns  and  neighborhoods,  each  one  pursuing  with  eagerness,  these 
measures  which  he  thinks  best  calculated  to  subserve  his  own  se.fish 
purposes,  and  sayingto  his  neighbor.  Touch  iiot  mine,  and  I  ivill  not 
touch  thine  :  and  if  occasion  require,  they  can  call  on  the  civil  autho- 
rity to  settle  their  disputes.  But  if  the  followers  of  Christ  do  not 
exhibit  an  union,  superior  to  any  thing  found  among  oih.er  people, 
how  shall  all  men  know  them  by  their  love  one  to  another  ? 

That  the  primitive  believers  at  the  day  of  p-ntccost  and  after- 
wards, did  exhibit  the  most  incontestable  evidence  of  their  love  one 
to  another,  when  they  were  of  one  heart  and  one  soul,  having  all 
things  common,  and  dividing  their  substance  as  every  one  had  need, 
and  that  this  love  was  superior  to  any  love  or  union  found  amcng  any 
other  people,  no  man  of  understanding  and  truth  will  pretend  to  de- 
ny. And  by  parity  of  reason  it  wiil  be  granted,  that  where  the  sam^ 
love  and  union  arc  found,  there  the  same  Spirit  rules. 


INHERITANCE.  i33 

.  At  this  instant,  the  same  essential  and  distingiusbing  chaiTvCtcrls- 
tics,  once  exhibited  by  the  primitive  believers,  arc  exhibited  by  tho 
believers  of  the  present  day,  who  have  received  the  faith  of  Christ's 
scco:)d  appearing.  Hundreds  !  Yea  thousands  in  Americo,  happy 
land  of  hberty,  live  together  in  large  families,  to  the  number  of  thir- 
-  ty,  forty,  and  sometimes  sixty  or  more,  like  brethren  and  sisters,  or 
like  a  company  of  harmless  lambs.  And  a  number  of  such  families 
form  societies,  and  live  in  peace  and  harmony,  bound  tog^thor  by  no 
Other  bond  than  that  of  love.  On  \7hat  principle  can  such  a  -vork  be 
effected,  except  that  superior  love  of  the  gospel  which  iufiuenced 
the  primitive  christians  by  a  divine  unction  to  become  of  one  heart 
and  one  soul  ? 

At  the  day  of  Pentecost  and  afterwards,  there  were  jctt':,. Greek?.' 
Barbarians,  bond  and  free,  bound  together  by  the  bonds  of  love,  visi- 
bly manifested  by  union  and  agreement,  to  the  astonishment  of  the, 
beholders.  Hera  are  the  same  visible  works  of  that  superior  love, 
manifested  in  colors  equaiiy  striking.  People  in  large  collections, 
living  in  peace  and  harmony  ;  people  brought  \\\i  in  different  coun- 
tries ;  naturally  different  in  their  dispositions;  different  in  their  edu- 
cations, their  nianncr  of  living,  their  plans  of  economy,  their  degrecsi 
of  industry  and  degrees  of  wealth ;  naturally  covetous,  proud  and 
self-willed,  tenacious  of  their  own  plans,  and  possessed  of  every  other 
disposition  which  prompts  the  children  of  men  to  hatred,  variance, 
and  the  perpetration  of  evil  actions.  How  arc  these  fashioned  alike  ? 
On  what  principle  are  they  united  ?  Let  conscience  answer,  and  it 
will  say  ;  On  no  other  than  the  present  oficration  of  the  Spirit  of 
the  one  and  only  true  God.  This  is  the  work  which  carries  the 
palm. ,  And  we  may  victoriously  say  of  it ;  "  "Where  is  the  wise 
'•'  man  ?  where  is  the  scribe  ?  where  is  the  disputer  of  this  world  ? 
*'  hath  not  God  made  foolish  the  wisdom  of  this  \torId  ? — For  after 
"  that  in  the  v/isdom  of  God,  the  world  by  M'lsdom  knew  not  God,  it 
"  pleased  God  by  the  foolishness  of  preaching  to  save  them  that  be- 
<'  lieve.  For  the  Jews  require  a  sign,  (and  so  do  cur  nominal  proft  ss- 
''  ors,)  and  the  Greeks  seek  wisdom  ;  but  wo  preach  Christ  crucified, 
"  to  the  Jews  a  stumbling  block,  and  to  the  Greeks  foolishness  ;  but 
"  to  those  v.'ho  are  called,  both  .Tcv.-s  and  Greeks,  Christ  the  power  of 
*'  God,  and  the  v-isdom  of  God."  This  then  is  the  work  in  which 
the  wisdom  of  their  wise  men  shall  perish,  and  tl;e  understanding  of 
their  prudent  men  shall  be  hid.  (See  Isa.  29.  IG.  Compare  1  Cor.  1. 
IS,  to2i) 

,  If  people  therefore  in  these  days  demand  a  miracle,  here  it  is  ;  a 
work,  even  a  marvellous  work,  out  of  the  ordinary  course  of  nature, 
Contrary  to  it,  and  which  cannot  proceed  from  any  other  source  thaja 
the  present  agency  and  indwelling  of  the  Spirit  of  God,  as  in  his  ovm 
living  temple — ^a  miracle  which  cannot  be  imitated — of  a  spirituat 
nature — an  abiding  miracle,  containing  the  essence  of  the  gospel  of 
the  kingdom  of  God — a  miracle  confessedly  superior  to  ail  miraclns 
of  another  kind.  "  Charity  never  faileth:  but  whether  there  be  pro- 
''  phesics  thcv  shall  fail ;  whether  there  be  tongues  they  shall  cease  ; 

o  2 


5r90  UNITED 

"  whether  there  be  knowledge  it  shall  vanish  away — and  now  abideti 
"  faith,  hope,  charity,  these  three ;  but  the  greatest  of  these  is  cha- 
«  rity."  [1  Cor.  13.  8,  to  13.] 

It  is  a  question  with  some,  whether  the  Spirit  of  Christ  leads  to  so 
great  an  union  as  to  possess  a  joint  i4itcrest  in  all  things,  as  well 
outward  as  spiritual ;  or  whether  it  is  necessary  to  practise  such  an 
union  to  be  christians  indeed?  This  question  can  exist  in  that  heart 
only,  where  selfishnesrj  prevails  above  every  other  principle  ;  for  out 
of  the  abundance  of  the  heart  the  mouth  spealieth  ;  and  where  the 
Spirit  of  Christ  prevails  it  saith,Look  not  every  one  to  his  own  things, 
but  every  one  also  to  the  things  of  another. 

But  the  very  existence  of  such  an  union  proves  it  to  be  of  God  and 
in  the  Spirit  of  Christ.  For  fact  proves  principle;  or  the  existence 
of  any  effect  proves  the  existence  of  the  cause  producing  it.  And 
the  existence  of  any  effect  which  cannot  be  produced  by  any  cause 
save  one,  proves  invariably  the  existence  of  that  cause.  But  it  is 
proved  in  fact,  that  the  aforesaid  union  in  a  joint  interest  cannot  be 
supported  by  any  cause  separate  and  distinct  fiom  the  Spirit  of  Christ 
dwelling  and  acting  in  the  people  who  are  thus  united.  Yet  said  imi- 
on  doth  exist  in  a  joint  interest :  it  therefore  proves  the  agency  and 
indwelling  of  the  Spirit  of  Christ,  and  that  said  union  is  according  to 
the  mind  of  Christ  and  proceeds  from  him  as  his  own  work. 

A  candid  attention  however  to  a  few  portions  of  scripture,  in  addi- 
tion to  those  already  considered,  will  sufficiently  dissipate  all  doubts 
on  that  point.  Jesus  said,  "  There  is  no  man  who  hath  left  house,  or 
"  bretliren,  or  sisters,  or  father,  or  mother,  or  wife,  or  children,  or 
«'  lands,  for  my  sake  and  the  gospel's,  but  he  shall  receive  an  hundred 
<'  fold  now  in  this  time,  houses,  and  brethren,  and  sisters,  and  mo- 
"  thei's,  and  children,  ard  lands,  with  persecutions,  and  in  the  world 
«  to  come  eternal  lii'e."  [Mark  10.  29,  30.]  But  how  can  they  who 
forsake  all  for  Christ's  sake  and  the  gospel's,  receive  an  hundred  fold 
in  this  present  time, -except  only  on  the  principle  of  a  joint  union  and 
gospel  ecjuality  ?  How  could  a  believer  possess  an  hundred  fold  of 
houses  and  lands,  except  only  on  that  principle  in  which  he  could 
possess  all  that  which  his  brethren  possessed,  while  they  also  possess- 
ed the  same  in  joint  union  ?  For  an  hundred  fold  of  private  interest 
is  out  of  the  question  ;  not  only  in  fact,  but  even  in  theory  ;  common 
sense  forbids  it. 

If  any  argue,  that  the  promise  of  Christ  relates  to  the  superior 
degree  of  comfort  enjoyed  in  their  former  relations  and  possessions; 
it  may  be  asked.  Where  are  the  society  of  professors  v/ho  are  not 
heard  to  complain,  murmur  and  fret,  at  their  temporal  inconvcnien- 
cies,  wants,  losses  and  disappointments,  as  much  as  other  people  ? 
Where  are  the  professed  christians  who  enjoy  an  hundred  fold  more 
com.fort,  union  and  peace  with  their  kinsfolk  ?  And  if  they  have  not, 
according  to  their  ov.'n  method  of  reasoning,  it  is  eitlier  becatise 
GhriEt  has  not  been  failhfid  to  his  promise,  or  they  have  not  complied 
■with  his  conditions  by  forsaking  all. 


INI-LERITyVNCE.  29J 

But  that  this  cannot  be  the  meaning'  of  this  promise  is  proved 
from  this,  that  when  any  man  foraakes  all  for  Christ's  sake  and  for 
the  gospel's,  he  incurs  the  enniity  of  his  kinsfolk  on  that  account. 
"  Think  not,  said  Jesus,  that  I  am  come  to  scud  peace  on  earth  :  I 
"  came  not  to  send  peace  but  a  sword.     For  I  am  come  to  set  a  man 

*  at  variance  a;^-ainst  his  father,  and  tlic  daughter  against  her  mother, 
"  and  h-i  daughter-in-law  against  her  mother-in-law.  And  a  man's 
"  foes  snail  be  they  of  his  own  household."  [Matt.  10.  54,  35,  36.1 
This  shows  that  to  forsake  all  for  Christ,  is  something  real,  not  in 
word  and  in  tongue,  but  in  work  and  in  truth,  something  manifest  to 
the  family  and  kinsfolk,  whicji  engages  their  resentment ;  and  there- 
fore, that  the  brethren  and  sisters,  ar.d  mothers,  and  childi-en,  as  well 
as  houses  and  lands,  arc  not  according  to  the  old  order  at  all,  but  ac- 
cording to  the  order  of  Christ,  whose  kindred  are  those  who  do  th« 
will  of  his  Father  in  heaven  :  Accordingly  the  promise  includes  no 
wife,  though  the  forsaking  docs,  and  for  this  plain  reason,  that  the 
works  which  are  appropriate  to  a  wife  according  to  the  old  order, 
.have  no  part  in  Christ;  their  place  is  not  found  with  him.  But  hv- 
ther ;  How  can  any  be  said  to  forsake  all  for  Christ's  sake  and  the 
gospel's,  while  they  continue  to  hold  them  as  formerly,  at  their  indi- 
vidual disposal,  and  there  is  no  discoverable  difference  between  their 
claim  to  the  same  kind  of  possessicnsj  and  the  same  claim  in  these 
who  make  no  pretence  to  have  forsaken  .all  for  Christ  ? 

These  things  show  what  the  truth  is  ;  that  those,  and  those  only, 
who  have  forsaken  all,  according  to  the  true  order  of  the  gospel,  can 
and  do  enjoy  an  hundred  fold  more  satisfaction  than  formerly,  and  that 
there  is  no  way  in  which  a  man  can  forsake  houses  and  lands,  breth- 
ren and  sisters,  father  and  mother,  and  at  the  same  time  receive  an 
iiundred  fold  according  to  the  p/-omise  of  Christ,  but  by  renouncing 
his  former  selfish  disposition  and  claim,  in  /leart  and  firccticc,  with 
all  the  gratifications  pertaining  to  said  claim,  and  coming  into  a  joint 
union,  in  which  what  is  possessed  by  an  individual,  is  possessed  by 
the  whole,  so  that  a  just  and  impartial  equality  reigns  among  the 
whole,  and  the  rich  and  the  poor  share  an  equal  and  universal  privi- 
lege. Granting  there'bre,  that  the  promise  in  consideration  is  ex- 
pressed in  language  somewhat  figurative,  it  admits  and  requires,  an 
acceptation  as  literal  as  can  be  expected  in  representing  spiritual 
things  by  natural. 

Another  pass?.ge  of  scripture  which  will  not  adm.it  any  accepta- 
tion except  such  as  supports  the  faith  of  an  union  in  joint  interest^ 
and  is  as  free  from  figure  in  itself  and  in  its  connection  as  perhaps 
any  lang-uage  can  be,  is  this  ;  "  It  remaineth  that  both  they  that  have 
*^  wives  be  as  though  they  had  none  ;  and  they  that  weep  as -though 

*  they  wept  not ;  and  they  that  rejoice,  as  though  they  rejoiced  not ; 
"  and  they  that  buy,  as  though  they  possessed  not;  and  they  that 
"  use  this  world  as  not  abusing  it :  for  the  fashion  of  this  world  ])as- 
"  seth  away."  [i  Cor.  7.  29,  to  31.]  How  can  this  scripiure  be  ful- 
filled in  any  people  except  those  in  whom  an  union  hi  joint  interest 
subsists,  and  an  impartial  equality  reigns  ?  How  can  a  man  buy,  and 
;be  as  though  he  possessed  not,  and  the  fasliion  of  this  world  pass  awavj 


292  UNITED 

when  he  buys  for  himself  distinctly  from  his  brethren  ?  or  to  hold  at 
iiis  own  individual  disposal  ?  for  though  he  should  be  somewhat  libe- 
I'al  in  the  use  of  his  possession,  it  is  all  within  the  compass  of  the 
fashion  of  this  world. 

Some  argue  tliat  the  apostle  had  respect  to  the  state  of  men  after 
the  disiiOiUtion  of  the  body.  But  what  concern  have  disembodied 
Spirits  with  buying  and  selling  ?  or  v;ith  udng  this  world  ?  And  if 
the  argument  be  staled  thus,  that  those  who  noiv  buy,  will  t/icn  be  as 
thoiigli  they  possessed  not.  That  is  not  what  is  said  ;  and  his  mean- 
ing is  best  known  by  what  he  said.  It  also  represents  the  apostle*^ 
language  weak  and  futile  to  make  him  say  of  those  in  a  v/orld  of 
spiiitSj  that  they  are  as  though  they  possessed  not,  when  it  cannot  be 
said  they  either  use  or  possess  this  v,orld  in  any  sense  whatever.  Be-^ 
sides  the  reason  annexed  for  that  state  of  things  which  the  apostle  de- 
scribes, is  by  no  means  favorable  to  its  having  its  accomplisiiment  in 
the  disembodied  state — not,  because  we  go  out  of  the  world,  but,/ar 
the  Jas/iicn  cj  this  Kvorld  fiasseth  away. 

Now  the  fasliion,  the  knovv^n  fashion  of  this  world,  is,  for  those  who 
have  wives  to  be  as  though  they  have  them,  using  them  in  that  which 
it  v.'ould  be  unjustinablc  to  make  common;  for  those  who  buy  to 
possess,  and  be  as  though  they  possessed,  holding  their  possessions 
as  their  peculiar  right ;  and  for  these  v/ho  use  the  thijigs  of  this  world, 
to  do  it  according  to  their  ov;n  pleasure,  v/ithout  proper  regard  to 
the  fear  of  God  and  the  promotion  of  his  cause.  Whereas  in  tlie 
church  of  God,  thcss  v;ho  come  into  union,  if  they  have  wives,  with 
Peter,  they  forsake  them,  and  no  longer  make  any  use  of  them  v.'hich 
would  be  unjustifiable  in  any  case.  So  that  they  arc  literally  as 
though  they  had  none.  And  in  them  is  fiilfUlcd  the  scripture  v^rhich 
saitb,  "  Marriage  is  hcnorable  in  all,  and  the  bed  undefiled,"  because 
they  abstain,  most  rigidly,  from  all  works  pertaining  to  marriage, 
which  are  dishonorable,  (according  to  the  practical  testimony  of  all  peo- 
ple by  their  concealment,)  and  which  alone  ever  defiled  the  marriage 
bed.  And  this  is  the  only  admissible  acceptation  of  that  scriptuie, 
because  it  is  manifest  from,  the  lav;,  that  no  married  Jew  kept  his  bed 
undenlcd. 

Also,  in  the  church  those  who  buy  are  as  though  they  possessed 
not, 'because  they  only  possess  in  common  with  their  brethren,  antj, 
claim  no  private  property ;  as  having  nothing  yet  possessing  all 
things.  Cliarity  seeketh  not  her  ovvn  :  Let  no  man  seek  his  own  \\\X 
every  man  ihat  of  ai:cther.  For  the  man  who  has  forsaken  all  for 
Christ,  has  taken  up  his  cross  and  follovveth  him,  and  hath  found  that 
treasure  which  is  with  Christ  and  endureth  to  eternal  life  in  heaven, 
is  not  careful,  or  even  willing,  to  inherit  any  separate  treasure  or 
estate,  either  real  or  personal.  Nevertheless  it  is  not  the  faith  or 
practice  of  the  church  to  require  any  man  or  people,  to  make  a  sa- 
crifice or  surrender  of  their  temporal  interest  to  the  common  use  of 
the  society,  contrary  to  their  own  faith  and  best  understanding.  It 
is  only  t!  c  practice  of  thot^e  whose  faith  it  is  so  to  do  ;  who  have  ma- 
turely considered  the  subject,  and  believe  such  sacriilcc  and  com- 


INHERITANCE.  293 

moil  inheritance  to  be  for  the  honor  of  God  and  his  gospel  as  well  as 
for  their  own  best  interest,  becavise  they  desire  to  inhciit  substance. 
Until  their  faith  is  thus  ripe  for  a  joint  interest,  believers  are  admitted 
to  a  free  privilege  in  things  spiritual,  their  separate  interest  notwith- 
standing. 

Again,  if  in  the  order  of  a  joint  in:iion  in  Christ  they  use  the  things 
of  this  world,  that  is,  material  things,  tl.cy  do  it  to  the  noble  ar.d  su- 
perior purpose  of  subserving  the  work  of  God  in  Christ,  to  the  edifi- 
cation of  his  church.  Whether  ye  eat  or  drink,  or  whatsoever  ye 
do,  do  all  to  the  glory  of  God :  this  therefore  is  using  so  as  not 
abusing. 

On  the  whole  therefore  Ave  conclude  that  this  language  cf  the 
apostle  is  properly  descriptive  of  a  tirne  and  work  which  should  take 
place  on  earth,  when  God,  according  to  his  promise,  should  create 
new  heavens  and  a  new  earth,  wherein  dwelleth  righteousness. 

A  consideration  of  the  new  heavens  and  new  earth  may  serve  as  a 
farther  confirmation  and  illustration  of  the  order  of  the  church  in  a 
joint  union  and| interest.  For  what  can  mean  these  new  heavens  and 
new  earth,  but  a  new  state  and  order  of  things,  both  in  outward  things, 
ancf  in  things  relating  to  the  Spirit.  Or  will  any  be  so  weak  as  to 
suppose  they  mean  the  literal  creation  of  another  heaven  and  earth  ? 
or  if  this  language  be  supposed  to  relate  to  a  time  and  state  of  things 
when  all  shall  be  heaven,  and  the  earth  put  out  of  the  account,  what 
then  is  the  meaning  of  the  new  earth  ? 

But  the  truth  may  be  illustrated  in  this  particular,  by  the  case  of 
a  man  in  Christ.  He  is  said  to  be  a  new  creature  ;  not  because  there 
is  any  change  in  the  identity  of  his  existence  ;  he  is  the  same  person 
as  before,  having  the  same  soul  and  body.  The  change  is  not  phy- 
sical ;  he  has  nev/  objects  and  pursuits,  is  converted  from  the  flesh 
to  the  Spirit,  from  the  eld  order  cf  things  in  Adam,  to  the  new  order 
in  Christ,  having  renounced  and  put  off  the  old  man  with  his  deeds 
which  are  corrupt  according  to  the  deceitful  lusts,  and  put  en  the  new 
man  who  after  God  is  created  in  righteousness  and  true  holiness.  So 
when  Christ  possesseth  that  kingdom  on  earth  which  is  promised, 
and  every  individual  in  it  is  thus  renewed,  such  an  happy  change  in 
spirit  will  be  produced,  and  as  the  eflect  thereof,  in  outward  econo- 
my, as  is  fitly  i  eoi  esented  by  new  heavens  and  a  new  earth.  For  that 
such  a  state  and  order  of  things  must  and  will  take  place  on  the 
earth  cannot  reasonably  be  doubted  by  those  who  believe  the  scrip- 
tures and  pay  due  respect  to  them  :  after  the  reign  of  the  beast  is 
finished — when  the  sanctuary  is  cleansed,  and  when  the  kingdom, 
and  the  dominion,  and  the  greatness  of  the  kingdom  under  the  whole 
heaven,  shall  be  given  to  the  people  of  the  saints  of  the  Most  High. 
But  once  more. 

Another  promise  is.  "  He.  that  overcometh  shall  hiherit  all  things." 
This  promise  is  also  made  to  every  individual  overcomer  ;  and  there- 
fore showeth  that  a  joint  union  and  equality  is  the  very  order  of  hea- 
ven itself,  and  is  therefore  the  true  character  and  proper  order  of 
that  kiijgdom  for  which  Christ  taught  his  disciples  to  pray,  in  which 


294  UNITED 

the  will  of  God  is  done  on  earth  as  it  is  in  hcaTen.  For  short  of  such 
a  state  of  things  no  true  distinction  can  be  made  between  the  false 
prophets  and  the  true,  or  between  the  wolves  and  the  sheep  :  neither 
can  there  be  a  true  distinction  between  the  churches  of  anti-christ 
and  the  church  of  Christ. 

Thus  we  have  stated,  in  some  leading  particulars,  the  true  charac- 
ter of  the  church,  or  body  of  Christ,  according  to  the  scriptures,  and 
shown  the  evidence  by  wliich  they  are  to  be  cerlaii^ly  known  and  dis- 
tinguished from  all  other  people,  which  consists  of  love  and  union 
not  to  be  imitated  or  counterfeited.  No  doubt  many  of  the  carnally 
wise  and  learned  among  the  professing  world,  will  sneer  at  this  evi- 
flence  and  these  statements,  as  being  inferior  and  trivial,  because  out  of 
the  line  of  their  high  sense  and  exalted  notions  of  Christianity,  accord- 
ing to  their  own  minds,  and  not  according  to  Christ.  But  the  ciiy  of 
God's  people  is  low  in  a  iov/  place,  and  the  inhabitants  are  meek  and 
lowly  in  their  spirits  ;  let  those  thei'cfore  who  are  disposed  to  sneer 
and  contemn,  cease  from  so  doing,  until  they  can  disprove  by  expe- 
rience the  evidence  here  stated. 

It  is  here  stated  that  a  joint  union  and  interest,  with  an  impartial 
equality,  reigns  at  this  instant  among  the  believers,  who  hava  the 
faith  of  the  second  appearing  of  Christ ;  and  it  is  proved  by  scrip- 
ture testimony,  in  conjunction  with  plain  reason,  as  clearly  as  any 
unbiased  man  can  ask,  to  be  the  effect  of  the  Spirit  of  Christ  in  the 
gospel,  and  the  necessary  product  of  that  Spirit,  without  which  there 
can  be  no  true  church.  It  is  also  stated  that  this  inimitable  love  and 
union  are  miraculous  in  the  most  noble  sense  of  the  word,  as  being 
superior  to  all  philosophy,  philanthropy,  or  any  other  science  or  or- 
der of  knowledge,  exclusive  of  the  wisdom  of  God  by  the  cross,  and 
as  being  truly  spiritual  and  comprehending  the  \ery  essence  and  trea- 
sure of  the  gospel,  and  therefore  evincing  the  preserjt  agency  and 
indwelling  of  tlie  Holy  Spirit.  If  this  consequence  be  denied  by 
those  who  scoff,  let  them  prove  by  experiment,  that  the  same  conse- 
quences, that  is,  the  same  love  and  union,  with  the  same  united  inte- 
rests, can  be  produced  fiom  some  other  source.  Until  that  is  effect- 
ed, they  will  leave  us  and  all  judicious  men,  in  possession  of  this  faith, 
that  the  above  premises  and  conclusions  have  their  foundation  in  that 
immoveable  rock,  Truth. 

I  shall  therefore  close  this  chapter  with  removing  an  objection  or 
two.  The  first  is,  That  other  people  live  in  common  interest  and  joint 
union  as  well  as  we.  And  particularly  the  monastic  orders  of  the  Ro- 
man Catholic  church  havebeenalledged  as  an  example  equally  eviden- 
tial of  the  faith  of  Christ  on  the  score  of  unity  of  Spirit  and  commu- 
nity of  interest.  I  have  no  dispute  in  my  mind,  but  some  may  obtain 
partially  the  order  of  the  church  of  Christ  by  possessing  partially  the 
same  form  of  faith.  And  whatever  hath  any  part  of  the  truth  of 
(iod  ought  so  far  to  be  approved  ;  and  where  there  is  an  increase  of 
light,  producing  an  increase  of  order  and  good  fruits,  it  is  still  more 
hopeful:  but  to  produce  good  fruits  in  perfection  a  full  and  correct 
faith  is  requisite.     Ny  doubt  but  every  man  wjii  find  a  measure  of 


INHERITANCE  295 

justification,  in  proportion  to  the  honesty  and  perseverance  with 
which  he  bears  his  cross  against  all  evil  in  his  knowledge  and  denies 
himself,  for  the  truth's  sake.  And  if  the  Catholic  monastic  orders 
retain  something  of  the  form  of  godliness,  from  the  apostolic  dis- 
pensa'.ion,  (as  no  doubt  they  do,  and  are  almost  the  only  church  that 
can  exhibit  plausible  evidence  for  such  a  pretension,)  that  cannot 
disannul  the  propriety  of  the  order  of  the  true  church,  nor  invali- 
date its  testimony  wherever  it  is  found  ;  neither  can  it  prove  the  Ro- 
man Catholic  church,  or  their  monastic  orders,  to  be  in  equal  posses- 
sion of  the  truth  and  unity  of  the  Spirit  with  the  believers  in  Christ's 
second  appaaring,  unless  the  fruits  of  the  former  be  in  all  things 
equal  to  those  of  the  latter,  when  all  attending  circumstances  and 
apparent  hindrances  are  taken  into  the  account.  It  still  remains  true 
that  the  tree  is  known  by  its  fruit ;  and  that  the  existence  of  an  effect 
which  can  subsist  by  one  cause  only  proves  the  existence  of  ti;at 
cause. 

But  the  Roman  monastic  orders  bear  a  very  distant  resemblance 
indeed  to  the  believers  in  Christ's  second  appearing-  They  are  a 
select  number  professing  greater  sanctity  than  the  church  in  general, 
and  consequently  greater  than  is  indispensably  necessary  to  perfect 
salvation,  for  they  do  not  dispute  the  justice  of  the  hope  of  salvation 
m  those  members  of  the  body  who  are  not  monks  and  nuns.  IJ^it 
these  believers  aspire  to  do  more  sanctity  than  that  wiiich  is  suffici- 
ent to  perfect  salvation  or  full  redemption,  knowing  no  perfect  salva- 
tion short  of  a  full  and  perfect  cross.  These  are  an  excepted  and 
dependent  branch  of  the  body  supported  mainly  by  the  gratuities  and 
other  contributions  of  the  church.  These  support  tliemseives  by  their 
own  industry,  working  with  their  own  hands  doing  the  thing  which  is 
good,  to  satisfy  their  own  necessities  and  to  have  to  give  to  those  who 
need.  Those  are  free  from  the  incimibrancc  of  wife,  husband  or 
children  to  embarrass  the  mind  in  their  first  entrance.  Tliese  in- 
clude all  classes  of  people,  married  and  unmarried,  old  and  young, 
rich  and  poor,  who  are  willing  to  have  salvation  by  the  cross  of  Christ. 
Those  are  bound  by  oath  or  solemn  vow  to  maintain  their  life  of  celi- 
bacy. These  have  no  bond  but  their  faith  and  choice,  or  love  to  the 
truth.  Those  are  patronised  by  public  approbation  and  authority  ; 
while  these  are  marked  out  as  enemies  to  makind  and  dangerous  to 
society.  But  with  the  faith  and  power  which  those  have,  let  them  at- 
tempt, like  these,  to  unite  into  one  body,  and  advance  with  the  same 
celerity — let  them  include  in  their  community  of  interest,  the  old 
and  the  young,  the  rich  and  the  poor,  the  married  and  the  unmarri- 
ed— let  them  bring  into  one,  v;hole  families,  with  their  various  wants, 
and  other  diversities  of  situation — and  let  parents  labor  eaually  for 
the  support  of  the  children  of  others  as  for  their  own,  so  that  things 
may  appear  in  their  true  effects,  and  they  Avill  find  themselves  as 
weak  as  other  people. 

But  another  objection  or  difficulty  may  be,  That  to  come  into  this 
order  of  common  interest,  to  dispose  of  family  and  property  in.  this 
rnanner,  intermingling  in  the  common  mass,  with  an  unknown  pco- 


295  THE  MAN 

pie,  tlieir  manner  and  spirit  also  greatly  unknown,  is  too  great  a  sa- 
crifice :  God  cannot  require  it.  But  God  requires  all ;  for  said  Je- 
sus, "Whosoever  he  be  of  you  who  doth  not  forsake  all  that  he  hath 
cannot  be  my  disciple.  (Luke  14.33.)  Yet  not  unreasonably  ;  as  I 
have  just  stated  above  that  it  is  the  faith  of  believers  so  to  do.,  and 
that  one  side  of  such  faith  there  is  no  requisition  of  that  kind.  It 
is  not  to  be  expected  that  people  in  common  circumstances  will  unite 
with  them  at  all,  unless  moved  by  the  faith  that  these  have  the  truth 
and  knov,'  the  way  of  salvation  ;  neither  is  it  required  or  expected  of 
any  to  undertake  any  des^'ee  of  community  of  interest  beyond  what  their 
own  faith  approves,  and  their  own  understanding  and  choice  sanction. 
Accordingly  some  live  more  years  and  some  fewer  in  their  private 
families  and  private  interest  ;  ^^c]  still  hold  their  union  to  the  body, 
keep  their  justification  and  find  salvation  from  all  sin  in  proportion 
as  they  keep  an  effectual  and  uniform  cross  against  sin  in  their  know- 
ledge. But  the  tesiimoiiy  of  Christ's  second  appearing  excells  in 
this,  that  it  effectuates  the  gathering  into  one,  those  whose  faith  it  is  to 
come  into  that  heavenly  order — The  unity  of  the  Spirit  in  the  bond 
of  peace. 


CHAPTER  VII . 

Without  the  cross   of  Christ  no  porjer  over  sin.      The  Abommation 
that  vtakpth  desolate.,  or  Man  cf  sin. 

FARTHER  to  elucidate  the  true  character  of  the  church  of 
Christ,  and  to  evince  the  impossibility  of  supporting  the  character 
without  being  possessed  of  the  real  faith  of  Christ  in  obedience,  that 
is,  the  impossibility  of  appearing  to  be  christians  without  being  so  in 
reality,  let  it  be  considered,  That  the  real  faith  of  Christ  cannot  be 
kept  without  bearing  his  cross.  "  If  any  man  will  come  after  me, 
«  let  him  deny  himself,  and  take  up  his  cross,  ar.d  follow  mc."  (Matt. 
IG.  24.)  He  doth  not  say  follow  Adam,  or  Moses,  or  David,  but 
folloTj  me. 

A  fundamental  error  among  those  who  profess  the  christian  name, 
is  in  not  distinguishing  properly  and  radically,  between  Christ  and 
Adam,  or  the  old  creation  and  the  new,  and  between  Christ  and  Mo- 
ses, or  the  law  and  the  gospel.  Therefore,  in  stating  the  character 
and  duty  of  christians,  they  are  as  likely,  if  not  more  so,  to  introduce 
those  things  which  pertain  to  the  law,  or  to  the  first  Adam,  as  those 
Avhich  belong  to  Christ  and  his  followers.  This  error  is  the  support- 
er of  many  more.  But  the  scriptures  make  it  evident,  that  the  order 
of  Christ  is  not  the  order  of  the  old  creation  in  any  of  its  different 
forms,  insomuch  that  those  who  follow  Christ  are  no  moie  of  tjiis> 
world.  '•  They  are  not  of  the  world,  even  as  I  am  not  of  the  world," 
(Jno.  17.  16.)  Those  v/lio  follow  Christ,  follow  him,  not  in  the  ge- 
neration, but  in  the  regeneration.    «  The  first  man  i.'^  of  the  earth, 


Or    SIN,,  207 

«*  earthy  ;  ibe  second  man  is  the  Lord  from  heaven.  As  is  the  earthy, 
*'  such  are  they  also  that  are  earthy  ;  and  as  in  the  heavaiily,  such  arc 
*'  they  also  that  are  heavenly."  (1  Cor.  15.  47,  48. ) 

Nov/  a  proper  understanding-  of  the  order,  cross  and  work  of 
Christ,  will  greatly  assist  in  discriminating  between  the  body  of 
Christ  and  other  people.  Some  particu'ais  have  been  already  stated 
relating  to  the  order  of  Christ,  by  v/hich  his  people  are  distinguished 
from  others,  as  their  being  free  from  sin,  their  love  and  union.  Eu: 
as  every  effect  must  have  its  cause, it  will  not  be  improper  to  inquire, 
and  assign  some  reasons,  why  no  people  can  live  in  the  same  Uuiou 
of  the  Spirit,  except  those  who  believe  that  Christ  hath  made  his  se- 
cond appearance. 

It  will  be  remembered,  that  it  is  v/ritten,  that  the  power  of  the  ho- 
ly people  should  be  scattered,  and  that  the  abomination  of  desolation 
spoken  of  by  Daniel  the  prophet  should  stand  in  the  holy  place. 
Now  if  it  can  be  found  that  the  abomination  of  desolation  is  standing 
v/here  it  ought  not,  that  will  give  satisfaction  that  the  faith  and  parti- 
cipation of  the  second  appearance  of  Christ  arc  necessary  to  keeping 
the  unity  of  the  Spirit  in  the  bond  of  peace,  because  that  abomina- 
lion  was  to  remain  iu  the  holy  place,  or  temple  of  God,  until  the  com- 
ing of  the  Lord,  as  hath  been  before  shown.  So  that  vrhen  the  abo- 
mination had  once  gotten  in  and  obtained  a  possession  where  it  ougJ.t 
not,  the  true  order  of  that  holy  place  could  never  be  kept  again,  until 
the  Lord  came,  to  turn  it  cut,  or  to  destroy  it.  It  is  tlierefc.n'c 
indispensably  necessary  that  they  who  are  able  to  keep  the  true  or- 
der of  God,  be  possessed  of  the  faith,  and  do  actually  partake  of 
Christ  in  his  second  appearing.  And  if  it  can  be  shown  what  that 
abomination  is  which  was  spoken  of  by  Daniel,  -and  afterwards  by 
Jesus  Christ,  that  will  give  satisfaction,  as  to  the  correctness  of  the 
views  of  those  who  have  the  faith  of  Christ  in  his  second  appearance, 
and  also  that  none  can  keep  the  unity  of  the  Spirit  in  the  bond  of 
peace,  without  the  same  faith. 

I  have  already  shown,  that  the  church,  or  people  of  God,  are  l.is 
temple,  and  that  that  temple  is  holy,  and  an  habitaticn  of  Gcd  through 
the  Spirit,  as  it  is  written  ;  "  Son  ofman,  the  place  of  my  throne,  and 
''  the  place  of  the  soles  of  my  feet,  where  I  will  dwell  in  the  midst 
"  of  the  children  of  Israel  far  ever,  and  my  holy  najne  shall  the  house 
«•  of  Israel  no  more  dfle."  And  again;  "  For  ye  are  the  temple  of 
*'  the  living  God  ;  as  God  hatli  said,  /  tjUI  divt^ll  in  them,  aiid  ivalk 
"  171  them  ;  and  I  will  be  their  God,  and  they  shall  be  my  people." 
(Ezek.  43.  7,  2  Cor.  6.  16.) 

Now  if  it  can  be  made  appear  what  the  abomination  of  deso- 
lation is,  that  will  more  clearly  decide,  v.diether  it  is  now  standingy 
and  also  where  it  stands.  But  that  it  is  now  standing  is  already  pj-ov- 
ed,  unless  Christ  hath  made  his  second  appearance  long  enough  to 
consume  it ;  for  it  was  to  continue  until  he  came.  The  business 
therefore  which  remains,  is  to  find  what  is  that  abomination  which 
maketh  desolate,  and  is  th.e  cause  why  people  cannot  be  imited  in 
one  body,  who  have  not  the  faith  of  Christ  in  his  second   appearing^,. 

p2 


298  THE  MAN 

And  1st.  The  fiist  cliaracter  of  that  abominatior!,  of  which  f 
shall  take  notice,  is  that  it  stands  in  the  /:o/y  plcue,  where  it  ought 
not.  To  put  any  thing  where  it  ought  not  to  be,  is  corrupt,  but  to 
put  into  the  holy  /dace,  or  temple  of  Gcd,  an  unclean  thing,  that 
■which  ought  not  to  be  there,  is  supremely  corrupt.  Now  by  inqui- 
ring into  the  order  in  which  the  professors  of  chiistianity  live,  and 
comparing  it  with  the  order  of  Christ,  we  may  find  what  that  is-, 
which  keeps  its  residence /?:  the  jilacs  where  it.  cught  not,  which 
doth  not  belong  to  the  ortlcr  of  Christ,  and  yet  resides  uninterruptedly 
among  the  professors  of  hi^  riame,  who  have  not  the  faith  of  his  se- 
cond appearing.  There  arc,  at  most,  b\it  a  few  exceptions  of  those  - 
with  whom  the  same  Spirit  of  Christ  hath  some  influence. 

'•  The  children  of  this  world  marry  and  are  given  in  marriage: 
"  but  those  accounted  worthy  to  obtain  that  world  and  the  resurrection 
"  from  the  dead,  neither  marry  nor  are  given  in  marriage."  Now 
all  the  true  followers  of  Christ  are  accounted  worthy  to  obtain  that 
■world  and  the  resurrection  from  the  dead.  It  is  therefore  proved, 
logically,  and  to  a  demonstration,  that  the  true  followers  of  Ciuist  nei- 
ther marry  nor  are  given  in  mai  riage.  Observe.  It  is  not  said.  They 
will  not,  as  at  some  future  period  ;  but  it  is  said  in  the  present  tense, 
They  neither  marry  nor  are  given  in  marriage.  But  professed  chris- 
tians of  nearly  all  denominations,  except  those  in  the  faith  of  Christ's 
second  appearance,  marry  aiid  are  given  in  mrrr'.age.  This  there- 
fore affords  a  lively  presumption,  that  this  same  work  of  marrying 
and  being  one  flesh,  as  a  man  and  his  wife  are,  is  the  very  thing  which 
at  least  contains  the  aforesaid  abomination;  and  especially  consider- 
ing, that  nothing  besides  this  and  what  pertains  to  it,  is  said  by  the 
revela'acn  of  Gcd,  to  Jj^^oF  the  world,  or  of  the  old  creation,  and  yet 
pprobated  by  professed  chrisiians. 

That  this  is  peculiarly  the  order  of  the  first  Adam  and  Iv's  liie,  is 
sufficiently  evident  by  the  very  wovds  of  ih^  scripture.  "  Therefore 
"  shall  a  man  leave  his  father  and  his  mother,  and  shall  cleave  to  his 
'■'  wife ;  and  they  shall  be  one  flesh."  "  Have  ye  not  read  that  he  who 
"  made  them  at  the  beginning,  made  them  male  and  female,  and  said, 
"  For  this  cause  shall  a  man  leave  father  and  mother,  and  shall  cleave 
"  to  his  wife:  and  they  twain  shall  be  one  flesh."  (Gen.  2.  24.  Matt. 
19.  4,  5.)  But  no  such  appointment  was  ever  made  by  God  to  Jesus 
Christ  the  Father  of  the  new  ci'eation  and  Head  of  the  chtirch;  no 
such  order  or  appointment  v/as  ever  made  by  Jesus  Christ  to  liis  fol- 
lowers. And  no  impropriety  can  be  alledged  against  recollecting  in 
this  place  tlie  contrast  between  Christ  Jesus  and  the  first  Adam,  and 
the  consequent  contrast  between  their  posterities.  *'  The  first  man 
"  is  of  the  earth,  earthy  ;  the  second  man  is  the\Lcrd  from  heaven. 
<■'  As  i.=j  the  earthy,  such  are  they  also  that  are  earthy ;  and  as  is  the 
"  heavenly,  such  are  they  also  that  are  heavenly."  If  therefore  the 
posterity  of  Adam  are  in  their  proper  order;  to  marry,  and  cleave 
each  man  to  his  wife  and  be  one  flesh  with  her,  after  the  example  of 
their  earthly  head,  by  parity  of  reason,  the  fullcwcrs,  or  children  of 
Christ  arc  in  their  proper  order  to  niarry  not,  after  the  example  of 


OF  SIN.  399 

their  heavenly  Head,  that  th.cy  may  be  one  Spirit  with  him  :  for  "  He 
"  that  is  joined  to  the  Lord  is  one  Spirit. "(1  Cor,  6.  17.) 

To  introduce  marriage  therefore,  or  natural  generation,  into  the 
church  of  Christ,  is  to  put  it  out  of  its  own  order  and  place  it  v;here 
it  ought  not  to  be.  Marriage  and  natural  generation  are  indisputably 
the  order  of  the  flesh  and  of  the  first  Adam ;  and  the  fiesh  lustcth 
against  the  Spirit ;  therefore,  to  introduce  the  generation  into  Chris- 
tianity, or  into  the  church,  is  to  put  into  the  holy  place  that  which 
ought  not  to  be  there  ;  for  the  temple  of  God,  Avhichis  his  church,  is 
holy,  as  before  shown, 

2i,d.  Another  mark  of  the  abomination  is,  that  it  maketh  desolate. 
To  all  those  who  are  able  to  perceive  spiritual  things,  this  is  self-evi- 
<lently  true  of  the  order  and  works  of  the  fiesh,  that  they  scatter  the 
vorks  of  holiness  and  make  all  desolate  wherever  they  find  a  resid- 
ence. But  that  which  is  visible,  as  a  living  evidence  to  all  men, 
natural  as  well  as  spiritual,  is,  that  those  only  who,  walking  in  the  faifh 
of  Christ,  neither  marry  nor  are  given  in  marriage,  but  renounce  the 
order  of  the  flesh  wholly,  are  able  to  keep  the  unity  of  the  Sjiirit  in, 
the  bond  of  Jicace^  and  to  live  together  in  a  joint  interest,  in  things 
temporal  as  well  as  spiritual :  this  is  a  living  and  perpetuated  proof 
that  the  said  order  of  the  flesh  is  the  abomination  of  desolation  j  or 
at  least  contains  it,  as  before  observed. 

3d.  That  which  maketh  desolate  is  called  an  abomination — some- 
thing hateful  and  to  be  hated.  No  doubt  the  subjects  of  Adam's 
line  are  difficult  to  persuade  that  the  order  and  works  of  the  flesh  arc 
abominable  ;  "  They  who  arc  according  to  the  flesh  relish  the  things 
"  of  the  flesh."  But  on  the  other  hand,  they  who  are  according  to 
the  Spirit  savor  the  things  of  the  Spirit;  and  as  the  flesh  lustcth 
agains';  the  Spirit,  and  the  Spirit  against  the  flesh,  it  is  unavoidable, 
that  the  flesh  is  an  abomination  to  the  .Spirit,  and  that  all  the  works 
of  that  fleshly  order,  are  an  abomination  to  all  those  in  whom  thr; 
Spirit  resides  ;  "  For  that  which  is  highly  esteemed  among  men  is 
♦'  an  abomination  in  the  sight  of  God."  (Lu.  16.  15.) 

But  that  the  works  of  said  order  of  the  flesh  are  an  abomination, 
all  men  of  common  decency  bear  witness,  by  scrupulously  conceal- 
ing them  ;  and  however  they  prize  them,  or  lor  their  sake,  marriage, 
as  that  which  legalizes  them,  their  estimation  instead  of  justifying 
them,  only  illustrates  the  truth  of  that  scripture  which  saith,  Their 
God  is  their  beiiij^  and  their  glory  is  in  their  shame  ;  and  again,  that 
It  is  a  shame  to  s/ieak  of  the  things  tvhich  are  done  of  them  in  secret : 
these  are  literally  they. 

4.  I  conclude  few,  if  any,  deny,  that  the  abomination  of  desolation 
is  the  same  with  the  son  of  perdition  spoken  of  by  Paul ;  not  only 
becar.se  their  works  are  tantamount,  desolation  and  perdition,  but 
also  because  they  are  both  rcg^i'esented  as  having  their  residence  in 
the  same  holy  place,  or  temple  of  God  ;  thus  the  entrance  of  each 
is  attended  with  the  banishment  of  the  true  worship  of  God,  the  fall- 
ing away  in  the  one  description,  and  the  taking  away  of  the  daily  sa- 
crifice in  the  other.     But  that  this  son  of  perdition,  called  also,  in  the 


'ioo  thib;  man 

same  place,  the  mystsry  of  iniquity,  and  that  wicked  or  [GreekJ 
lawless,  is  ihe  order  of  the  fiesh,  or  at  least  the  nature  of  that  order, 
it  needs  only  a  moderate  statement  to  prove. 

1.  His  first  characler  is  that  he  "  Ofijioscth  and  cxaltcth  himself 
"  above  all  that  is  called  God  or  that  is  worshiped."  (2  Thes.  2.  4.) 
Which  very  naturally  admits  this  acceptation,  that  this  sou  of  perdi- 
tion, whatever  it  is,  claims  the  worship  and  estimation  of  all,  m  pre- 
ference to  any  other  God,  or  any  conception  concerning  God.  Now 
observation  and  experiment  prove,  that  this  is  strictly  true  with  the  or- 
der and  nature  of  the  flesh.  A  man  may  worship  what  God  he  pleases, 
or  have  what  faith  concerning  (iod  and  his  worship,  he  thinks  most 
appropriate  to  his  character,  provided  he  scrupulously  maintains  an 
unrestrained  license  to  the  works  of  natural  generation. 

Although  some  may  think  the  man  is  wrong,  and  sometimes  try 
to  convince  him  by  argument,  that  is  the  extent ;  he  remains  in  good 
credit,  is  reputed  a  good  citizen,  and  all  hold  as  great  faniiiiarity  with 
him  as  if  his  sentiments  were  more  congenial  with  their  own.  Thus 
professors  of  various  denominations  and  contrary  sentiments,  and  those 
who  profess  no  Christianity  at  ail,  nor  even  give  credit  to  the  reality 
of  it, can  live  together  in  goryd  civility,  good  neighborhood  and  socia- 
lity, as  freely  as  if  they  all  possessed  one  common  faith.  The  hus- 
band also,  or  wife  of  the  unbeliever  may  be  a  professed  christian, 
this  diffet-ence  makes  no  material  jar  between  them,  notwithstanding 
such  professors  generally  agree  that  such  unbelievers  are  all  finally 
damned.  This  good  chi'istian  husband  or  wife  seldom  feels  any  dis- 
tress of  moment  about  his  or  her  unhappy  infidel  cornpanion  as  long 
as  he  or  she  unfailingly  adheres  to  the  ofierings  of  the  flesh.  Thus 
thousands  agree,  and  live  in  as  much  peace  as  is  common  among 
men,  while  nothing  is  betv/ecn  them  of  greater  importance  than, 
what  they  coiuit  the  worship  of  God :  but  difl'erence  in  matters  es- 
teemed of  the  greatest  consequence  must  by  parity  of  reason  pro- 
duce the  greatest  disunion  and  separation.  Whence  then  this  agree- 
ment amidst  such  diversity  of  sentiment  and  practice  I  They  all 
agree  in  the  chief  matter;  that  which  deviands  the  estin:aiio7i  of  all 
7ncPi  and  sta}ids  superior  to  all  objects  of  ivorski/i. 

But  let  any  man  once  receive  the  faith  of  Christ  in  the  regenera- 
tion, and  once  begin  to  testify  and  practise  it,  and  the  sociality  is  in- 
terrupted, and  especially  with  the  professed  christians  ;  his  wife  com- 
plains that  he  has  awfully  fallen,  he  has  forsaken  Christ,  because  he 
has  taken  up  his  cross  against  the  flesh  ;  his  neighbors  say  he  is  de- 
luded, they  are  sorry  for  him,  grow  shy  of  him,  and  soon  begin  to 
tell  of  some  evil  he  Isath  done,  and  m  ish  him  out  the  neighborhood ; 
for  they  count  him  a  troublesome  man,  or  a  dead  man  to  them.  'J'hus 
the  separation  grows  \rider  and  Avider,  as  soon  as  all  tlu;ir  efforts  to 
reclaim  him  from  the  faith  of  Christ,  and  regain  him  to  the  flesh,  are 
found  to  be  of  no  avail.  And  what  hath  he  done  i'  He  hath  deter- 
minately  engaged  in  following  the  footsteps  of  Christ,  and  abstaining 
from  those  things  which  they  all  know  Christ  never  touched,  and 
which  they  also  believe  it  would  be  abase  impeachment  of  his  cha- 


OF  SIN.  501 

racter  to  suppose  he  touched :  therefore  the  man  is  deluded  and  hath 
forsaken  Christ.  These  things  represent  the  general  nature  ol"  the 
consequences  of  a  man's  taking  up  liis  cross  to  follow  Christ,  though 
the  effects  are  more  violent  on  souie  occasions  than  others. 

The  abettors  of  the  flesh  may  ohject  a  thousand  other  matters  ; 
but  fact  proves  that  no  religious  sentiipents  make  any  interruption  of 
moment  amongst  relations  or  neighbors,  so  long  as  the  nature  aixl 
order  of  ll;c  fiesh,  or  works  of  natural  generation  are  preserved  s:i- 
cred  or  inviolable  ;  but  let  a  m.an  or  a  woman  take  up  the  cross  of 
Christ,  and  follow  him  in  the  regeneration,  ar,d  the  spirits  are  all 
around  up  in  arms  :  this  shows  that  the  fjesh  is  in  higher  estimation 
than  any  other  God  I  here  speak  of  matters  as  they  exist  in  a  free 
government;  in  those  wluch  are  incorporated  with  roiigicus  senti- 
ments the  true  source  of  division  might  not  be  so  palpable. 

2.  This  son  of  perdition  also  silteth  in  the  temple  of  God.  This 
hath  already  been  shown  to  be  the  case  v/iih  the  generation. 

3.  He  also  showeth  himself  that  he  is  God.  This  is  also  proved 
to  be  the  case  with  the  generation.  The  people  may  call  it  man  iage, 
which  is  considered  as  legalizirig  the  generation  ;  which  is  said  to  be 
honorable  in  all,  and  in  its  own  order  without  abuse  had  nothing  cvii 
in  it ;  but  doth  not  belong  to  the  order  of  Christ ;  the  works  aiso  to 
which  it  is  considered  accessory,  are  dishonorable,  as  it  is  also  proved 
above  ;  for  they  always  blush  at  the  light,  which  honorable  and  good 
deeds  do  not ;  "  Me  that  doeth  truth  cometh  to  the  light,  that  hi3 
"  deeds  way  be  made  mari'fiHt,  (not  concealed,)  that  tkey  ar-e  wrought 
"  in  God."  (Jno.  3.  21.)  Or  they  may  call  it  the  order  oftlie  ilesh, 
in  which  are  included  the  correspondent  union  and  co-opei-ation  of 
the  male  and  female  who  ai'e  one  flesh,  which  in  its  own  place  with- 
out abuse  was  i/.nocent  and  very  good,  but  doth  not  belong  to  Christ 
or  the  order  of  the  Spirit — God  thercfor-e  is  not  in  it. 

These  i-emarks  introduce  an  occasion  to  observe,  that  the  evil  is 
not  originally  or  primarily  in  the  order  of  the  flesh,  or  th.e  corres- 
ponding union  between  the  male  and  female,  but  is  that  nature  of  the 
serpent  received  in  aiKl  by  the  fall,  consisting  in  a  spirit  of  disobedience  to 
God  and  subversion  of  his  order  and  appointments,  M'hich  nature  hath 
its  seat  in  the  flesh,  is  incorporated  with  it,  and  operates  in  its  oi der 
Vv'here  it  chiefly  presides,  so  that  the  works  of  the  flesh  are  the  works 
of  that  nature,  which  is  itself  become  the  very  nature  of  the  flesh. 
On  account  of  this  nature  and  its  productions,  the  flesh  is  degenerat- 
ed and  degraded  even  in  its  ov/n  order',  but  is  especially  ir.imical  to 
Christ  and  the  order  of  the  Spirit.  Add  to  this,  tiiat  the  order  of 
the  fiesh,  in  its  best  estate,  is  not  the  oi-der  of  Christ,  or  the  Spirit, 
but  much  inferior,  inasmuch  as  the  earthly  man  is  inferior  to  the 
heavenly.  These  things  account  for  the  iri'econcilable  contrast  and 
enmity  subsisting  between  the  flesh  and  the  Spirit,  so  abundantly  con- 
firmed in  the  scriptures. 

But  the  flesh  or  its  order,  by  whatever  name  it  is  called,  has  the 
natin-e  of  the  serpent  in  it ;  its  works  also  ar-e  every  v.'here  known, 
and  esteemed  by  all  whose  faith  approves  them,  as  at  all  belonging 


302  THE  MAN 

to  the  chiislkn,  above  God,  and  Christ  and  all  thir.gs,  as  is  proved  by 
tliiu  faith  v/hich  rejects  ih.eni  from  Christianity  being  moie  offensive 
to  them,  than  any  oilier  faith  which  embraces  or  rejects  any  thing 
else.  As  therefore  this  oidcr  of  the  Hesh  shows  itself  to  be  God, 
so  it  is  in  truth  god,  even  the  god  of  the  world,  set  up  in  the  holy 
place. 

What  farther  proves  this  same  to  be  the  god  of  those  who  approve 
it,  is  the  sacred  reserve  with  which  its  works  and  its  nature  aie  kept 
from  public  contemplation,  in  being  concealed  not  only  from  the  eyes, 
but  also  from  the  cars.  No  language  is  so  offensive  as  that  which 
represents  these  things  in  naked  colors.  Now  the  sources  of  unbe- 
coming  and  offensive  language  arc  two.  First ;  When  language 
communicates  the  ideas  ot  things  in  themselves  unbecoming  and  of- 
fensive. If  tills  is  the  case  with  the  above  order,  or  its  works,  that 
decides  the  argunicnt  that  it  is  not  according  to  Christ  or  the  order 
of  h's  church  ;  and  as  it  is  abetted  as  being  innocent,  by  the  profess- 
ed church,  and  has  its  full  and  undisturbed  residence  there,  it  is  here- 
by proved  to  be  the  son  of  perdition,  the  abomination  of  desolation. 

But  if  it  be  argued,  that  language  descriptive  of  the  v/orks  of  the 
ilesh,  is  not  ofiensive  because  of  any  thing  unbecoming  or  loathsome 
in  them,  its  offensivencss  must  be' attributed  to  the  other  source  of 
offensive  language,  which  is.  The  common  and  irreverend  use  of 
language  pertaining  to  God,  or  some  character,  too  sacred  to  be 
narncd  in  a  common  o;-  indifferent  manner.  According  to  this  view, 
t  le  generation  is  proved  to  be  Gcd,  much  more  sacred  than  any  other, 
and  its  peculiar  names  as  sacred  at  least  as  Jehovah,  the  incommu- 
nicable narne  of  the  true  God,  was  among  the  Jews  ;  for  it  is  experi- 
mentally triie,  that  the  man  who  blasphemes  the  name  of  the  true 
God  mcst  freely  is  not  so  odious  and  offensive  to  the  abettors  of  the 
flesh,  as  he  v/iio  uses  with  unbecoming  freedom,  language  which  ex- 
pi-esses  their  secret  works;  the  only  secret  works  under  the  whole 
hoavens,  or  within  the  reach  of  man's  conception,  of  which  it  is 
ashamc  to  speak. 

It  is  vain  to  plead  that  this  can  be  true  of  illegitimate  actions  only; 
fcr  lawful  or  unlawful,  the  actions  are  the  sanie,  the  nature  the  samc^ 
and  language  descriptive  thereof  as  offensive  in  the  one  case  as  the 
other.  No  doubt  therefore  remains  to  the  judicious,  but  this  same 
is  the  very  m.an  of  sin,  the  son  of  perdition,  the  abomination  of  de- 
solation. 

4..  Another  of  its  charactei's  is.  That  ivickcd^  in  Greek,  lawless. 
Thi-5  ip  a  very  proper  description  cf  a  wicked  thing  ;  for  nothing  can 
be  counted  wicked  which  is  subject  to  any  good  law  ;  for  sin  is  the 
transgression  of  the  law  ;  but  that  which  is  subject  to  no  law  but  its 
own  caprice,  is  nccessaiily  wicked.  Thus  the  tarnal  mind  is  proved 
to  be  enmity  against  God  because  it  is  not  subject  to  th.e  law  of  Gcd, 
neither  indeed  can  be.  (Ro.  8.  7.)  Thus  the  above,  which  in  truth,  is 
but  tlic  same,  is  known  to  be  subject  to  no  law,  except  in  its  own  un- 
governable sallies  ;  not  the  law  of  nature,  because  its  operations  are 
abundantly  frequent  in  those  circumstances  which  make  it  impossi 


OF  SIN.  503 

ble  for  the  fruits  appointed  by  nature  to  succeed — not  the  lav/  of  Mo- 
ses, because  it  is  not  kept  within  the  limits  and  purifications  pre- 
acribed  by  that  legislator — not  the  law  of  Christ,  who  never  cherished 
it  in  a  single  instance,  but  appointed  it  to  be  crucified  with  its  affec- 
tions and  lusts  5  for  that  which  cannot  exist  and  be  subject,  is  neces- 
sarily wicked,  and  its  ulliniate  fate' is  certain  destruction — Wixni 
the  Lord  will  consume  with  the  Spirit  of  his  mouth,  and  will  destroy 
with  the  brightness  of  his  coming. 

Should  any  suppose  so  free  a  discussion  of  a  subject  so  delicate  and 
secret,  to  be  contrary  to  propiiety  or  decency,  let  them  duly  consider, 
what  idea  is  to  be  entertained  of  a  gospel  which  would  patronise  rvxI 
cherish  in  secret,  such  works  as  ai-e  unfit  to  receive  the  i\iost  ]il:cral 
investigation.  "  Every  one  that  doeth  evil  hateth  the  light,  neither 
''  Cometh  to  the  light  lest  his  deeds  should  be  discovered  (maigin)  or 
••  (in  Greek)  convicted.  But  he  that  doeth  truth,  conjeth  to  the 
-•  light,  tliat  his  deeds  may  be  made  manifest  that  they  are  wrough.t 
"  in  God."  (Jno.  S.  20,  21.) 


CHAPTER  Vin. 

The  order  and  nv-erks  of  the  Generation  do  r.oi  afifiertain  to  Chrinl  or 
/lis  Cliurch. 

THAT  marriage  and  the  order  of  the  fiesh  have  neitlier  part 
nor  lot  in  Christ,  is  farther  proved  by  this  doctiine  of  Chnst ;  "If 
'•'  any  man  come  to  me,  and  hate  not  his  father,  and  mother,  and  wife, 
"  and  children,  and  brethren,  and  sisters,  yea,  and  his  own  life  ai:-o, 
"  he  cannot  be  my  disciple."  (Luk.  14.  26  ) 

Some  however  are  quite  apt  in  qualifying  the  sayings  cf  Christ,  so 
as  to  acconnmodale  them  to  their  own  views.  But  it  is  at  least  nccessai  y 
i^ot  to  explain  the  teaching  of  Christ  all  away ;  his  words  are  not  mei  e 
wind,  but  contain  an  important  meaning,  an.d  an  energy  not  to  be  ne- 
glected. This  hatred,  of  which  he  speaks,  cannot  be  leveled  against 
the  so\]I  or  the  body,  or  intend  any  injurious  feeling  toAvards  eitlicrr 
this  will  be  granted.  Yet  the  words  of  Christ  mean  something  of 
great  importance,  for  on  it  depends  our  discipieship  and  consiqueiitly, 
our  acceptance  with  God.  1  conclude  therefore  that  these  energetic 
words  were  not  delivered  for  a  deception  ;  and  that  when  he  said 
/late,  he  did  not  mean  /ox-r,  notwithstanding,  that  the  purest  and  most 
genuine  love,  is  strictly  consistent  with  that  hatred  ;  and  as  the  man's 
nearest  relations,  together  with  his  own  life,  are  slnp;ied  cut,  as  pecu- 
liar objects  of  hatred,  I  conclude,  that  when  he  s?.ys  father  and  mo- 
ther, u'ife  and  children,  brethren  and  sisters,  yea,  and  his  cv.'n  life 
also,  he  means  these  especially,  inasmuch  as  these  stand  nearest  to 
self,  and  therefore,  are  most  closely  connected  with  that  self-denial 
and  cross-bearing  so  indispensably  necessary  to  partaking  with  Christ; 
"•'  If  any  nian  viil  come  after  Pie,  let  hisa  deny  himself,  and  take  up 


304  THE  GENERATION 

"  hl:5  cr6ss,  a;id  follow  me."  But  as  aforesaid,  it  is  not  required  to 
hate  the  person  ;  but  to  be  a  discipie  of  Christ  a  man  must  hate  liis 
fatlicr  and  his  mother,  and  his  wife,  aad  his  children  ;  rot  the  man 
and  the  woman,  but  the  father  and  the  mcthxr;  not  the  woman,  but 
the  wife.  Now  every  one  knows,  that  what  constitutes  father  and 
mother,  wife  and  child,  is  the  flesh,  opercttin?^  in  its  own  line  and  or- 
der. The-ij  tiuain  shali  be  one  Jlcsh  ;  and.  Thai  'which  ia  born  cf  the 
Jlesh  /?  Jh'sh.  Therefore  a  man  born  of  his  father  and  mother,  who 
are  one  flesh,  is  born  of  the  flesh,  and  according  to  Christ,  he  is  flesh, 
and  accordingly  so  are  the  whole  connection  and  relation  :  and  in  all 
this  work  Christ  is  not  known.  "  But  that  which  is  born  of  the  Spi- 
"  rit  is  spirit j"  and  thereibre  hath  part  with  Chiist. 

A  man  is  not  required  to  hate  his  own  personal  existence,  or  phy- 
sical life,  but  his  carnal  life,  and  that  which  supports  it — that  by  which 
he  hath  his  existence  in  a  fleshly  fallen  nature.  What  therefore 
Christ  requires  us  to  hate  is  the  flesh,  which  iusteth  againjt  the  Spi- 
rit and  is  contrary  to  it ;  which  also  is  partial,  leading  a  man  to  es- 
teem, regard  and  befriend  his  own  fleshly  relations  more  than  others,, 
contrary  to  Christ  who  said,  "  Whosoever  shall  do  the  will  of  God, 
"  the  same  is  my  brother,  and  my  sister  and  mother."  (Mar.  3.  35.) 

When  it  is  considered  that  men  esteem  their  own  relations  after  the- 
flesh  more  than  others,  and  are  more  closely  attached  to  them,  not- 
V'ithstanding  that  others  are  as  respectable  and  as  worthy  as  they, 
and  often  niore  so,  every  man  of  real  intelligence  must  grant,  that 
such  estimation  and  attachment  are  merely  the  partialities  of  the 
flesh.  Yet  such  estimation  and  attachment,  or  these  partialities,  are 
as  necessary  to  the  support  of  maniage  and  the  line  of  the  flesh 
therein,  as  the  junction  of  the  members  to  the  existence  of  the  body. 
Tliis  proves  that  marriage  and  the  order  of  the  flesh  have  neither 
pait  nor  let  in  Clirist,  v.'hose  love  is  impartial,  and  where  cRch  one  is 
esteemed  according  to  his  real  character,  without  respect  to  persons, 
and  in  whom  all  crucify  the  flesh  with  its  affections  as  well  as  its  lusts. 

This  view  of  the  subject  leaves  no  room  for  any  part  of  all  the 
inliumanitv,  cruelty  and  distress,  about  which  the  children  of  this 
world  make  such  an  outcry  against  the  followers  of  Clirist,  but  leaves 
the  christian  under  every  sacred  obligation  of  humanity  and  chanty, 
necessary  to  the  existence  and  comfort  of  society.  For  as  the  first 
creation  in  ils  own  order,  is  necessary  to  the  existence  and  increase 
of  the  new  in  its  own  line  and  order,  so  every  duty  between  the  mem- 
bers of  the  old,  as  husband  and  wife,  parent  and  child,  not  subversive 
*of  the  new,  remains  sacred  and  inviolable,  until  they  all  arrive  to 
that  state  wherein  they  have  no  need  of  such  good  offices  from  such 
relations.  "  If  any  man  have  not  the  Spirit  of  Christ  he  is  none  of 
"  his ;"  But  the  Spirit  of  Christ  esteems  all  those  who  do  the  will  of 
God,  brethren,  and  sisters,  and  mothers  ;  these  therefore  who  truly 
belong  to  Christ,  are  in  no  N\ant  of  relations  or  their  good  offices. 

Some  indeed  believe,  o»  affect  to  believe,  the  hating  and  forsaking 
required  in  the  disciples  of  Christ,  to  be  merely  mental  and  com- 
paj^tij-c,  and  to  produce  no  material  separation  or  visible  cutting  off 


NOT  OF  CHRIST,  305 

from  the  fleshly  connection  and  intercourse  ;  because  it  is  written  • 
*'  He  that  loveth  father  or  mother  more  than  me,  is  not  worthy  of 
M  me  ;  and  he  that  loveth  son  or  daughter  more  than  me  is  not  wor- 
«  thy  of  ma."  [Mitt.  10.37.]  But  nothing  is  more  certain,  than 
that  these  words  imply  a  contrast  between  Christ  and  the  man's  kin- 
dred ;  so  that  his  love  cannot  be  divided  between  them,  or  at  all  im- 
parted to  both  ;  which  makes  it  plain,  that  tlie  love  which  men  have 
to  father  and  mother,  son  and  daughter,  wife  or  child,  is  a  rival  to 
the  love  of  Christ,  and  that  both  cannot  dwell  in  one  heart.  The 
words  therefore  are  precisely  the  same  as  to  say,  He  that  loveth 
father  or  mother,  is  not  worthy  of  me,  and  he  that  loveth  son  or 
daughter,  is  not  worthy  of  me.  The  sentence  therefore  is  just  tan- 
tamount with  that  above  ;  "  If  any  man  come  to  me  and  hate  not 
*'  his  father,  and  mother,  and  wdfe,  and  children,  and  brother  and  sis- 
*'  ter,  yea,  and  his  own  life  also,  he  cannot  be  my  disciple :"  for  what 
any  man  hateth  he  doth  not  love. 

Farther.  If  the  hating  and  forsaking  requisite  in  the  fcllowers  of 
Christ  l)e  only  comparative  and  mental,  or  e\'en  verbal  also,  and  tho 
heart  as  fully  therein  as  the  nature  of  the  case  would  admit.  Whence 
all  those  divisions  and  enmities  of  which  Christ  speaks,  as  the  cer- 
tain and  inevitable  attendants  of  his  gospel  ?  <•  Think  not  that  I  am 
"  come  to  send  peace  on  earth :  I  came  not  to  send  peace  but  a 
*'  sword.  For  I  am  come  to  set  a  man  at  variance  against  his  fa- 
rther, and  the  daughter  against  her  mother,  and  the  daughter-in- 
*'  law  against  her  mother-in-law  •  and  a  rnan's  foes  shall  be  they  of 
«  his  own  household."  [Matt.  10.  34  to  36.] 

Or  if  the  gospel  of  Christ  requires  no  more  than  a  mental  or  com- 
parative forsaking  of  the  line  and  members  of  the  flesh,  wherein 
%vas  the  necessity,  or  even  propriety  of  the  apostle's  sia  ing  a  provision 
especially  and  specifically  for  a  man  and  his  wife,  in  the  case  of  one 
being  a  believer  and  the  other  not.  Let  not  the  believer  put  away 
or  leave  the  unbeliever ;  "  But  if  the  unbeliever  depart  let  him  for 
"  her)  depai't.  A  brother  or  a  sister  is  not  under  bonds  in  such  cases  " 
(1  Cor.  7.  15.) 

Now  where  was  it  ever  known  that  a  man  pat  away  his  wife  be- 
cause of  her  being  a  believer  in  Christ,  or  that  a  woman  denarted 
from  her  husband  on  account  of  his  being  a  believer,  provided  the 
faith  of  such  believer  did  not  extend  to  the  demolishing  of  the  works 
of  the  flesh  and  disannulling  its  claims,  in  christians  ?  It  is  true  as 
stated  above,  that  infidels  and  professed  christians,  cr  professed  chris- 
tians of  divided  faith,  can  live  together  in  as  much  agreement  as 
where  their  faith  is  one,  provided  the  claims  and  works  of  the  flesh 
be  preserved  inviolate. 

Or  where  was  it  ever  known,  particularly  in  a  free  country,  where 
temporal  interest  or  privilege  can  be  no  object,  as  being  connected 
with  the  profession,  that  a  man  is  at  variance  against  his  father  the 
mother  against  her  daughter,  and  the  daughter  against  her  mother,  so 
as  to  make  a  man's  foes  to  be  those  of  his  own  household  on  account 
of  his  faith  in  Christ,  so  that  it  could  be  said,  he  came  to  do  thlsm 
/  Q  2       • 


SG6  THE  GENERATION 

\mless  where  the  believing  part  have  that  real  and  genuine  faitli  cf 
Christ,  which  leads  to  the  crucifying  of  the  flesh  with  its  aflfections 
and  lusts,  and  excluding  the  order  of  the  flesh  and  its  works,  (the 
sexual  intercourse,  lawful  or  unlawful)  from  all  share  in  Christ? 
Although  it  is  not  to  be  denied,  that  partial  jars  have  sometimes  ta- 
ken place  between  those  of  the  same  household,  on  account  of  the 
faith  of  some  towards  Christ ;  particularly  in  those  times  when  God 
hath  been  pouring  out  on  tiie  people  a  Spiiit  of  grace  and  supplica- 
tion and  spreading  light  abroad  in  some  uncommon  manner,  as  in 
the  Kentucky  revivaL  But  as  all  these  revivals  fall  short  of  the 
perfect  work  of  salvation  by  the  cross,  these  paitial  divisionii  may  be 
removed,  and  civil  peace  and  agreement  restored.  For  although 
such  revivals  burn  with  vengeance  against  the  flesh,  they  do  not 
reach  far  enough  to  purge  it  out  of  the  temple. 

It  is  also  to  be  granted,  that  variances,  enmities,  feuds  and  animos- 
ities are  frequent  enough  among  professed  christians  ;  but  it  is  too 
evident,  that  they  spring  from  a  very  'different  source  than  the 
abounding  of  the  faith  of  Christ  and  a  tenacious  adherence  to  it — the 
want  of  genuine  faith  and  obedience  ;  for  the  Spirit,  or  faith  of 
Christ  persecuteth  none,  envieth  none,  banisheth  none,  nor  causeth 
any  divisions,  except  what  are  produced  by  his  people's  testifying  and 
living  that  truth  which  is  necessary  for  salvation. 

On  the  whole.  To  suppose  the  denying,  forsaking  or  hating  re- 
quisite in  being  a  disciple,  to  be  mental,  verbal,  comparative,  or  in 
any  respect  short  of  a  total  demolishing  of  the  order  of  the  flesh  aud- 
its M'orks,  depreciates  the  woids  of  Christ,  and  rendeis  them  weak, 
snd  indeterminate  ;  not  to  say  false. 

When  men  make  resistance  and  become  foes  to  others,  it  is  on  the 
principle  of  considering  themselves  injured  cr  aggrieved;  but  why 
should  the  children  of  this  world  complain  cf  injury  cr  grievance, 
against  the  gospel  of  Christ,  or  become  fees  to  these  who  practise 
it,  if  they  can  partake  of  its,  benefits,  and  ke^p  their  beloved  works 
ynhurt,  and  the  body  and  core  of  them  unmolested.  But  the  work 
of  Christ  proceeds  immediately  to  life  and  death.  "  He  that  findeth 
"  his  life  shall  lose  it ;  and  he  that  loscth  his  life  for  my  sake  shall 
"  find  it."  [Matt.  10.  o9.j  This  makes  a  thorough  and  final  separ- 
ation between  those  who  bear  the  cross  and  those  who  remain  ene- 
jnies  to  it." 

As  for  the  notion  of  dividing  the  love  between  Christ  and  the  wife, 
ehildren  and  others,  allowing  Christ  the  greatest  portion,  it  is  too 
weak  to  merit  a  serious  answer,  were  it  not  so  much  set  by  cf  many. 
In  the  first  place  ;  it  is  granted,  that  Christ  requires  the  whole  heart, 
love  and  affections;  consequently,  whosoever  interferes  to  prevent 
any  part  is  a  rival  to  him,  because  no  man  can  seive  two  masters. 
But  whosoever  practiseth  the  generation  doeth  the  work  of  tl  e  first 
Adam,  and  thereby  serveth  him,   and  therefore  cannot  serve  Christ. 

But  if  this  be  counted  an  unfair  statement,  and  it  be  argued,  that 
as  Christ  demands  the  whole  heart,  love  and  affections,  which  being 
^ivcn  to  liini  cGmprelicnd  in  the  same  relation,  parents,  children  aiji 


NOT  OF  CHRIST.  S07 

uthers.  This  is  granted,  provided  those  parents,  children  and  others 
are  in  Christ,  and  the  love  embraces  them  in  that  ciiaracter  ;  and  this 
is  the  very  love  for  which  we  contend,  whicii  effectually  supplants, 
and  utterly  excludes  all  that  love  which  is  partial,  fixing  on  tiiose 
who  are  nearly  allied  in  the  line  of  the  flesh.  For  it  is  belore  stated 
in  evidence,  that  the  love  which  men  bear  to  their  natural  relations  as 
such,  distinctly  from  others,  is  a  rival  to  the  love  of  Christ — partial 
and  unjust.     But, 

Once  more  ;  By  an  appeal  to  the  conscience  of  those  who  have 
had  their  mind  and  feelings  wakened  up  to  a  consideration  of  the  tes- 
timony of  Christ  in  his  second  appearing,  it  may  be  farther  proved  to 
their  satisfaction,  that  those  who  love  wife  or  ciiiidren  for  instance  at 
all,  in  the  order  of  that  relation,  and  refuse  to  forsake  them,  do  ne- 
cessarily love  them  more  than  Christ,  and  consecpiently  come  short 
of  genuine  love  to  Christ.  For  let  it  be  considered,  that  when  the 
gospel  is  presented  to  such  with  these  terms  of  haling  and  forsaking, 
father  and  mother,  wife  and  children,  and  others,  their  ultimate  cb- 
jection  is,  that  Christ  doth  not  require  such  terms,  and  on  that  plea 
reject  the  whole.  This  proves  that  these  relations  and  enjoyments 
are  by  them  loved  more  than  Christ ;  for  if  they  esteemed  Christ 
above  those,  they  would  make  sure  of  their  part  in  him,  come  of 
other  matters  what  would  ;  not  doubting,  at  the  same  time,  but  that 
wife  or  husband,  or  children,  will  be  all  restored,  provided  such  a 
state  of  things  be  compatible  with  genuine  Christianity.  *'  For  no 
"  good  thing  will  he  withhold  from  them  that  walk  uprightly." 
(Psm.  84.  11.)  "  Seek  first  the  kingdom  of  God  and  his  righteous- 
^'  ness,  and  all  these  things  shall  be  added  to  you  ;"  (Matt.  6.  33.) 
that  is,  all  those  things  of  which  your  heavenly  Father  knoweth  ye 
have  need,  as  is  stated  in  tl>e  preceding  verse. 

Should  any  object  that  the  above  argument  is  not  conclusive,  be- 
cause many  reject  that  testimony  of  the  gospel  which  requires  such 
sacrifices,  because  they  do  not  bclieve^t  true,  whereas  did  they  ac- 
tually believe  it  true  tlicv  would  submit,  and  make  all  the  sacrifices 
xvhich  could  be  required  to  obtain  salvation.  To  these  it  is  replied  ; 
that  no  sacrifices  are  required  to  be  made  in  the  gospel  lor  which  we 
plead,  more  than  what  are  very  expressly  taught  in  the  words  of 
Christ;  and  no  way  appears  to  get  round  them  only  to  plead  that  he 
did  not  mean  what  he  said,  and  also  to  contrast  one  saying  against 
another  to  weaken  the  force  of  his  doctrine.  Poor  subterfuges^  for 
those  who  acknowledge  Christ  as  a  true  teacher.  This  testimony  of 
the  gospel,  goeth  no  greater  length  than  these  words,  "  So  likewise 
"  whosoever  he  be  of  you  that  doth  not  forsake  all  that  he  hath,  he 
"*'  cannot  be  my  disciple ;"  and  many  more,  as  it  hath  already  ap- 
peared. 

Besides ;  The  ultimate  and  cogent  reason  why  people  disbelieve, 
or  affect  to  disbelieve,  is  thtir  unwillingness  to  make  a  sacrifice  of  all 
for  Christ — their  enmity  against  the  cross  which  the  gospel  requnes,, 
«.nd  instead  of  being  an  evidence  against  the   truth  of  the  gospel  ia 


508  THE  GENERATION 

this  day,  is  really  in  its  favor.     But  they  stumble  at  the  cross  being 
disobedient.  ' 

But  to  set  this  subject  in  a  still  cleaver  point  of  Yiew,  let  us  once 
more  have  recourse  to  the  words  of  Christ.  It  is  stated  above,  that 
whatever  is  compatible  with  the  genuine  gospel  of  Christ  and  neces- 
sary for  those  who  are  called  into  it  shall  be  restored  or  given  to  them. 
Now  the  Spirit  and  words  of  Christ  are  the  best  testimony  of  these 
things,  what  they  are  and  what  not.  He  saith.  "  There  is  no  man 
"  that  hath  left  house,  or  biethren,  Or  sisters,  or  father,  or  mother,  or 
«  wife,  or  children;  Or  lands,  for  my  sake,  and  the  gospel's,  but  he 
"  shall  receive  an  hundred  f(.ld  now  in  this  time,  houses,  and  breth- 
*'  ren,  and  sisters,  and  mothers,  and  children,  and  lands,  with  persecu- 
*'  tions  ;  and  in  the  world  to  come  eternal  life."  ' 

It  is  worthy  of  observation,  that  there  is  no  wife  in  the  promise  of 
Christ,  (Why  cannot  the  people  see  it  ?)  for  this  plain  reason,  no 
doubt,  that  the  works  and  office  commonly  attributed  to  a  wife,  do 
hot  belong  to  the  gospel.  People  may  have  parents  and  children, 
brethren  and  sisters  according  to  the  Spirit,  houses  and  lands  to  sub- 
serve the  work  of  the  Spirit,  and  enjoy  tliem  when  devoted  to  that 
\ise,but  a  wife  pertains  to  the  order  of  the  flesh  aiul  in  that  respect 
is  not  known  in  the  gospel.  Other  scriptures  speak  of  those  who  are 
called  fathers  in  relation  to  the  work  of  Christ,  that  is,  in  the  Spirit. 

This  will  be  no  improper  place  to  introduce  another  scripture 
"vvhich  draws  the  line  of  disUnction,  and  shows  to  what  cla-is  marriage 
belongs.  "  The  children  of  this  world  marry  and  are  given  in  mar- 
"  riage:  but  they  which  shall  be  accounted  worthy  to  obtain  that  world, 
"  and  the  resurrection  from  the  dead,  neither  marry,  nor  are  given  in 
*'  marriage.  Neither  can  they  die  any  more  :  for  they  are  equal  un- 
"  to  the  angels,  and  are  the  children  of  God,  being  the  children  of  the 
"resurrection."  (Luk.  20.34,35,  36.)  Now  the  children  of  this 
M'orld  are  not  the  children  of  God,  or  followers  of  Christ,  as  he  said, 
«  They  are  not  of  the  world^  even  as  I  am  not  of  the  world."  Those 
therefore  who  marry  and  are  given  in  marriage,  are  not  the  children 
of  God,  or  followers  of  Christ.  Again  ;  It  is  not  to  be  denied,  that 
all  the  true  followers  of  Christ  are  and  shall  be  accounted  worthy, 
and  have  been  from  the  period  when  they  became  such,  to  obtain 
that  world  and  the  resurrection  from  the  dead.  But  those  accounted 
worthy  neither  man  y  nor  are  given  in  marriage  ;  therefore  none  of 
the  true  followers  of  Christ  marry,  or  are  given  in  marriage. 

I  am  aware  of  the  flimsy  objection  of  carnal  men,  to  evade  the 
force  of  this  text ;  That  the  question  proposed  to  the  Sadducees,  t-o 
which  this  answer  was  given,  related  to  the  resurrection  of  men  lite- 
rally dead.  And  what  if  it  did  ?  Must  the  ignorance  and  carnality  of 
those  Sadducees  compel  Jesus  to  talk  of  carnal  things  as  well  as 
they,  or  make  his  words  false  ?  It  was  a  business  riOt  unknown  to 
Jesus,  to  lead  people  out  of  their  infeiior  care  ar.d  gross  conceptions, 
into  thmgs  spiritual.  So  did  he  with  Kicodemus,  whom  he  led  im^^ 
Tuediately  to  the  subject  of  being   born  of  theSpiiil;  a  subject  of 


NOT  OF  CHRIST.  309 

which  Nicodemus  had  never  thought  or  heard  before,  and  by  no 
means  adu'cct  reply  to  the  proposition  which  he  had  made. 

In  like  manner  he  dealt  with  Martha,  on  the  occasion  of  the  death 
and  resurrection  of  Lazarus.  -"  Jesus  saith  to  her,  thy  brother  shall 
"  rise  again.  Martha  saith  to  him,  I  know  that  he  shall  rise  again  in 
"  the  resurrection  at  the  last  day.  Jesus  saith  to  her,  I  am  the  re- 
*'  surrection  and  the  life  ;  he  (hat  believeth  on  me,  though  he  were 
"  dead  yet  shall  he  live ;  and  whosoever  liveth  and  believeth  in  me 
"  shall  never  die."  (Jno.  1 1.  24,  25,  26.)  Martha  believed  the  re- 
surrection, the  Sadducees  did  not,  but  her  conceptions  of  its  nature 
accorded  with  theirs.  But  Jesus  availed  himself  of  the  opportunity 
to  lead  her  into  something  of  its  true  nature,  showing  it  to  be  a  spi- 
ritual work,  and  that  he  is  the  resurrection  and  the  lite  ;  so  that  to  be 
in  him  is  to  be  in  the  resurrection  and  in  the  life  so  as  never  to  die. 
Now  notwithstanding  that  Martha,  in  wiiat  she  stated,  had  respect  to 
literal  death  and  literal  resurrection,  the  answer  of  Jesus  related  ul- 
timately to  neither  ;  for  in  that  relation  it  w  ouid  be  false,  because  it  is 
an  uncontested  truth,  that  believers  in  Christ  die  the  common  literal 
death  as  well  as  others ;  and  Jesus  well  knew,  tiiat  even  Lazarus 
himself  after  being  raised  as  an  instance  of  his  power  and  truth,  was 
subject  to  literal  death  as  well  as  others.  But  in  Christ  shall  all  be 
made  alive;  (1  Cor.  15.  22.)  those  who  are  truly  in  Christ  who  is 
the  resurrection  and  the  life,  are  in  the  resurrection,  and  can  die  no 
more. 

These  Sadducees  it  is  true,  proposed  their  question  as  it  related  to 
men  literally  dead ;  but  the  answer  of  Jesus  was  not  confined  to 
these  indiA'iduals,  but  included  the  subjects  of  the  resurrection  in 
general  ;  it  also  excludes  from  marriage,  those  who  are  worthy  of 
the  resurrection.  The  proposition  therefore  remains  true.  That  the 
children  of  God,  or  true  followers  of  Christ,  neither  marry  nor  are 
given  in  marriage  ;  for  it  cannot  be  denied  that  they  are  all  account- 
ed worthy. 

The  parallel  texts  in  the  other  evangelists  farther  evince,  that  the 
resurrection  of  which  Christ  here  speaks,  is  not  corporeal  but  spi- 
ritual. Thvis  Matthew,  "  In  the  resurreciior,  (^observe,  Christ  is  the 
•'  resurrection,)  they  neither  marry,  nor  are  given  in  man  iage,  (pre- 
*'  sent  tense,)  but  are  as  tie  angels  of  God  in  heaven."  [22.  30.1  And 
Mark ;  "  When  they  shall  rise  from  the  dead  they  neither  marry, 
"  nor  are  given  in  marriage ;  (present  tense,)  but  ai-e  as  the  angels 
"  which  are  in  heaven."  [12.  25.J  As  Christ  is  the  resurrection  and 
the  life,  when  any  come  into  Christ  they  rise  from  the  dead.  "  If 
"  then  ye  be  risen  with  Christ,  seek  those  things  which  are  above." 
[Col.  3.  1.] 

Thus  by  comparing  these  parallel  texts,  it  is  evident,  that  to  be  in 
the  resurrection,  to  rise  from  the  dead,  and  to  be  accounted  worthv, 
are  one  an^l  the  same  thing ;  for  the  three  evangelists,  speaking  by 
the  same  Spirit,  use  these  different  phrases  in  describing  precisely 
the  same  state  ;  which  could  not  be  true  of  any  resuneclicn  of  the 
body  literally,  but, is  strictly  applicable  to  that   moral  or  spiritual 


310  THE  GENERATION 

change,  which  is  effected  in  the  soul  by  becoming  one  vrith  ChrisVii 
the  Spirit,  and  so  passing  from  death  to  life.  Add  to  this,  that  Luke's 
account  expressly  limits  the  resurrection  here  intended  to  that  by 
which  its  subjects  become  children  of  God.  "  They  are  the  cbil- 
*'  dren  of  God,  being  the  children  of  the  resurrection."  Here  the 
resurrection  is  stated  as  the  medium  whereby  they  become  children 
of  God,  whicii  is  confessedly  no  other  than  receiving  Christ  and  be^ 
ing  made  aiive  in  him. 

To  prove  that  the  resurrection  here  intended  is  incompatible  with 
remaining  in  the  tabernacle,  and  therefore  that  this,  scripture  teaches 
nothing  contrary  to  christian';  marrying  like  the  rest  of  the  world, 
some  avail  tliemselves  of  this  argument.  That  the  characteristic 
terms  used  in  describing  those  ivho  do  not  marry,  are  such  as  cannot 
be  a/jpUed  to  men  on  th*  earth.  Such  as,  "  A^eithcr  can  they  die  any 
"  more."  But  it  has  been  already  shown  that  this  is  applicable  to  all 
those  who  are  truly  in  Christ.  Another  part  of  their  character  is  ; 
"  But  are  as  the  angels  of  God  in  heaven"  or  "  For  thexj  are  ecjuaL 
"  to  the  angels."  Now  query  ;  Is  this  any  more  than  that  for  which 
Christ  taught  his  xlisciples  to  pray  ?  Thy  kingdom  come  ;  thy  will 
be  done  on  earth  as  it  is  in  heaven."  This  kingdom  can  be  no  other 
than  the  kingdom  or  church  of  Christ  on  the  earth,  for  to  that  the 
prayer  limits  it :  those  therefore  who  are  true  members  of  Christ's 
church  on  earth,  are  as  the  angels  of  God  in  heaven,  for  they  do  the 
will  of  God  on  earth  as  it  is  done  in  heaven.  And  what  do  angels 
more  ?     Besides ; 

The  nature  of  language  is  to  be  limited  in  a  certain  degree  to  the 
subject  under  consideration  when  it  is  used.  The  subject  in  hand  is 
the  resurrection,  as  it  stands  connected  with  marriage.  In  the  first 
place  then  ;  I'liose  who  are  in  Christ,  the  resurrection  and  the  life, 
though  they  have  once  died  in  Adam  are  now  where  they  can  die  no 
more,  and  herein  are  equal  to  the  angels.  Also,  Those  who  are  in 
Christ,  are  counted  worthy  to  obtain  that  nuorld  and  the  resurrection 
from  the  dead,  tlierefore  they  neither  marry  nor  are  given  in  mar- 
riage, and  are  therefore  as  the  angels  of  God  in  heaven,  who  do  not 
marry. 

These  things  show,  that  the  whole  description  of  those  who  neither 
marry  nor  are  given  in  marriage,  is  strictly  applicable  to  men  on  the 
earth  ;  and  though  the  language  be  too  spiritual  and  heavenly  for 
those  who  are  after  the  flesh,  and  therefore  savor  only  the  things  of 
the  flesh,  it  is  no  wise  inconsistent  with  the  faith  and  feelings  of  those 
v/ho  •;ire  in  Christ  Jesus,  who  walk  not  according  to  the  flesh  but  ac- 
cording to  the  Spiiit.  They  can  ask  no  better  condition,  and  they  know- 
that  angels  are  incapable  of  any  thing  superior  to  being  free  from 
the  fetters  of  the  flesh,  the  bondage  of  corruption,  and  doing  the  will 
of  God  according  to  the  order  of  Christ,  "  Cfivhom  the  whole  family 
"  in  heaven  and  in  earth  is  .namrciy  [Eph.  3.  15.^ 

An  appeal  to  the  learned.  The  Greek  word  used  by  Mark,  which 
the  translators  have  rendered,  "  They  shall  rise"  is  the  present  of 
tlie  subjunctive  mood.     Now  can  any  reason  be  assigned  why  the^ 


NOT  OF  CHRIST.  311 

alioiild  translate  it,  by  a  future  tense,  except  to  accommodate  it  to 
their  own  understanding,  being  at  the  same  time,  ignorant  of  the  im- 
port of  the  text  and  the  subject  to  which  it  related  ?  The  phrase  in 
Luke,  which  is  translated,  "  Shall  be  accounted  vjorth,'"  is  a  partici- 
ple of  the  second  indefinite,  importing  past  tense,  though  impetfeet- 
ly.  On  what  principle  could  the  translators  make  such  a  bold  adven- 
ture, as  to  render  that  phrase  by  a  future  verb,  except  the  same  ar- 
bitrary determination  to  translate  to  their  own  views  ?  The  literal 
translation  of  the  phrase  used  by  Mark  is,  "  When  they  rise  ;"  and 
it  properly  expresses  the  situation  of  those  who  hear  the  gospel,  with 
respect  to  the  resurrection;  which,  though  it  had  never  been  per- 
fected in  any  case,  was  then  Avorking,  and  would  be  accomplished  in 
an  increasing  progressive  succession.  Thus  the  sentence  will  read  ; 
"  For  when  they  rise  (that  is,  as  fast  as  any  rise,)  from  the  dead,  they 
"  neither  marry,  nor  are  given  in  marriage."  The  phrase  used  by 
Luke,  though  used  in  a  different  tense,  communicates  the  same  infor- 
mation, by  a  different  form  of  expression.  It  may  be  translated, 
"  Those  accounted  worthy  ;"  or,  in  its  connection,  thus ;  "  But  they 
"  who  are  (or  have  been)  accounted  worthy  to  obtain  that  M'orld  and' 
"  the  resurrection  from  the  dead,  (that  is,  as  fast  as  any  are  accounted 
«  worthy,  or  come  into  the  number  of  God's  children,  they)  neither 
"  marry,  nor  are  given  in  marriage."  Thus  the  whole  matter  is  ap- 
plicable to  those  who  keep  the  gospel  on  the  earth  ;  as  much  as  the 
commission  which  Christ  gave  to  his  disciples,  to  preach  the  gospel 
and  to  baptize  those  who  should  believe  ;  both  of  which,  the  believing 
and  baptizing,  are  expressed  in  the  same  tense,  or  division  of  time, 
as  the  being  accounted  worthy  ;  "  He  that  believeth,  (or  hath  believ- 
ed,) and  is,  (or  hath  been,)  baptized,  shall  be  saved  "  When  the 
people  believed  they  were  baptized  ;  and  when  they  were  baptized, 
they  received  the  promise  of  salvation,  and  began  to  be  saved  from- 
that  hour  ;  for  they  were  baptized  into  Christ  and  into  his  death,  or 
baptized  by  the  Spirit,  as  it  is  again  written  ;  "  After  that  ye  believ- 
"  ed,  (or  having  believed,  the  word  being  a  participle,  expressing 
"  the  same  division  of  time  as  above,)  ye  were  sealed  with  that  Holy 
«  Spirit  of  promise."  [Eph.  2.  IS.]  So  when  the  people  are  (or 
have  been)  accounted  worthy  to  obtain,  they  cease  to  marry  in  the 
present  tense. 

A  farther  proof  that  marriage  is  inconsistent  with  chrisliarity,  is 
the  saying  of  the  apostle,  "  Now  concerning  the  things  whereof  yo 
"  wrote  unto  me;  It  is  good  for  a  man  not  to  touch  a  woman."  [  1  Cor.. 
7.  l.j  This  point  he  hath  treated  at  considerable  length  and  in  a 
manner  which  appears  to  be  little  understood  by  professors  in  gene- 
ral ;  who  in  their  appeals  to  it,  seem  to  forget  the  proposition  which 
is  laid  down  as  the  foundation  point  to  be  discussed  and  maintained, 
that.  It  is  good  for  a  man  not  to  touch  a  7yownn,and  to  brild  all  tl.eir 
arguments  on  the  exceptions  and  permissions  which  are  made  to  an- 
swer cases  of  necessity  and  inability;  and  thus  they  subvert  tie 
whole  of  the  apostle's  meaning.  It  is  expected  of  an  honest  writer, 
that  the  proposition  which  he  undertakes  to  defend  will  meet  the  ap- 


312  THE  GENERATION 

probation  of  his  own  best  judgment  and  so  remain  until  he  is  convinc- 
ed of  the  contrary.  But  the  apostle  was  so  far  from  giving  up  his 
position,  that  he  hath  maintained  it  to  the  last,  and  confirmed  it  with 
an  appeal  to  his  having  the  Spirit  of  God  and  that  he  spoke  as  one 
who  had  obtained  mercy  of  the  Lord  to  be  faithful.  Accordingly,  all 
he  hath  said  in  favor  of  marriage  or  of  living  in  natural  generation  by 
those  who  were  already  married  is  on  the  principle  of  permission  and 
necessity,  contrary  to  the  desire  of  him  who  had  the  Spirit  of  God 
and  had  obtained  mercy  of  the  Lord  to  be  faithful. 

"  It  is  good  for  a  man  not  to  touch   a  woman.     Nevertheless,  to 
avoid    fornication,"    (or,  but  because    of  the   fornications,  5ta  5f  rof 
■siopvua;,  for  the  words  to  avoid,  are  net  in  the  Greek,  but  for  no  other 
cause,  as  to  marry  is  not  after  Christ ;  but  for  the  reason  offered  ;) 
"  let  every  man  have  his  own  wife,  and  let  every  woman  have  her 
"  own  husband."     If  those   entersexual   works  must  be  carried  on 
let  every  one  have  his  own,  and  not  meddle  with  another.     And  in 
the  mean  time  let  the  best  possible  deportment  be  observed  towards 
each  other.     "  Let  the   husband  render   unto  the  wife  due  benevo- 
«  lence  ;  and  likewise  also  the  wife  to  the  husband.     The  wife  hath 
"  not  power  of  her  own  body,  but  the  husband  ;  and  likewise  also  the 
*'  husband  hath  not  power  of  his  own  body,  but  the  wife-  (This  is 
«  according  to  the  law  of  marriage.)     Defraud  [or  deprive]  ye  not 
«  one  the   other,  except  with  consent  for  a  time,  that  ye  may  give 
«  yourselves  to  fasting  and  prayer  ;  (for  if  ye  touch  wife  or  husband 
«  ye  can  neither  fast  nor  pray  in  the  Spirit.    (See  Exod.  19.  1 .5.)  and 
*'  come  together  again  that  satan  tempt  you  not  through  your  incon- 
«  tinancv.     But    this  I  speak   by  perniission,  (because  of  your  cai'- 
"  nality  and  weakness  in  the  faith,  yc  being  unable  to  receive  the  un- 
"  mingled  truth  of  Christ,)  not  of  commandment.     For  1  would  that 
«  all  men  Avere  even  as  I  myself;  but  every  man  hath  his  proper  gift 
"  of  God,  one  after  this  manner   and   another  after  that."      So  that 
some  were  able  to  bear  a  heavier  and  more  perfect  cross  than  others, 
having  received  a  greater  gift  of  God  according  as  they  were  better 
able  to  exercise  and  improve  it.     Thus  he  gave  to*  every  one  accord- 
ing to  his  ability  to  improve.     And  that  this  is  the  true  meaning  of 
the  apostle's  words  is  proved  by  this,  that  the  Spirit  doth  not  contra- 
dict itself;  for  to  suppose  as  some  have  whimsically  done  that   some 
Tnen  had  received  a  gift  of  God  to  marry  and  some  not,  would  con- 
tradict the  same  Spirit  in  the  apostle,  saying,  "  I  would  that  all  men 
«  were  even  as  I  myself;"  who  confessedly  was  unmarried.     "  I  say, 
«  therefore,  to  the  unmarried  and  widows,  I(  is  good  for  them  if  they 
«  abide  even  as  I.     But  if  (through  the  violence  of  their   lusts  and 
«  their  lack  of  power  in  the  Spirit  of  Christ)   they   cannot   contain, 
«  let  them  marry  :  for  it  is  better  to  marry  than  to  burn."     And  thus 
it  is  through  the   whole  discourse,    as  every   man  of  a   discerning 
Blind  can  see;  the  only  countenance  given  to  marriage  is  permission, 
to  avoid  a  greater  evil,  or,  which  is  the  same,  through  inevitable  ne- 
cessity.    But  he  maintains  his  position,  that  It  is  good  for  a  man  vot 
to  touch  a  woman  ;  or  wife,  as  the  word  is  rendered  every  where  els©- 


NOT  OF  CHRIST.  313 

in  that  di<>course  ;  neither  is  there  any  kind  of  reason  for  not  render- 
ing it  tv'fc^  in  tliis  proposition,  as  wife  and  husband  are  the  special 
subjcct-;Tntter  of  the  whole  chapter.  Accordingly  in  his  last  sen- 
tence, after  he  had  considered  the  matter  through  and  on  every  side, 
he  hath  confirmed  his  proposition,  that  the  good  inay  is  not  to  marry. 
"  But  she  (the  widow|  is  happier  if  she  so  abide,  after  my  juclgment : 
"  and  I  think  also  that  I  have  the  Spirit  of  God."  If  therefore  Paul 
was  not  mistaken — -if  he  was  under  the  guidance  of  the  Spirit  of 
God — if  he  understood  the  genuine  Spirit  of  Christianity — if  his 
writings  have  any  validity  on  this  subject,  it  is  not  good,  it  is  not  ac~ 
cording  to  genuine  Christianity  for  a  man  to  touch  a  woman,  or  a 
woman  a  man,  in  the  line  of  marriage  of  its  works.  But  the  apos'le 
did  not  enjoin  it  on  them  ahsolutely  to  abstain,  but  urged  it  as  far  as 
they  were  able  to  bear,  and  left  them  to  make  their  own  choice  fer 
the  time  being,  after  having  shown  them  what  is  the  best  way. 

Neither  were  they  who  married  absolutely  disowned  nor  excluded 
from  the  number  of  believers,  in  that  day,  although  t'.^cy  were  not 
able  to  come  into  that  close  spiritual  and  pure  unio.i  witii  the  unmar- 
ried, and  suffered  many  disadvantages-  for  the  ti.nc  being,  and  also 
must  finally  come  to  that  point,  bearing  a  full  and  perfect  cross  bc' 
fore  they  could  find  full  redemption.  Hence  he  urges  them  with 
great  earnestness,  and  yet  with  that  tenderness  and  foibearance  which 
their  situation  required.  They  were  just  ca;l:d  and  i'kely  most  of 
them  out  of  heathenism.  They  were  yet  carnal  and  walked  as  men  ; 
[l  Cor.  3.  3.]  and  it  became  necessary  to  deal  with  them  as  they 
were  able  to  bear,  to  feed  them  with  milk  and  not  v/ith  strong  meat. 
"  Now;  conceiving  virgins,  I  have  no  commandment  of  the  Lord, 
"  yet  I  give  my  judgment,  as  one  that  hath  obtained  mercy  of  the 
"  Lord  to  be  faithful,  I  suppose,  therefore,  that  this  is  good  for  the 
"  present  distress,  [or,  cvayxriv^  necessity,]  I  say,  that  it  is  good  for  a 
«  man  so  to  be.  Art  thou  (already)  bound  to  a  wife  ?  seek  not  to  be 
"  loosed,  (for  the  present.  But)  Art  thou  loosed  from  a  wife  seek  not 
"  a  wife,  ;^but  being  free  remain  even  as  I,  and  thou  wilt  find  thy  ad- 
"  vantage  in  so  doing.)  But  and  if  thou  marry,  thou  hast  not  sinned  ; 
"  and  if  a  virgin  marry  she  hath  not  sinned :"  for  sin  is  the  trans- 
"  gression  of  the  law,  and  there  is  no  commandment  to  not  marry; 
abstinence  is  only  a  matter  of  faith  in  Christ.  This  is  qviite  an  ac- 
commodating expression,  to  ameliorate  the  edge  of  truth,  in  tender- 
ness to  those  who  were  not  able  to  digest  sound  doctrine  in  its  naked 
simplicity.  It  was  also  well  calculated  to  prevent  conteriticns  and 
evil  surmisings  against  each  other,  to  which  the  Corinthians  were 
Tery  subject.  In  this  view  we  may  consider  manv  of  his  exnrcs- 
sions,  and  amongst  others,  that  in  the  epistle  to  the  Hebrews  ;  "  Mar- 
"  riageis  honorable  in  all,  and  the  bed  undefiled."  [12.  4.j  A  say- 
ing which  cannot  apply  to  any  except  those  who  f-xithfilly  abstain 
from  the  flesh.  A  short  saying  dropped,  in  an  unconnected  dress> 
to  relieve  from  difficulty :  Lest  they  who  were  unmarried  should 
surmise  evil  against  those  who  were  married,  as  though  they  cor- 
i'Lipted  the  faith  of  the  gospel.     He  could  say  thus  far  ;  It  is  honor* 

R  2 


Sl-t  tHE  GENERATION 

able  in  all ;  cast  no  disgrace  upon  them.  But  he  adc's  ;  "  Nevcr- 
"  theless,  such  shall  have  trouble  in[or  0?.(4-iv  -rj;  trapxt  tribulation  bylthe 
"flesh  ;  (being  plagued  by  its  lusis;  because  by  the  law  cf  niariia<^'-e 
"  they  have  not  power  over  their  own  bodies  being  boui.d  to  others 
'■  by  the  flesh  :}  but  1  spare  you.  (Having  said  as  iar  as  ye  can  well 
"  bear.)  "  But  ( I  must  do  my  duty,  threibre,)  this  I  say,  brethren, 
"  the  time  is  short :  it  remaineth,  tliat  both  they  that  Lave  wives  be 
"  as  though  they  had  noiie  ;  and  they  that  weep  as  though  they  wept 
"  not ;  and  tl-.ey  that  rejoice,  as  though  they  rejoiced  i.ot ;  and  they- 
"  that  buy,  as  though  they  possessed  not;  and  they  th.at  use  this 
"  world,  as  not  abusing  it :  for  the  fashion  of  this  world  passeth 
"away."  AH  these  customs  of  the  woi  id  therefore  must  cease  ia 
the  church. 

In  vain  do  men  plead  that  these  thirgs  relate  to  the  state  of  chris- 
tians after  the  dissolution  of  the  body,  or  uatiiiai  death,  because  in 
that  state  there  is  no  kind  of  evidence  that  they  will  cither  buy  or 
use  this  world,  or  that  they  will  liave  wives  to  be  as  though  they  ha<J 
none.  Besides,  the  reason  of  this  state  of  things  is  not  because  we 
go  out  of  the  world  but  because  its  fashion  or  form  passeth  away. 
In  vain  do  they  alledge  that  the  distress,  which  made  it  most  proper 
to  omit  marriage  v.as  the  persecution  which  lay  on  the  churcl),  mak- 
ing the  times  difficult ;  for  had  that  been  the  distress  the  time  might 
have  come  when  they  migltt  marry  with  more  convei  icnce.  But 
instead  of  that  the  only  prospect  he  lays  before  them  i.s,  that  the 
time  was  fast  approaching  when  all  such  things  would  enti-  eiy  cease. 
The  distress  therefore,  or  necessity,  was  on  the  other  side.  They 
were  so  lost  in  the  flesh,  and  had  so  little  power  over  it,  that  he  found 
a  necessity  to  leave  those  who  had  wives  to  live  in  that  order  fcr  the 
time  being.  "  Ait  thou  bound  to  a  wife  ?  seek  not  to  be  Iccsed  ;'* 
and  only  to  entreat  of  those  who  were  not  raanied  to  remain  in  tl  at 
state.  "  Art  thou  loosed  from  a  wife  .''  seek  not  a  v.'ife."  And  that 
only  by  request  as  they  could  bear  no  more.  But  his  care  for  them, 
seeing  tne  danger  to  which  they  v.^ere  exposed,  holds  him  to  expos- 
tulate with  them  yet  more,  and  show  them  still  fartl  er  the  advantages 
of  the  single  life.  "  But  I  would  have  you  without  carefviness. 
"  [Or  free  from  perplexing  cares,  afj.^ny.vov^,  which  is  a  state  in- 
"  compatible  with  the  married  life,  for]  He  tl.at  is  unmarried  careth 
"  for  the  things  that  belong  to  the  Lord,  how  he  may  please  the  Lord. 
«  But  he  that  is  married  careth  for  tlie  things  of  the  \Acild,  low  he 
"  may  please  his  wife.  There  is  chfl'erence  also  between  a  wife  ard 
"  a  virgin.  The  unmarried  woman  careth  for  the  things  of  the  Loid 
"  that  she  may  be  holy  both  in  body  and  in  spiiit,  (a  pii\ilege  inccni- 
"  patiblc  with  the  married  life,  else  why  nc-:  the  married  woman  hav» 
"  it  also  ?"!  but  she  that  is  married  careth  for  the  things  of  the  world, 
"  bow  she  may  please  her  husband.  And  this  I  say  fcr  your  own 
"  profit,  (or  convenience,  frcni  the  convicticn  of  its  tiuth  and  prcpri- 
"  cty,  with  great  tenderness,)  not  that  I  may  cast  a  snare  uj.cn  you, 
"  (or  bring  you  under  any  unnecessary  trial  or  sufferings,)  but  fcr  that 
"  whicli  is  cymely  (and  suitable  to  the  life  of  a  christian)  and  happily 


NOT  OF  CHRIST.  515 

■<*  corresponding  'with  the  Lord  itvrtpciSpov  tu>  rx'pKd"]  without  (cifer- 
«  ing  any  thing  by)  violence  ;"  as  1  ^vould  much  rather  gain  you  to  the 
best  way,  by  inviting  -motives  than  by  violent  means.  Observe  ;  the. 
words,  That  ije  maij  attend  ufio?i  the  Lord^  are  a  forced  translation 
%vithout  any  regular  foundation  in  the  Greek.  "  But  (he  still  gives 
"  permission  in  case  of  real  necessity,}  if  any  man  think  tlsat  he  be- 
"  haveth  himself  uncomely  toward  his  virgin,  if  she  pass  the  flower 
"  of  her  age,  and  need  so  require,  let  him  do  what  he  will  (marry  or 
•*  not,)  he  sinneth  not;  let  them  marry,"  (if  they  concludq».that  is 
best.)  "  Nevertheless  he  that  standeth  stedfast  in  his  heart,  having  no 
*'  necessity  (t!ie  word  translated  distress  above)  but  hath  power  over  his 
"  own  will,  and  hath  so  decreed  in  his  lieart  that  he  v/ill  keep  his  vir- 
"  gin,  (and  let  her  remain  in  virginity)  doeth  well.  Sothen,  hethatgiveth 
"  in  marriage  (when  imperious  necessity  requireth  it)  doeth  well ;  but 
*'  he  that  giveth  not  in  marriage  (where  the  necessity  is  not  imperious) 
*'  doeth  better."  So  that,  after  considering  the  subject  through  and  on 
every  hand,  he  hath  maintained  his  position,  that  "  It  is  good  for  a 
*'  man  not  to  touch  a  woman."  Add  to  these  things,  that  marriage 
is  entirely  a  matter  of  law  and  not  of  Christianity,  those  therefore  who 
marry,  being  ]  fofesscd  christians,  are  under  the  law  aiid  serve  ano- 
ther than  Christ.  "  The  Avife  is  bound  by  the  law  (not  by  the  gospel) 
♦'  as  long  as  her  husband  liveth  ;  but  if  her  husband  he  dead,  (or  h.ath 
"  fallen  on,  sleep,  xotu>;5/;,)  she  is  at  liberty,  (according  to  the  same 
*'  law,)  to  be  married  to  v/hom  she  will ;  only  in  ths  Lord."  Let 
her  at  least  observe  this  caution  ;  and  submit  thus  far  to  the  gospel. 
For  if  those  who  made  any  profession  of  Christianity  would  marry  at 
all,  it  was  best  not  to  marry  with  infidels,  lest  they  should  be  entirely 
lost,  but  to  keep  as  near  the  mark  as  possible  until  the  day  of  greater 
power  should  come.  But  still  it  was  better  not  to  marry  at  all ; 
:therefore  he  adds ;  "  But  she  is  happier  if  she  so  al)ide,  after  my 
<'  judgment :  and  I  think  also  that  I  have  the  Spirit  of  God." 

But  cf*.  before  stated,  those  who  married  were  not  v/holly  rejected, 
but  left  to  keep  their  own  order  in  the  outer  court.  What  was  cer- 
tainly required  of  every  one,  was  to  keep  faithfully  that  which  he 
professed.  For  although  there  was  no  finished  salvation  or  perfect 
justification  to  be  obtained  in  living  according  to  the  course  of  this 
world,  or  in  a  married  life,  yet  some  were  acknowledged  as  believers 
in  the  outer  court,  who  lived  in  that  manner,  while  others  bore  c.  full 
cross  against  the  flesh,  and  composed  the  inner  court,  or  tem])le. 
And  not  unlikely  some  even  at  Corinth  ;  for  it  is  quite  a  reasonable 
conclusion  that  some  would  be  found  so  far  devoted  to  Chiist  a:  d  his 
beloved  apostle  as  to  feel  the  propriety  of  yielding  to  his  great  anxi- 
ety for  their  spiritual  advantages,  and  of  living  as  he  lived  ;  when  he 
-said,  I  would  that  all  men  were  even  as  I  myself — Art  thou  loosed 
from  a  wife  ;  seek  not  a  wife — and,  I  would  have  you  without  care- 
fulness. And  a  still  clearer  proof  of  these  two  orders  of  belieVers, 
as  well  as  that  marriage, in  no  respect  belongs  to  the  faith  of  Chiist 
or  the  life  of  a  christian,  is  found  in  the  apostle's  words  to  Timothy. 
^f  1  Epist.  5,  9,  &c.]  "  Let  not  a  widow  be  taken  into  the  number 
**■  under  three  score  years  old,  having  been  the  wife  of  one  manj  (not 


SI6  tHE  GENERATION 

"  twice  married)  well  reported  of  for  good  works :  if  she  harp 
"  brought  up  children,  if  she  have  lodged  strangers,  if  she  have 
"  washed  the  saint's  feet,  if  she  have  relieved  the  afflicted,  if  she  have 
"  diligently  followed  every  good  work."  Novs'  this  could  not  be 
merely  the  number  of  widows  to  be  maintained  by  the  church  ;  for 
it  Vv'ould  be  too  poor  a  reason  for  not  taking  in  one  who  was  in  need, 
that  she  was  not  sixty  years  old,  or  that  in  the  days  of  her  ignorance 
of  Christ  she  had  been  a  wife  to  two  husbands.  But  the  following 
words  show  plainly  who  were  the  number  ;  They  whose  faith  >vas  rot 
to  marry  but  to  live  in  continence  and  virgin  purity  after  the  exam- 
ple of  Christ  and  his  apostles.  Which  faith  any  one  wlio  professed 
it,  would  necessarily  violate  and  give  an  occasion  to  the  adversary  to 
reproach  the  profession,  by  marrying,  or  showing  any  such  inclina- 
tion. "  But  the  younger  widows  reiuse:  for  when  they  have  begun 
*'  to  wax  wanton  against  Christ  they  are  M'illir^  to  marry ;  [yafieir 
"  OtXovgi.v'^  having  damnation  because  they  have  cast  off  their  first 
*' faith."  Those  passions  therefore  which  incline  people  to  marry, 
especially  in  those  who  profess  to  follow  Christ  bearing  a  full  cross, 
are  ivaiHonnese  against  Christ.  Else  why  not  be  willing  to  marry 
without  waxing  wanton  against  Christ  ?  And  why  not  marry  without 
casting  off  their  first  faith,  if  that  first  faith  had  not  been  contrary  to 
■jnarrying  ?  And  why  have  damnaticn  because  they  cast  off  their 
first  faith,  if  that  first  faith  had  been  unnecessary  or  improper  ?  For 
who  can  be  condemned  by  the  truth  for  doing  what  is  right?  Not 
one.  No  solid  arguments  can  be  offered  against  this  reasoning,  or  in 
support  of  marriage  as  being  consistent  with  pure  Christianity.  Ai^.d 
when  they  became  willing  to  marry,  having  cast  off  their  first  faith, 
they  were  exposed  to  run  into  greater  evils  than  those  who  never 
pretended  to  any  such  faith  ;  "  And  whhal  they  learn  to  be  idle,  wan- 
"  dering  about  from  house  to  house,  and  not  only  idle,  but  tattler^ 
"  also,  and  busybodies,  speaking  things  which  they  ought  nc  >  I  will, 
"  therefore,  (to  avoid  thp  extravagant  and  greater  evils,)  that  the 
*'  younger  widows  marry,  ("there  is  no  authority  in  the  Greek  text  for 
*'  the  term  ivcmcn,  it  not  being  in'thc  text,  which  is  exclusively  of  w?'- 
*'  clomsjj  bear  children,  guide  the  house,  (or  family,  in  a  manner  »uit- 
*'  able  to  that  order  which  they  are  able  to  keep,)  give  nc:)e  occasion 
"  to  the  adveisary  to  speak  reproachfully,"  (by  acting  contrary  to 
what  they  have  professed,  or  marrying  after  coming  into  the  number 
of  those  who  profess  a  contrary  faith.)  "  For  scrrje  have  already  tern- 
"  ed  aside  afxr  satan,"  havhig  consented  to  nxarry  after  professing' 
to  be  of  that  number,  Which  is  the  tvue  church,  bearing  a  full  cross, 
therefore  receive  no  more  of  them  except  the  aged  and  pious  charac- 
ters above  described.  And  as  for  the  younger,  "  If  ai'sy  man  or  wo~ 
"  man  that  l:elieveth  have  widows,  let  them  relieve  them,  and  let  not 
"  tl'c  church  be  chargecl ;  that  it  may  relieve  them  th.at  are  widows 
«  indeed."  "  Now,  she  that  is  a  widow  indeed,  and  desolate,  trustcth 
"  in  God,  and  ccntinu.eth  in  supplications  and  prayers  night  and  day, 
"  But  she,  that  liveth  in  pleasure,  is  dead  while  slic  liveth."  Now  it 
could  be  no  ground  of  reproach  to  a  church  who  have  no  faith  tha; 


NOT  OF  CHRIST.  317 

jmarriage  is  contrary  to  genuine  Christianity  for  one  of  their  young 
widows  to  marry,  because  in  so  doing  she  would  violate  no  profession 
of  faith,  and  might  thereby  relieve  the  church  of  expenses,  if  she  hud 
to  be  maintained. 

The  reason  therefore  that  the  apostle  gave  counsel  for  the  young 
widows  to  marry  is  clearly  to  avoid  more  distressing  evils — It  is  also 
evident,  all  who  wei-e  in  that  day  called  believers  did  not  keep  tns 
faith  iu  a  full  cross,  as  did  the  apostles  and  some  others  who  were  iiu.;  e 
properly  the  churgh — and  finally  that  marrying  or  living  in  the  woii^s 
thereof  is  inconsistent  with  the  life  of  the  true  followers  of  Chiist. 


CHAPTER  IX. 

Marriage  a  civil  right   and  carnal  relation  of  the  world,  therefore 
doth  not  belong  to  the  church  cj"  Christ, 

THAT  the  children  of  this  world,  distinctly  from  the  followers 
of  Christ,  should  mari-y,  is  quite  natural.  And  this  shows  what  mar- 
riage is,  and  to  what  cb.ss  it  belongs  ;  that  it  is  a  civil  right  and  civil 
institution,  propei-ly  belonging  to  the  citizens  of  the  woi'ld,  and  there- 
fore the  privilege  of  every  man  who  chooses  to  use  it. 

That  it  properly  belongs  to  the  civil  department  is  not  only  proved 
by  the  doctrine  of  Christ,  but  acknowledged  and  confirmed  by  the 
usage  of  civil  governments,  who  constantly  assume  tlie  sole  pov/er 
of  regulating  marriage  among  all  classes  of  people,  determining  vrho 
may  perform  the  cei'emony  and  who  may  not,  who  may  be  married 
;ind  who  may  not,  and  annexing  penalties  on  those  who  transgresslthe 
prescribed  limitations.  And  this  is  the  case,  not  only  in  those  go- 
vernments who  usurp  an  authority  over  the  ocnscience,  but  in  those 
wiser  and  more  happy  governments,  who  declare,  as  being  part  of 
jtheir  constitution,  or  bill  of  rights,  That  no  civil  power  hath,  or  can 
have,  any  right  to  control  or  at  all  to  interfere  with  the  rights  of  con- 
science. 

Thus  the  civil  department  supports  this  position,  That  marriagq  is 
?i  civil  right  and  civil  institution,  and  maintains  its  prerogative  in  it. 
And  professors  of  Christianity  also  ackno\\  ledge  tl-is  prerogative,  '.pe- 
ingall  careful  to  regulate  their  marriages  according  to  the  liniitati'.i)ns 
prescribed  by  law.  j 

The  act  also  of  marrying,  which  is  only  a  ceremonious  rite,  is  pifo- 
perly  of  a  civil  nature;  for,  notwithstanding  the  civil  department, Wt 
least  in  free  governments,  leaves  every  class  of  people,  or  every  in- 
dividual, to  his  own  choice,  in  what  manner  to  perform  it,  it  is  nevcr- 
thele.ss  the  confirming  and  guarantying  of  a  civil  right,  between  tne 
parties,  and  he  or  they  who  officiate  therein,  do  it  by  the  sanction  of  thp 
civil  dei^artment,  and  are  thereby  properly  civil  officers.  Certain  (|f 
the  ministerial  order  have  had  light  to  see  into  this  so  far,  as  to  havb 
seiious  reflections  about  giving  up  the  business  of  marrying  peoplcL 
(thus  far  at  least  in  oru-^  of  ii)y  acquaintance,)  but  the  next  naturcli 


SI  a  MARRIAGE 

conscqtience  i?,  that  provided  it  is  improper  for  a  preacher  of  the 
gospei  to  marry  others,  it  is  also  improper  for  him  to  be  married  : 
but  this  is  too  crossing  to  the  flesh,  to  be  sanctioned  by  the  example  of 
tiiOse  who  prefer  the  flesh  to  the  Spirit. 

Marriage  being  the  privilege  of  all  people  who  choose  to  use  it, 
no  oiie  man,  or  association  of  men,  have  any  right  to  forbid  or  require 
any  one  to  marry  :  in  this  respect  every  man's  faith  is  his  law  ;  if  he 
marry,  he  shall  depiive  no  other  man  or  people  of  their  equal  civil 
lights,  and  if  not,  it  remains  the  same.  If  therefore  any  man  choose 
to  marry,  and  so  he  of  the  children  of  this  world,  none  have  any  light 
to  forbid  him  :  his  faith  is  his  lav/.  And  on  the  other  hand,  if  any  one 
choose  to  omit  mariying,  that  he  may  follow  Christ  in  the  regenera- 
tion, (every  one  knows  this  is  not  contrary  to  the  example  of  Christ,) 
and  be  counted  worthy  to  obtain  that  •^vorld  and  the  resurrection  from 
the  dead,  none  have  any  right  to  interfere  or  control  him,  or  on  that 
account  to  interi'upt  him  in  the  use  of  any  other  civil  right  or  privi- 
lege :  his  faith  is  his  law.  It  is  an  evident  truth,  that  no  one,  by 
ci>iitting  the  use  or  enjoyment  of  any  civil  right,  gives  any  just  occa- 
sion to  be  deprived  of  another.  For  instance ;  The  poa-aessing  of 
landed  property  is  a  civil  right ;  but  should  any  man  or  people  be- 
lieve it  contrary  to  the  Spirit  of  Christianity  to  hold  personal  or  pri- 
vate landed  property,  and  so  refuse  to  do  it,  for  conscience'  sake, 
>i'oulditbe  presumed  that,  on  that  account,  he  could  justly  be  de- 
prived of  the  liberty  of  worshiping  God  according  to  his  own  faith, 
■which  is  a  civil  and  natural  right,  or  of  buying  ar.d  selling  common 
property,  which  is  a  civil  and  natural  light,  or  even  of  marrying, 
Vi'bich  is  also  a  civil  and  natural  right?     1  trow  not. 

^Butthe  unquestionable  privilege  of  all  men,  according  to  the  very 
nature  of  their  civil  rights,  to  marry  and  be  of  the  childien  of  this 
wo  ,'ld,  can  never  introduce  a  civil  right  or  civil  institution,  into  the 
church  of  Christ,  or  incorporate  it  with  his  law  and  order.  Neither 
can  that  or  any  other  reason  make  it  criminal  or  unchristian,  in  the 
charch  arid  ministers  of  Christ,  who  preach  by  commission  from  him, 
to  riiaintain  that  marrying  or  living  in  that  order  according  to  the 
ccr.rse  of  this  world,  is  contrary  to  the  faith  and  order  of  Christ,  or 
1o  require,  by  the  faith  of  Christ,  not  by  civil  authority,  that  all  those 
V  ho  unite  with  them  and  profess  to  be  of  the  body  of  Christ,  consci- 
entiously and  scrupulously  abstain  from  every  thing  of  that  nature. 
It  is  just  for  a  man  to  profess  to  be  what  he  is.  Each  man  is  left  to 
his  own  choice,  whether  he  will  follow  Christ  or  the  world,  and  at 
li'jcrty  to  act  his  own  faith  ;  but  no  man's  faith  or  choice,  can  alter 
t'lc  faith  and  order  of  Christ ;  it  may  and  must  finally  determine  the 
nan's  own  condition,  but  the  faith  of  Chiist  must  remain  inviolable  ; 
■\/hich  whosoever  posscsscth,  is  counted  worthy  to  obtain  that  world 
:.rd  the  resurrection  from  the  dead,  and  those  accounted  worthy  nei- 
t.hjer  marry  nor  arc  given  in  marriage. 

No  matter  what  any  man  prcfesseth,  as  belonging  to  the  faith  of 
Christ  or  worship  of  God,  which  doth  not  interfere  with  the  rights  of 
•jthers,  so  as  to  be  any  just  cause  of  grievance,  no  civil  or  arbitrary 


.     A  CIVIL  RIGHT.  Sl?^ 

power  hath  any  right  to  molest  liim ;  but  to  require  the  people  or 
ministers  of  Christ,  prcachintj  under  commissi(jn  from  hirn,  to  ac- 
knowledge as  belonging  to  the  faith  or  work  of  Christ,  any  thing  or 
every  thing  which  any  man  should  propose,  as  agreeable  to  Lini,  cr 
to  cede  any  part  of  the  fii  Ti  or  doctrine  of  Christ,  or  which  tl.ey 
preach  as  by  commission  from  him,  to  acccmmodaie  the  gospel  tes- 
timony to  the  feelings  or  choice  of  others,  is  in  effect  to  give  eveiy 
man  the  pre-eminenceovt-r  Chiist,  and  subjugate  the  gospel  testimo- 
ny to  the  will  c'f  man.  Whatever  therefore  belongs  to  the  gospel  of 
Christ,  his  church,  not  only  have  a  right,  but  are  under  the  most  sc - 
lemn  obligation  to  God  to  maintain  ;  and  if  any  man  or  people  hoid 
errors,  and  call  them  truth,  arguments  according  to  scripture  and 
sound  reason,  or  t!ie  gift  and  power  of  God  in  the  Spirit  of  the  gos- 
pel of  Christ,  are  the  only  justifiable  weapons  with  which  to  oppose 
said  errorists  ;  and  these  the  faithful  liave  a  right  to  ply  with  freedom. 

No  man  can  serve  two  masters — Tiie  flesh  lusteth  against  the  Spi- 
rit, and  the  Spirit  against  the  flesh;  and  these  are  contrary  the  one 
to  the  other.  "  He  that  soweth  to  the  flesli,  shall  of  the  flesh  reap 
♦'  corruption ;  and  he  that  soweth  to  the  Spirit,  shall  of  the  Spirit 
"  reap  life  everlasting."  Thus  every  man  hath  to  make  choice  for 
himself,  and  be  rewarded  accordingly. 

If  marriage  be  not  a  civil  right  and  free  to  all  citizens,  or  if  it  be 
a  christian  institution,  none  but  christians  have  any  right  to  it.  But 
on  the  contrary,  if  it  be  a  civil  right  and  civil  institution,  which  few  if 
any  will  deny,  it  is  no  part  of  the  chiislian  iaith  or  economy,  unless 
introduced  by  the  author  of  Christianity,  'which  it  hath  not  been,  but 
expressly  excluded,  as  hath  been  shown.  It  may  then  be  inquired 
with  the  utmost  propriety ;  AVhat  authority  or  pretence  have  any 
who  profess  Christianity,  to  introduce  into  the  church,  a  civil  institu- 
tion, or  ceremony,  which  Christ  hath  not  required  at  their  hand  ? 
Who  have  a  right  to  require  any  class  of  professed  christians,  to  use 
atiy  civil  right,  which  they  consider  improper  for  them  and  inconsist- 
ent wifh  their  calling  ?  What  power  hath  any  right  to  assume  the 
prerogative  over  the  consciences  of  any  class  of  professed  christians, 
to  subject  them  to  inconveniences  or  deprive  them  of  their  civil 
rights,  because  they  choose  to  omit  one  or  more,  as  being  inconsisi- 
ent  with  their  calling,  while  at  the  same  time,tliey  leave  ail  people  to 
an  equal  freedom  of  choice,  and  neither  usurp  nor  claim  any  autho- 
rity or  influence  over  any  individuals  contiary  to  their  own  faith  ar.d 
choice  ?  If  therefore  any  people,  tor  the  sake  of  following  Christ 
more  perfectly,  choose  not  to  marry,  or  if  married,  choose  rot  to 
live  after  the  flesh,  because  they  believe  such  a  life  to  be  inconsistent 
with  the  faith  and  order  of  Christ,  "n  the  mean  time  considering  and 
maintaining  it  a  matter  of  free  choice  and  faith  with  all  otheis,  ac- 
cording to  their  natural  and  civil  rights,  whether  to  be  one  with  thera 
or  not.  On  what  foundation  of  justice,  or  according  to  the  free  and 
happy  principles  of  American  government,  can  they  be  aocui^ed  or 
subjected  to  oppressions  or  g;rievances  by  giving  their  opposers  legal 


320  MARRIAGE 

advantaf^e  ag'ainst  them  ?  as  Imth  been  attempted  by  sotdc,  who  savor 
the  spii  it,  not  of  Christ,  but  of  ^nd-christ,  in  i.is  European  tyianny. 

An  additional  and  very  striking-  proof  that  niui/iar^s  doth  not  be- 
long to  tiic  church  of  Christ  but  is  entirely  of  the  v^rld  is  contair.ed 
in  the  itJeasures  taken  by  the  apostates  in  the  latter  tines  to  establish 
their  reputation,  and  perhaps  their  hope  as  christians.  "  New  tne- 
"  Spirit  speaketh  expressly  that  in  the  latter  times  ctutala  shall  apos- 
^'  tatize  from  the  faith,  yielding  izspoaizovtsc;']  toseducirig  spiiits  [or 
"  c^'£^)l'.c^5^  rtXaj/otc,  erroneous  spirits,!  and  doctrines  of  demons,  who 
"  speak  lies  in  hypoci-isy  [or  through  the  hypocrisy  of  liars,]  who 
"  have  tl^eir  own  consciences  seared  as  v^^ith  a  hot  iron,  who  forbid  to 
"  marry,  (and  require  or  command)  to  obstain  from  meats  which  God 
"  i'^ath  created  to  be  received  with  thanksgiving  of  those  who  believe 
"  and  know  the  truth  "  (1  Tim.  4.  I,  &c.)  A  material  point  in  affect- 
ing a  well  concerted  plan  of  forgery  is  to  retain  all  the  most  noted 
and  conspicuous  char.acters  of  the  true.  When  therefore  the  anti- 
christian  church  prevailed,  having  lost  the  true  Spirit  of  Christ,  and 
having  for  t'r.at  reason  no  longer  any  power  over  the  spirit  of  the 
v.orid,  and  their  members  being  all  can  ied  away  with  the  lust  of  con- 
cupiscence, so  as  to  lose  every  appearance  of  the  followers  of  Christ, 
and  the  reputed  church  or  rather  chief  bishop  now  reigning  with  ab- 
solute power,  nothing  appeared  more  eligible  or  better  calculated  to 
maintain  some  resenibiancc  of  the  christian  church,  than  to  forbid 
to  marry,  and  to  require  to  abstain  from  meats,  or  to  keep  fasts, 
which  was  also  a  practice  of  the  anchicnt  church,  that  tney  might 
restrain  by  the  force  or  energy  of  law,  these  passiors  which  they  had 
no  longer  any  pov/er  of  the  Spirit  to  crucify.  But  as  the  apostles 
bore  with  many  in  a  certain  degree  and  acknowledged  them  as  be- 
lievers, though  in  a  more  distaiit  relation  as  the  cute i  ccurt,  and  they 
only  abstained  from  marriage  and  the  works  of  the  flesh  entirely, 
who  lived  in  the  first  order  as  did  the  ape  sties  ai;d  ethers  who  were; 
the  true  church  in  that  day,  so  the  law  prohibiting  marriage  extend- 
ed only  to  the  foremost  class  of  professors,  to  the  whole  of  the 
priesthood,  to  v/hichthey  are  bound  by  law,  who  undertake  to  liveia 
that  order,  and  also  by  oath,  with  all  the  rest  of  the  monastic  order. 
Thus  arbitrary  measures  became  substitutes  for  the  faith  and  Spirit 
of  Christ  since  these  have  been  lost,  to  preserve  as  much  as  possible, 
the  resemblance  of  the  christian  church.  These  things  having  taken 
place  early  in  tj.e  apostacy  while  the  order  of  the  church  of  Chiist 
was  yet  known,  are  a  striking  proof  that  marriage  hath  no  part  in 
that  ch\uxh,  but  is  of  the  world.  The  following  Extract  from  au 
Epistolary  Discussion  on  religion,  between  a  Protestant  and  a  Catho- 
lic, which  fell  into  my  hands  a  few  days  after  I  had  written  the  above 
statement,  elucidates  and  confirms  it  by  the  Catholic's  own  words. 
In  his  reply  to  the  Protestant,  who  compk.'.~.ed  that  the  law  of  the 
monastic  orders  was  arbitrary  and  cruel,  he  saith;  "  The  promoters 
"  of  the  disciplinary  law  that  prescribes  it,  had  undoubtedly  acom- 
"  mendable  intention :  they  wished  them  to  be  angels — like,  who 
«  angelical  functions  exercise ;  but  considering  its  inconveniences. 


A  CIVIL  RIGHT.  S2i 

«  Uisy  had  better  perhaps  been  ruled  by  St.  Paul's  doclrirre,  satisfied 
"  with  givin,£jitas  a  counsel,  not  as  a  command." 

A  proper  understanding;  of  this  siil)ject,  at  one  stroke  csonerate^i 
tl\e  people  vyho  refuse  to  marry  for  the  sake  of  Christ  and  his  croas, 
from  the  charge  oi  forbidding  to  marry,  inasmuch  as  wiiat  they 
teach  and  practise  amounts  to  thii,  That  every  thing  ouglit  to  be 
kept  in  its  proper  place  and  treated  accoiding  to  its  own  order,  so  as 
to  stand  or  fall  therewith.  Or  will  any  suppose  thai  lhi3  is  to  depart 
from  the  faith  of  Christ,  To  do  as  he  did,  for  the  purpose  of  obedi- 
ence to  him  ?  Or  is  a  man  guilty  of  speaking  lies  in  hypocrisy  for 
living  up  to  what  he  believes  and  testifies  is  light  f  and  not  rather  ho 
who  testiries  one  thing  and  practises  another  ?  as  ail  those  do  who 
profess  to  be  of  the  family  of  Christ,  and  to  follow  him  in  the  Spirit, 
while  they  live  after  the  flesh,  according  to  the  fir^  Adam,  marrying 
and  giving  in  marriage,  as  it  is  written  of  that  order,  Triey  tivain  shell 
be  OTIS  Jlcsh.  Or  do  a  people  forbid  to  marry,  or  intrude  on  ti.e 
rights  of  others,  by  testifying  that  marriage  doth  not  belong  to  the 
followers  of  Christ,  and  living  according  to  that  testimony,  declaring 
ail  the  time,  that  ic  is  a  matter  of  pure  faith,  without  force  or  com- 
mandment, in  every  one  who  chooses  to  walk  in  that  order?  If  this 
b;;  the  case, by  parity  of  reason,  whatever  any  people  profess,  be  it 
false  or  true,  and  maintain  it  to  be  necessary  to  chri>itianity,  iivin;'- 
accordingly,  they  by  so  doing,  forbid  all  others  to  practise  ccntrarv 
to  that  profession,  and  thus  the  faith  of  Christ  is  turned  into  a  law  of 
commandments,  contrary  to  the  whole  nature  and  plan  of  gospel  in- 
vitation— Whosoever  will,  Let  him.  For  let  trnth  be  -what  it  may, 
those  who  are  christians  indeed  must  have  it,  not  only  in  profession 
but  possession,  holding  the  truth  in  righteoiisncss,  and  according  to 
the  aforesaid  conception  of  forbidding,  they  nccessaiily  foibid  ail 
others  to  deviate  from  them,  even  those  who  make  no  pretentions  to 
Christianity,  as  well  as  these  who  dilTer  from  them  in  the  profession 
of  it. 

It  will  be  granted  on  the  principle  of  equal  lights,  that  all  orders 
of  professed  christians,  have  a  right  to  institute  their  own  oider  of 
worship,  or  to  speak  more  consistently  with  giving  Christ  the  pre- 
eminence, to  learn  of  him  what  is  the  true  worship  of  God,  and  tcy 
require  all  who  undertake  to  be  of  that  body,  and  of  the  same  faith 
with  them,  to  live  according  to  that  faith,  otherwdse  to  not  pretend  to 
be  of  them.  Those  therefore  whose  faith  is  not  to  marry  or  live  af- 
ter the  course  of  this  world,  because  of  its  being  contrary  to  the 
faith  and  order  of  Christ,  have  an  iudisputable  right  to  require  all 
those  who  profess  their  faith  and  desire  to  be  joined  Avitli  them,  to 
live  according  to  that  faitli,  and  to  abstain  from  every  thing  contrary 
thereto,  or  else  not  pretend  to  be  of  that  people.  And  this  is  per- 
fectly consistent  with  the  faith  and  law  of  Clirist,  as  well  as  the  ut- 
most natural  freedom  of  every  man's  conscience.  Neither  lias  it  any 
relation  to  the  forbidding  of  others  to  do  vrhat  they  in  substance  prac- 
tised themselves,  or  enjoining  on  others  that  abstinence  and  seif-dc- 
uial  wliieh  they  themselves  did  not  keep ;  to  wluch  may  be  added  as 

s.  2. 


^2-  MARRIAGE 

contained  in  thai  ibvbickling,  the  subverting  of  the  Spirit  and  faith  of 
the  gospel,  by  undertaking  to  effect  by  arbitrary  measures,  what  the}' 
were  unable  to  do  by  the  faith  of  the  gospel,  having  lost  the  Spirit 
and  power  by  apostatizing  from  the  faith  of  Christ.  "  Speaking  lies 
"  in  hypocrisy,  having  their  conscience  seared  with  a  hot  iron,  fcr- 
«  bidding  to  many."  But  when  people  live  accordh,g  to  wi.at  they 
teach  and  profess,  bearing  a  living  testimony  against  ti)e  fiesh  and  all 
evil,  they  neither  speak  lies  in  hypocrisy,  nor  h.ave  their  conscience 
seared. 

Seeing  that  marriage  is  a  civil  right  of  the  \;:orId  and  not  a  chris- 
tian institution  ;  for  professed  christians  to  marry  or  claim  it  as  their 
province,  involves,  amongst  other  things,  the  following  absurd  prin- 
ciples. In  the  first  place,  it  reflects  disgrace  on  the  gospel  of  Christ 
and  charges  God  with  affording  only  a  scanty  and  insufficient  portica 
to  its  subjects  ;  and  aUedging  tlat  the  inheritance  of  God's  people, 
by  the  gospel,  including  the  premise  of  the  life  that  now  is,  and  cf 
that  which  is  to  come,  is  so  unsatisfying,  that  it  can  be- made  jnore 
perfect  by  the  addition  of  fleshly  pleasures,  tliey  therefore  count  it 
expedient. for  the  completion  of  their  happiness  to  add  the  pittance 
of  pleasure  which  belongs  to  the  world.  Secondly  ;  It  is  an  attempt 
torch  the  world  of  the  pittance  of  inheritance  Avhich  is  allowed  to 
them,  as  it  is  said,  the  fatness  of  the  earth  shall  be  thy  portion,  but 
not  of  heaven,  and  thus  claim,  ungenerou'^ly,  an  inheritance  which 
is  not  theirs.  Thirdly  ;  It  is  an  attempt  to  serve  tv.'o  masters,  Christ 
and  Adam.,  contrary  to  the  express  words  of  Ch.rist :  {for  Christ  and 
Adam  arc  not  one;)  to  serve  Adam  by  doing  his  work,  multiplying 
and  replenishing  the  earth,  or  propagating  the  people  of  the  world' 
while  presuming  to  serve  Christ,  whom  the  world  hateth. 

Now  Christ  is  of  the  Father  and  not  of  the  world  ;  fo,-if  he  were 
of  th.e  v.oild  it  would  love  him.  And  if  his  people  were  of  the 
yvorld  it  wonk!  love  them ;  but  according  to  his  own  v.  ords,  tliey  are 
not  of  tiie  world  even  as  he  is  not"  of  the  world,  and  therefore  the 
world  hateth  them.  As  really  therefore,  and  as  correctly,  as  Jcsns- 
Christ  is  not  of  the  Avorld,  but  of  the  Father,  so  really  and  correctly 
are  l)is  people,  the  chiidi'en  of  God,  not  of  the  world,  but  of  ti.c  Fa- 
ther, being  hern,  not  of  blood,  nor  of  the  will  of  the  fiesh,  rov  of  the- 
will  of  man,  but  of  God.  Jesus  Christ  is  the  first,  the  foundation  on 
which  others  are  built,  the  head  of  the  body,  to  whom  his  people  are 
joined  in  one  hotly  and  one  Spirit,  and  are  therefore  no  more  of  tl.ti?: 
first  fath.er  Adam,  but  have  renounced  him  ar.d  all  relation  to  him, 
and  are  of  God,  the  Father  of  our  Lord  Jesus  Christ. 

But  the  pressing,  heavy  objection  with  the  advocates  for  christians 
marrying,  comes  in  the  following  train;  That  those  who  maintain 
that  marriage  is  inconsistent  with  the  faith  of  Cluist,  by  so  doings  ex- 
clude all  who  differ  from  them,  from  the  salvation  of  Christ,  and 
thus  condemn  the  whole  world,  except  themselves.  Let  this  <  cnse- 
quence  be  granted  for  a  moment ;  does  that  prove  the  testimony 
false,  or  that  those  who  bear  it  prohibit  others  from  living'  according 
to  their  own  faith  ?     Or  was  Noah  in  an-error,  when  By  faith  being 


A  CIVIL  RIGHT.  323 

warned  of  God,  of  things  not  seen  as  yet,  he  was  moved  with  fear, 
and  prepared  an  ark  to  the  saving  of  his  house  ;  by  the  which  he 
'Condemned  tlie  world,  and  became  heir  of  the  righteousness  which 
is  by  faith  ?  Had  the  testimony  of  Noah  been  false,  wliat  injury 
could  it  have  done  the  people  ?  Those  who  had  no  faith  at  all  in  him, 
no  doubt,  made  themselves  easy.  In  like  manner  t!ie  testimony  of 
those  who  have  the  faith  of  Christ's  second  appearing,  if  not  true, 
needeth  not  disturb  any,  because  none  are  required  to  obey  it,  con- 
trary to  their  own  faith.  I'he  great  uneasiness  therefore  and  vigor- 
ous opposition  to  said  testimony,  must  spring  mainly  from  the  e\i- 
dence  and  conviction  of  its  truth,  especially  in  those  who  know  what 
it  is,  and  still  oppose. 

If  Christianity  must  not  be  professed  in  that  order  or  to  that  degrecj 
that  it  will  condemn  the  world,  it  cannot  exist  on  the  earth  ;  for 
Chi-ist  is  not  of  the  world,  and  the  world  hate  him,  becaiise  he  testi- 
fies 10  the  world,  that  thei^  works  are  evil ;  and  if  they  have  hated 
him  they  will  hate  his  followers  also,  for  as  he  is  not  of  the  world, 
even  so  they  are  not  of  the  world.  And  this  is  their  testimony; 
"  We  know  that  we  are  of  God,  and  the  whole  world  lieth  in  wicked- 
"  ness."  [1  Jno.  5.  IQ.J  Christianity  therefore  and  truth  condemn 
the  world  ;  not  men,  by  their  ov/n  power  or  holiness,  or  by  any  thing 
whiqh  they  can  arrogate  to  themselves,  but  the  faith  and  work  of 
Christ  v.'hich  they  possess,  and  the  testimony  of  truth  vv'hich  they 
bear.  And  this  condemnation  is  not  for  the  injury  of  mankind  ;  it  is 
really  necesrary  that  men  be  condemned  by  the  truth  as  it  is  in  Jesus; 
for  unless  condemned  by  it,  they  will  never  seek  or  obtam  justifica- 
tion and  life  in  faith  and  obedience  to  it.  This  condemnation  there- 
fore is  not  final  to  any  except  those  who  make  it  so  by  disobedience  ; 
but  perseverance  in  disobedience  during  the  accepted  time  and  day 
of  salvation,  which  none  know  how  soon  will  end  as  to  them,  must 
prove  final  condemnation.     Once  more  ; 

It  is  alledged,  that  to  testify  that  marriage  or  living  after  the  course 
of  the  world  is  not  after  Chi'ist,  implies  forbidding  to  marry,  because 
those  who  testify  it,  maintain  they  do  it  according  to  the  m.ind  of  God, 
and  by  comiiiisiion  from  him.  Therefore,  say  the  adversaries,  these 
people  forbid  to  marry  by  the  authority  of  God.  I  have  already 
opened  tiiis  matter,  and  answered  this  objection.  But  why  cannot 
people  understand,  that  these  people  allcdge  no  commission  from 
God,  to  require  any  to  submit  to  their  testimony,  contrary  lo 
their  own  faith  and  consequent  choice,  always  declaring  it  a  matter  of 
the  most  free  choice  with  every  one  whether  to  follow  Christ  or  not? 
There  is  no  arbitrary  force  or  conjpulsion  in  the  gospel  nnnistry. 
Christ's  people  are  a  ivllling  jieople  in  the  day  of  his  power.  [Psm. 
1 10.  3.1  Proba!)ly  no  word  in  the  Hebrew  language,  could  more 
amply  express  the  uncompelled,  fair  and  deliberate  choice  of  a  people, 
than  that  v.hich  is  here  translated  vAlling.  And  though  every  one  Avho 
makes  choice  of  the  gospel,  is  compelled,  or  rather  constrained  and 
engaged  by  motive,  contrary  to  his  fallen  nature,  his  choice  is  in  the 
event  most  free. 


s:.i  MARRIAGE 

Yea,  raithtbc  di^pv'.tevj  ye  say  people  niay  act  iLcir  faith,  but  ye 
maintalii  that  cut  of  the  faith  which  ye  have,  no  r.ian  can  be  saved. 
Vv'hat  then  ?  Must  any  people  renounce  their  faith  to  please  others  ? 
lor  why  is  my  liberty  judged  of  another  man's  conscience  ?  Or 
Hiust  the  cvoos  and  self-denial  of  Christ  be  removed  out  of  his  g^ospel, 
that  it  may  be  adapted  to  the  levers  of  pleasure  ?  Is  the  way  of 
Christ  too  straight  ?  or  must  it  be  widened  to  procure  the  carnal  mind 
and  the  order  of  the  ilesh,  admittance  into  heaven  ?  Is  any  thin!:^ 
under  tlie  heavens  m.ore  reasonable  or  just,  than  that  every  man 
should  iiave  his  free  choice,  when  the  ccnscqiienccs  on  each  hand, 
are  laid  before  him  ?  Those  who  are  offended  with  believers  in 
Christ's  second  apperaing,  for  renouncing  the  first  Adam  and  his 
v/orks,  if  they  believe  there  is  salvation  for  them  in  Adam,  let  them 
cleave  to  him.  But  as  we~  believe  that  Christ,  and  none  else,  is  the 
salvation  of  God  to  us,  let  us  at  least  have  the  privilege  of  cleaving 
to  him.  It  is  our  unshaken  faith  that  in  Adam,  or  any  whei'e  one 
side  of  the  faith  of  Christ,  salvation  is  not  known. 

I  have  looked  ;  my  spirit  hath  inquired  ;  Is  there  no  access  to  the 
children  of  the  flesh,  wlio  dote  on  the  perishing  and  polluted  fancic* 
of  the  earth,  as  if  there  were  no  better  inheritance  ?  But  can  that 
old  serpent,  called  the  devil  and  satan,  be  convinced  of  the  propriety, 
and  subjected  to  the  duty  of  obeying  God  ?  They  are  his  children 
and  he  is  their  father  and  governor.  They  have  no  room  for  God  in 
all  they  do.  But  if  the  serpent  canrjot  be  convinced  of  th.e  proprie- 
ty, or  subjected  to  the  duty  of  obeying  God,  the  v.-isdcm  of  God  is 
able  to  supplant  him,  and  will  do  it,  and  the  power  of  God  in  the 
gospel  is  able  to  overthrow  and  dispossess  him,  and  to  redeem  his 
subjects  from  liis  slavery  into  the  glorious  liberty  of  the  sons  of  God, 
ihat  theyviay  inherit  substance.  And  the  work  is  begun  Avbich  will 
efrcctuaily  dethrone  the  old  serpent,  and  bring  those  who  willingly 
yicld  obedience  to  him  now,  and  contemptuously  r.egiect  and  spurn 
at  salvation  by  the  cross  of  Christ,  to  beg  with  remorse  af  heart  and 
bitterness  of  spirit,  for  an  interest  and  a  piivilcge  in  the  same  gospel 
whi>:h  they  now  despise,  and  those  who  come  not  tco  Jatc,  to  be  hum- 
ble, contrite  and  tliankful  when  they  are  admitted. 

Thofie  who  arc  determined  on  the  pleasures  of  the  fieiili,  at  the 
risk  of  salvation,  i»ave  th.eir  liberty  to  proceed  accordingly  ;  and  those 
w  bo  arc  determined  on  salvation,  at  the  expense  of  all,  according  to 
the  doctrine  of  Christ,  arc  not  going  to  put  themselves  out  of  the 
V  ay  because  of  a  testimony  against  the  flesh,  or  against  christians 
marrying.  They  have  respect  to  the  recompense  of  reward,  and  are 
not  afraid  of  being  losers  by  giving  up  all  for  Christ.  They  receive 
fuith  in  God  ard  in  his  promise.  TLat  no  good  tlnrii^  ivill  he  with- 
hold  from  them  that  'Walk  v/iriffhtly. 

These  who  know  the  way  of  God  and  keep  it,  are  able  to  talk  IRvc 
the  people  of  Gcd  ;  "  W^  know  that  we  are  ol  Gcd,  and  the  whole 
vvorld  litth  in  wickedness;"  [n  ra  crei-jjpco,  in  the  wicked  (,nc].  ''Wc 
"are  of  Gcd:  he  that  knoyeth  Gcd  heaitth  us;  he  that  is  not  of 
«'  God  heareih  fxt  v.s.     Hcrcbij  know  we  the  Spirit  of  truth  and  the 


A  CIVIL  RIGHT.  325 

*'  spiiit  of  error."  Those  wlio  cannot  adopt  such  language,  are 
their  own  Avitrxsses,  that  they  lack  an  unshaken  confidence  that  they 
know  the  truth  and  keep  it. 

There  is  one  Chiist,  therefore  one  way  to  the  Father,  one  truth, 
one  life  ;  one  faith,  one  body  and  one  Spirit ;  to  pretend  therefore  to 
be  in  t!ie  way,  aud  in  the  ti-uth,  and  yet  to  believe  tb.at  others  are  in 
the  same  way,  who  have  a  different  faith,  and  consequently  a  diiferent 
life,  in  matters  of  so  great  consequence  as  to  cause  a  separation,  is 
too  absurd  to  find  a  residence  with"  reasonable  r.ien.  But  as  it  rc- 
iTiains  true  timt  the  tree  is  known  by  its  fri;it,  and  the  true  gospel  in 
best  known  b)  tix  fruits  Avhich  it  must  unfailingly  bring  forth  Avhcr- 
ever  it  is,  let  all  those  who  would  deal  hotx-stiy  with  themselves 
cease  to  contend  about  smaller  matters,  and  no  longer  reject  truth 
for  fear  of  the  cross,  but  lay  hold  of  that  gospel  which  produces  its 
proper  fruits — love,  union,  righteousness  and  peace. 


CHAPTER  X. 

Christ's  fiecjile  not  of  this  ivcrld. 

TO  bring  this  subject  to  a  close,  and  to  show  as  in  one  compen- 
dious view  the  discriminating  line- of  separation  between  the  church 
of  Christ  and  all  ctliOr  people,  whether  professors  or  not,  the  last 
characteristic  vvhich  I  shall  here  state,  and  the  pre-eminent,  in  which 
all  others  are  included,  is  this.  That  his  fieofile  are  not  of  thin  luorUL 
"  Theij  are  not  of  the  rjorUl  even  as  I  am  not  of  the  worLi." 

It  is  generally  granted  in  loose  terms  that  the  people,  or  church, 
of  Christ,  are  not  of  the  woi'Id,  but  few  consider  in  what  respect  ar.d 
how  distinguishably,  they  arc  not  of  the  world.  The  distinction  is 
viewed,  or  ccritcmplatcd,  as  being  internal  in  the  Spirit  and  there- 
fore invisible,  so  that  the  people  of  God  cannot  be  known,  or  distin- 
guished by  physical  or  merely  iralurai  men :  as  if  an  internal  work 
would  not  be  clearly  manifested  by  its  \isible  effects.  "  ^'hey  are 
"  not  of  the  ivorld  even  us  I  am  not  of  the  ivorlcl."  As  clear  a  line 
of  distinction  therefore  as  there  is  between  Christ  and  the  world,  so 
clear  is  the  same  line  of  distinction  between  his  church  and  the 
world  :  for  they  do  as  he  said  ;  Deny  themselves,,  tak^  up  their  cross 
daily,  and  fcliovj  A/w,  in  his  footsteps  where  the  world  cannot  go. 
And  this  discriminating  line  is  so  manifest  that  the  world  can  see  it, 
and  discern  the  people  of  God  from  the  world,  and  knoAV  that  they 
are  not  of  them  or  of  their  order,  that  they  have  put  off  the  old  man 
with  his  deeds,  and  Lave  forsaken  the  world  for  Christ's  sake.  No 
matter  if  the  world  call  them  devils,  or  impostors  and  deceivers,  as 
they  did  their  master,  they  know  thsin,  and  can  diorover  that  they 
have  gone  away  from  them.  They  cannot  always  discover  in  every 
c?sc,  who  will  follow  Christ  to  the  end ;  but  they  can  observe  the 
course  which  people  must  take,  to  corae  cut  of  the  Vi-orld  aud  foUovy 


226  CHRIST'S  PEOPLE 

Christ,  or  be  his  chosen.  The  •world  can  know  the  x-hurch  of  Christ 
distinctly  enough  to  sec  that  they  are  not  of  them,  and  to  hate  thera 
for  tiiat  only  reason,  because  they  are  not  of  the  world.  Thus  they 
hate  his  people  as  they  hated  him — ivithout  a  cause.  "  If  the  world 
"  hate  you,  ye  know  that  it  hated  me  before  it  hated  you.  If  ye  were 
"  of  the  woild,  tlie  world  would  love  his  own :  but  because  ye  arc 
*'  not  of  the  Vvorld,  but  I  have  chosen  you  out  of  tlie  world,  therefore 
«  the  world  hateth  you."  [Jno.  15.  18,  19.] 

Now  it  was  not  the  man  Jesus  whom  the  world  hated ;  "  For  he 
"  increased  in  wisdom  and  stature,  and  in  favor  with  God  and  man." 
[Luk.  2.  52.]  But  they  hated  the  doctrine  of  the  cross ;  so  that 
when  he  shoued  the  way  of  the  cross  they  hated  him  for  that — they 
hated  and  reproached  that  God,  even  the  Father  who  dwelt  in  him, 
as  it  is  written.  The  re/iroac/ws  of  them  that  reproached  thee  are 
fallen  upon  me.  Thus  the  world  or  the  spirit  of  the  world  in  all 
iTicn  hateth  tiie  cross  of  Christ  because  it  is  not  of  the  world  and  re- 
quireth  those  v.'ho  would  be  saved  to  deny  themselves,  to  cease  from 
their  works  as  God  did  from  his,  to  v.aik  not  according;  to  the  ilesli  or 
vorks  of  the  world,  but  according  to  the  Spirit  of  God  in  Christ  Je- 
sus. In  like  manner,  the  world  do  not  hate  the  men  and  women 
who  follow  Christ,  abstractedly,  but  they  hate  the  Spirit  and  cross  of 
Christ :  were  it  not  for  the  cross,  they  could  love  them  as  well  as 
other  people  ;  for  take  away  the  cross  and  all  men  would  be  of  the 
■world.  The  followers  of  Christ  are  courteous  and  comely  in  all 
things  were  it  not  for  the  hated  cross.  But  the  spirit  of  the  world 
can  never  l)c  reconciled  with  the  cross  of  Christ,  therefore  the  men 
of  the  world  can  never  have  fcllov.ship  with  the  people  of  God. 

The  church  of  God  therefore  have  a  living  testimony,  which  is  the 
■word  of  God  preached,  and  which  draweth  a  discriminating  line  of 
separation  between  them  and  the  people  of  the  world,  so  that  not 
only  they  can  see  it,  but  the  world  can  see  and  feel  the  separation, 
and  hate  the  church  of  Christ.  "  I  have  given  them  thy  word  ;  and 
*'  the  world  hath  hated  tl-.em,  because  they  are  not  of  the  v.orld,  even 
*'  as  I  am  not  of  the  world."  [Jno.  IT.  14.]  The  man  therefore,  or 
the  people  of  whatever  name  or  denomination,  however  zealous  or 
bold  in  the  profession  of  Christianity,  and  however  great  degrees  of 
power  they  may  have  experienced  or  witnessed,  v/ho  have  not  such 
a  living  testimony  in  word  and  works,  as  to  let  the  world  see  and 
knov.'  by  their  preaching  and  their  lives,  that  they  are  not  of  the  world, 
but  are  called  or  cnosen  out  of  the  v/orld  to  follow  Christ,  fall  short 
of  the  mark  of  Chiis'^^'s  church  :  in  vain  do  men  profess  Christianity 
v.ithout  possessing  the  substance.      Our  God  is  a  consuming'  fire. 

But  on  what  principle  are  the  church  of  Christ  not  of  the  world,  as 
really  so  as  he  is  not  of  the  world?  In  the  first  place  ;  Because 
they  hove  rejected  the  first  Adam,  the  father  of  the  world,  with  all 
his  worl:s,  pnd  have  pv.t  on  C'.iist,  being  all  baptized  by  one  Spirit 
into  one  body,  of  which  Ciiiist  is  the  head.  "  Seeing  that  ye  have 
"  init  off  the  old  man  witli  his  deeds ;  and  have  put  on  the  new  man, 
"  who  is  renewed  in  knowledge  after  the  image  of  him  that  created 
*'  him."    "  For  as  many  of  you  as  have  been  baptized  into  Christ 


NOT  OF  THIS  WORLD.  32r 

«  have  put  on  Christ.  There  is  neither  Jew  nor  Greek,  there  is 
"  neither  bond  nor  free,  there  is  neither  male  nor  female  :  for  yc  are 
«  all  one  in  Christ."  [Col.  3.  9,  10.  Gal.  3.  27,  28.]  In  the  next 
place  ;  They  v/ho  are  baptized  into  Christ,  or  by  the  one  Spirit  into 
the  one  body,  of  which  he  is  the  head  and  they  the  members,  are 
baptized  into  his  death,  and  thus  die,  or  become  dead  with  him  even 
as  he  is  dead  or  hath  died.  "  Know  ye  not,  that  so  many  of  us  as 
"  were  baptized  into  Jesus  Christ  were  baptized  into  his  death  I 
"  Therefore  we  are  buried  with  him  by  baptism  into  death."  [Ro.  6. 
S,  4.J  Moreover  ;  the  church  of  Clirist  arc  raised  to  Ufe  in  him  atid 
live  with  hitn  even  as  he  liveth.  "  For  ye  are  dead,  |  or,  a7tr-9avers, 
"  ye  have  died,]  and  your  life  is  hid  with  Christ  in  God."  '•  Thcre- 
"  fore  we  are  buried  with  him  by  baptism  into  death  ;  that  like  as^ 
*'  Christ  was  raised  up  from  the  dead  by  the  t>,jory  of  the  Father, 
"  even  so  we  also  should  walk  in  newness  of  life.  For  if  we  have 
"  been  planted  together  in  the  Hkeness  of  his  death,  we  shall  be  also 
"  in  the  likeness  of  his  resurrection ;  (having-  the  same  death  and 
"  resurrection  with  him  ;)  knowing  this,  that  our  old  man  is  crucified 
"  with  him,  that  the  body  of  sin  might  be  destroyed,  that  henccfoith 
"  we  should  not  serve  sin.  For  he  that  is  dead,  [dieth]  is  freed  [is 
"  justified,  6f  Stxatcorat]  from  sin.  Now  if  we  be  dead,  [avaOavnufv,  have 
"  died,]  with  Christ,  we  believe  that  we  shall  also  live  widi  him  :  know- 
"  ing  that  Christ  being  raised  from  the  dead,  dieth  no  mere;  death  hath 
"  no  more  dominion  over  him  ;  for  in  that  he  died,  he  died  unto  sia 
"  once  ;  but  in  that  he  liveth,  he  liveth  unto  God.  I.ihewise  reckon 
"  ye  also  yourselves  to  be  dead  indeed  unto  sin,  but  alive  unto  Gcd 
"  through  JesusChiist  ourLord."  [Col.  3.  3.  Ro.  6.  4,  to  II .]  Thus  the. 
church  of  Christ  are  dead  with  him  and  alive  with  him  so  as  to  be 
quite  separated  from  the  world  ;  and  the  world  see  and  feel  that  iv  is- 
even  so,  and  think  it  strange  that  they  run  not  with  them  into  tliC 
same  excess  of  riot,  or  same  pursiiits,  speaking  evil  of  them  and 
hating  them  because  they  are  not  of  the  world  even  Christ  Jesus  is 
not  of  the  world. 

But  if  Christ  died  to  sin  and  liveth  to  Gcd,  and  his  people  do  the 
same,  there  can  be  no  good  reason  v/hy  the  world  should  hate  citi;er 
him  or  them,  or  be  at  ail  disaffected  with  them  en  that  account.  But 
thf>y  hate  them  as  ti^.ey  hated  him — without  a  cause,-  that  is,  without 
any  just  cause.  The  world  had  a  reason  for  hating  him.  Because, 
said  he,  I  tesiify  of  it  that  the  nvorks  thereof  are  evil.  So  it  is  Avith 
his  people.  Could  they  die  to  sin  and  live  to  God,  and  pursue  the 
course  of  this  world  as  other  men  do,  that  is,  live  as  the  -world  do, 
the  world  could  not  hate  them.  For  said  Jesus  to  his  brethren  who 
did  not  believe  on  him  ;  "  The  world  cannot  hate  you,  hut  me  it 
"  hateth .;"  and  to  his  disciples ;  "  If  ye  were  of  the  world,  the 
"  world  would  love  his  own  ;  but  because  ye  are  not  of  the  world, 
"  but  I  have  chosen  you  out  of  the  world  tiierefore  the  world  hateth 
"  you."  And  again  ;  "  I  have  given  them  thy  w^ord  ;  and  the  world 
"  hath  hated  them,  hccause  theij  arc  not  of  the  luorld  e-ven  atf  I  am 
'''- not  of  thr  tvorld."  [Jno.  7.  7.  and  15.   i-i.  and  17.    19.]      Thus  it 


328  CHRIST'S  PEOPLE 

is  evident,  that  tlic  separation  betv/cen  the  world  and  the  church  of 
Christ  who  are  baptized  into  his  death  and  wlio  also  live  with  him, 
is  effectual  and  real,  and  that  the  baptism  with  which  they  arc  bap- 
tized into  Christ  is  an  effectual  vrork  cutting  them  entiitiy  off  iiom 
the  world,  and  also  manifest,  so  that  the  world  perceive  it  and  look 
upon  them  who  are  thus  baptized,  or  who  take  up  their  cress  to  fol- 
low Christ  and  once  become  established  m  his  faitj-j,  as  dead  men. 
jFoi'  ye  are  dead,  and  your  life  is  Ins  hid  tvifJi  Christ  in  God. 

The  world  follow  their  former  conversation  which  they  had  of  old, 
walking  after  the  course  of  the  world,  fulfilling  the  desires  of  the 
■flesh  and  of  the  mind ;  but  the  children  of  God,  the  cluirch  of  Chtist, 
enter  in  with  him  into  his  rest,  "  By  a  new  and  living-  way,  which  he 
"  hath  consecrated  for  us  thi'ough  th.e  veil,  that  is  to  say,  his  flesh." 
"  For  we  v/ho  have  believed  do  enter  into  rest."  And  again,  "For  he 
"  tliat  hath  entered  into  his  rest  (the  rest  in  Christ  according  to 
"  God's  promise  to  his  people,)  he  also  hath  ceased  frona  his  ov.n 
"  works  as  God  did  from  his,"  [Heb.  10.  20.  and  4.  3,  10.]  If  then 
he  hath  ceased  from  his  own  works  he  doth  not  still  practise  them, 
'i'he  children  of  God  therefore  have  rejected  the  former  conversa- 
tion, the  manner  of  life  which  this  world  persue,  and  live  anew  life 
with  Christ  in  God,  as  he  lived,  and  the  world  see  it  and  hate  them. 
"  But  ye  have  not  so  learned  Christ ;  (to  live  as  the  world  ;)  if  so  be 
<'  that  ye  have  heard  him,  and  have  been  taught  by  him,  as  the  truth 
"  is  in  Jesxis;  that  ye  put  off,  concerning  the  former  conversation,  the 
"  old  man  which  is  corrupt  according  to  the  deceitful  lusts  ;  and  be 
"  renewed  in  the  sph  it  of  your  mind;  and  that  ye  put  on  the  new 
"  man,  v.'hich  after  God  is  created  in  righteousness  and  true  hoii- 
"  ness."  [Eph.  4.  20  to  24.  ]  Thus  as  the  scion  which  is  to  be  gralt- 
ed  into  another  tree  of  a  different  kind,  must  be  cut  entirely  off  from 
its  original  stock,  before  it  can  become  one  with  the  new,  so  must  the 
ciiiidren  of  Adam  if  they  will  be  saved  through  Christ,  be  entirely 
cut  off  from  the  fust  Adam  and  become  one  with  Christ  so  as  to  be 
no  more  of  the  world  even  as  he  is  not  of  the  world. 

Nov/,  "  The  children  of  this  world  marry  and  are  given  in  mar- 
"  viage:  but  those  accounted  worthy  to  obtain  that  world  and  the  rc- 
"  surrcction  from  the  dead  (and  undeniably  God's  children  are  ail 
«  accounted  worthy,  thpse  therefore)  neither  marry  nor  are  given  in 
"marriage:  neither  can  they  die  any  more  ;  (for  having  been  once 
«  dead  in  Adam  in  whom  all  die,  arid  having  died  Vv'ith  Christ  they 
<' have  their  life  securely  hid  with  him  in  God  :)  for  they  arc  equal 
"  unto  the  angels  ;  (having  the  life  of  Christ  which  is  equal  to  that 
"  of  any  angel ;)  and  are  the  children  of  God,  being  the  children  of 
"  the  resurrection."  [Luke  20.  24,  25,  2G."]  The  sum  of  this  dis- 
course is,  that  the  world,  or  the  children  of  this  world  m.arry  and 
are  given  in  marriage,  but  the  children  of  pod  do  not.  For  tl:e  chil- 
dren of  this  nv(jrld  are  set  in  contrast  whh  another  class  or  character, 
of  people  v.'ho  neitlier  marry  nor  are  given  in  maniage  ;  and  when 
their  character  is  fully  developed,  they  arc  found  finally  to  be  Lhe 
children  of  God,  being  the  children  of  the   resurrection  ;  which  rc:^ 


NOT  OF  THIS  WORITD.  S>- 

jnirrection  is  set  forth  as  the  medium  or  principle  by  which  thov  be- 
come children  of  God,  and  this  can  be  none  else  than  cominf^-  into 
Christ.  For  to  as  many  as  receive  him  to  them  he  giveth  power  to 
become  the  sons  of  God — He  is  the  resurrection  and  tlie  life.  As 
Christ  Jesus  therefore  did  not  marry  as  the  children  of  this  world  do, 
neither  took  any  participation  in  their  peculiar  works,  so  neither  do 
his  church.  And  this  is  the  centrical  and  radical  point  in  which  both 
he  and  they  are  not  of  this  world.  Tiiis  is  the  ground  work  of  thi^ 
separating-  line  between  Christ,  including  the  whole  church,,  and  the 
world — in  this  centres  that  cross  of  Christ  which  the  world  i;atc,  aiid 
without  which  no  man  can  be  saved  from  sin. 

And  that  this  is  the  radical  point  in  which  Christ  was  dead  to  sin 
and  to  the  world,  and  his  people  dead  with  him,  the  words  of  the 
apostle  are  plain  and  pointed.  "  Wherefore,  if  ye  be  dead  with 
"  Christ  from  the  rudiments  of  the  ivorld,  why,  as  though  living  in 
*'•  the  world,  are  ye  subject  to  ordinances  :"  Why  submit  yourselves 
to  those  ordinances  of  vvhich  I  have  been  speaking  which  are  a  sha- 
dow of  things  to  come,  v.-cak  and  beggarly  elements  imposed  on 
those  who  live  after  the  flesh  and  were  alive  to  the  rudiments  of 
the  world  ?  [Col.  2.  20.")  The  body  or  substance  is  of  Christ ; 
and,  if  ye  be  dead  with  him  from  the  rudiments  of  the  world,  ye 
have  no  need  of  these  carnal  ordinances;  f  jr  ye  arc  complete  in  him. 
Now  the  rudiments  of  any  thing  are  the  first  principles,  out  of  which 
it  springs  and  according  to  which  it  is  continually  supported  or  hath 
its  subsistence,  as  the  first  principles  of  a  language,  are  called  tlie  ru- 
diments of  that  language.  Accordingly,  the  rudiments  of  tiie  v/orld 
arc  its  first  principles,  by  irt-'hich  it  is  continued  through  succcedin;'- 
generations,  and  the  place  of  the  deceased  is  continually  supplii.«t 
with  a  multiplied  increase.  These  rudiments  are  found  in  the  order 
and  works  of  the  generation  among  those  who  many  and  arc  gircn 
in  marriage.  These  are  the  rudiments  of  the  world,  on  which  the 
children  of  the  world  live,  and  wliich  they  pursue,  and  from  which 
Christ  is  deOjd  and  his  people  with  him.  These  are  the  life  of  the 
v/orld,  which  to  forsake  in  the  faith  of  Christ  and  to  follow  him, 
renders  a  man  dead  and  hateful  as  death  to  this  world  ;  so  that  he  is 
no  more  of  this  world  even  as  Christ  is  not  of  this  world. 

On  this  principle  a  man  is  dead  and  yet  living,  even  as  Christ  liv- 
ed, "  Because,  as  he  is  so  are  we,  in  this  world."  [l  Jno.  4.  19.1 
"  And  if  Christ  be  in  you.  the  body  is  dead  because  of  sin  ;"  (sin 
is  found  to  have  its  seat  in  its  appropriate  works,  it  is  therefore  devot- 
ed to  death  with  Christ,  from  all  these  works  and  their  nature,  that 
the  whole  body  of  sin  might  be  destroyed;)  "  but  the  spirit  is  life 
"  because  of  righteousness.  But  if  the  Spirit  of  him  that  raised  up 
"  Jesus  from  the  dead  dwell  in  you,  he  that  raised  up  Christ  from 
"  the  dead  shall  also  auicken  your  mortal  bodies  by  hi^  Spirit  that 
"  dwelieth  in  you.  (That  they  may  be  living  temples  for  God  while 
'•'  they  remain.)  Therefore,  brethren  we  are  debtors,  not  to  the  flesh, 
^'  to  live  after  the  flesh.     For  if  ve  live  after  the   flesh  vc  shall  die : 

T  i2 


330  CHRIST'S  PEOPLE 

"  but  if  ye  through  the  Spirit  do  mortify  the  deeds  of  the   body,  ye 
"  shall  live."  [Ro.  8.  10  to  13.] 

I  am  aware  that  it  will  be  contended,  that  the  only  necessary  dis- 
criminating line  between  Christ  and  the  world,  or  at  least  between  his 
church  and  the  world,  (for  clearly  as  it  is  taught  few  seem  to  have 
any  conception  that  it  is  true,  that  they  are  not  of  the  world  even  as 
he  is  not  of  the  world,)  and  that  line  by  which  they  are  not  of  the 
world  even  as  he  is  not  of  the  world,  consists  in  being  obedient  to 
commanded  duties  and  abstaining  from  all  things  unlav.iVd  or  express- 
lyforbidden  (or  believing  in  Christ  and  having  his  righteousnes  im- 
puted to  themand  thus  being  entitled  to  a  reward  in  heaven,  accord- 
ing to  some,)  but  all  in  a  perfect  consistency  with  living  in  tlie  works 
of  the  first  Adam,  aa-if  Christ  and  Adam  were  completely  at  one. 
Thus,  many  profess  to  be  dead  with  Christ  from  the  rudiments  of  the 
world,  and  are  as  continually  and  successfully  employed  as  any  of 
the  I  children  of  the  world  in-  pi'ocreating  the  living  subjects  of  the. 
world,  by  its  own  rudiments  and  in  the  fi'luess  cf  its  spirit :  for 
their  offspring  are  as  corrupt  as  any  others.  Many  profess  to 
have  renounced  the  fust  Adam,  to  have  put  him  oil' and  to  liavc 
come  into  Christ,  to  be  baptized  into  his  death  and  to  live  his  liidden 
life  in  God,  and  yet  are  from  time  to  time,  begetting  and  bringing 
forth  Adam's  sens  and  daughters  in  all  his  fallen  nature,  as  corrupt 
as  the  children  of  the  infidel  world  or  the  fruit  of  illegitim.ate  inter- 
course. And  when  they  are  asked  for  a  reason  to  justify  sucli  works 
in  christians,  they  will  directly  appeal  to  the  commandment  or  iaw 
originally  given  to  Adam,  notwithstanding  that  as  professed  c'.ristians 
they  claim  an~  entire  disunion  with  Adam,  his  family  and  his  law,  with 
?,il  its  consequences,  to  have  put  ofp  the  old  man  with  his  deeds,  and 
to  have  put  on  the  new,  even  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ,  who  never  incor- 
porated himself  with  the  first  Adam,  except  by  such  conjunction  as 
v.'as  necessary  to  put  him  to  death,  and  lead  the  people  out  of  his  or- 
der and  nature  to  God  in  the  resurrection  of  life,  O  how  inconsistent 
are  the  lives  of  professed  christians  !'  They  make  no  radical  or  effec- 
tual distinction  between  Christ  and  Adam — no  marked  or  discriminat- 
ing line  betv/een  the  flesh  and  the  Spirit — none  between  the  living 
and  the  dead — none  between  the  Church  of  Christ  and  the  world. 

But  if  it  be  the  province  of  christians  to  propagate  their  specie.? 
by  natural  generation,  and  if  they  may  perform  this  who  ar^*  dead 
with  Christ  and  not  of  the  world,  how  comes  it  to  pass  that  they  do 
not  propagate  their  own  likeness  ?  Or  is  there  any  discriminating 
difference  bstween  their  children  and  those  of  other  people  ?  Are 
they  any  more  lioly,  or  any  easier  to  initiate  into  the  faith  and  life  of 
Christ  ?  When  Adarn  begat  a  son  he  was  in  his  own  likeness,  and  a 
lost,  corrupt  creature,  and  his  posterity  ever  since,  through  sncce^-- 
bive  generations  have  done  the  same ;  for  by  one  man  sin  en'ercd' 
into  the  tvorld  and  death  by  ,^i7i  ;  and  so  death  passed  ufion  all  men 
for  that  all  have  sinned.  How  then  cometh  it  to  pass  that  christians 
do  not  propagate  an  offspring  in  their  own  likeness,  or  in  the  likenpss 
of  Christ,  Eaved  iji  Christ  their  living  head  ?     For  Adam'e  sons  con- 


NOT  OF  THE  WORLD.  331 

'tiniie  to  beget  an  offspring  in^heir  own,  that  is,  in  his  likeness,  cor- 
rupt and  fallen.  They  have  no  need  to  be  converted  in  order  to  be- 
cocning  wicked — sinners  like  their  father.  They  are  conceived  in 
sin  and  shapen  in  iniquity ;  born  to  trouble  as  tlie  sparks  fly  upward; 
by  nature  childrea  of  wrath.  Why  then  hath  not  the  Spirit  of  Christ 
the  same  influence  at  least  over  his  seed  and  their  posterity  as  ti:e 
spirit  of  Adam  over  his  ?  How  cometh  it  to  pass  that  they  all  have 
to  be  converted  by  the  Spirit  of  Christ  in  the  gospel  and  experience 
a  regenerating  work,  before  they  are  like  Christ  their  Father  and 
tieir  head  ?  It  is  proved  by  scripture,  as  above  quoted,  end  by  a 
painful  cxperie  ice,  th.at  the  corruption  of  Adam's  fall  hath  carried 
death  to  iiis  remotest  generations.  But  it  is  written,  That  whei-e  sin 
abounded  grace  did  much  more  abound.  Why  then  cannot  this  su- 
perabounding  grace  in  Christ  eradicate  the  abounding  corruption  of 
Adam's  fall  in  the  children  of  God,  so  that  christians  may  propagate 
a  legitimate  and  christian  offspring,  if  it  be  their  province  to  procre- 
ate their  species  by  ordinary  generation  ?  Shall  this  only  abounding 
sin  or  corruption  of  Adam's  fall  maintain  its  ground  against  the  su- 
peraboundint^  grace  of  God  in  Christ,  and  banter  the  foUov/ers  of 
Christ  and  tlieir  offspring,  struggling  under  its  oppression,  and  held 
by  it  all  their  life  time  subject  to  bondage  through  fear  of  death  ? 
Can  this  be  all  the  fruit  of  Christ's  delivering  them,  by  his  through 
death  dcdfroijing  him  that  had  the  fioiver  of  death  ?  It  cannot  be. 
Or  can  they  be  dead  with  Christ  and  noi;  of  the  world  even  as  he  is 
Tiot  of  the  world  ;  can  they  be  separated  from  the  first  Adam  and 
.liberated  from  the  deadly  effects  of  the  fall,  who  do  the  same  work, 
■vvhichthe  world  do,  and  suffer  the  same  corrupting  influence  of  the 
fall  with  other  people  ?  It  cannot  be.  Cease  then  to  contend  that 
the  work  of  pro]jagating  the  species  by  ordinary  generation  committed 
'to  the  first  Adam,  is  at  all  the  province  or  work  of  the  chuixh  of  Christ, 
%vho  are  dead  with  him  and  not  oT  the  world.  "  If  the  root  be  holy 
80  are  the  branches."  If  that  work  could  by  any  means'be  grafted 
"into  Christ,  and  be  made  the  province  of  his  people,  it  v/ould  be  holy 
and  its  fruit  holy  ;  but  all  these  attempts  fail,  so  that  when  introduced 
into  the  church  it  is  found  to  be  the  jnan  ofain,  as  shown  in  its  place. 
The  church  of  Christ,  the  branches  of  the  holy  root,  are  brought 
fforth  by  a  very  different  process,  not  the  generation  but  the  regene- 
ration, being  born,  not  of  blood,  nor  of  the  will  of  the  fesh,  nor  of 
•the  will  of  man,  but  of  God.     Again  ; 

If  that  separation  from  the  world,  or  that  Spirit  or  standing  by 
which  Christ's  people  are  not  of  the  world  even  as  he  is  not  of  the 
world,  consists  in  any  thing  compatible  mth  marrying  and  practising 
ithe  works  of  natural  generation,  Avhat  is  that  standing,  and  what  are 
those  works  which  make  that  separation,  with  sufficient  clearness  to 
mark  it  out  to  the  men  of  the  world,  and  so  disagreeable  to  them 
that  they  hate  Christ  and  his  cHsciples  for  its  sake  ?  The  separation 
rp.ust  evidently  include  something  which  the  world  highly  disapprove 
and  abhor,  or  the  rejection  and  condemnation  of  that  which  they  pre- 
^eminentlv  love,  or  both.     It  must  also  include  that  which  is  the  death 


332  CHRIST*S  PEOPLE 

of  the  world,  and  the  rejection  of  that  v/hich  is  their  life  and  neccs- 
bary  to  their  being  in  their  own  order,  otherwise  a  man  might  be  of 
Christ  and  of  the  world  too.  It  must  moreover  include  tliat  which  can 
make  it  manifest  %vho  are  of  the  world  and  who  are  of  God,  and  be- 
long to  the  church  of  Christ.  Now  no  profession  of  Christianity,  cr 
possession  either,  consistent  with  marriage  and  crdhiary  generation, 
can  include  the  necessiry  causes  of  the  separation.  For  it  is  well 
enough  known  that  all  such  possession  of  inward  piety  may  be  mcdc 
in  hypocrisy,  r/hcre  correspondent  works  do  not  accompany  the  pro- 
fession sufficient  to  prove  it  genuine.  Such  profession  therefore  as 
is  not  accompanied  with  such  correspondent  works  cannot  carry  con- 
viction to  the  work),  that  such  a  m.an  or  people  are  of  Christ  and  not 
of  the  world,  nor  cause  the  world  to  hate  them  because  they  are  not 
of  them.  And  where  correspondent  works  attend  any  profession 
compatible  with  living  iiv  the  state  of  mariiage  and  ordinary  genera- 
lion,  such  profession  and  such  works  cannot  carry  conviction  to  the 
world  that  such  people  are  not  of  them,  nor  cause  them  to  hate  them 
on  that  account ;  for  notwithstanding  they  may  abstain  fi-om  certain 
matters  of  less  importance  to  the  pursuits  and  enjoyments  of  the 
world,  which  yet  pcitainto  their  order,  as  from  avenging  injuries,  or 
from  taking  a  legal  oath,  or  from  shedding  human  blood,  yet  while 
they  pursue  or  approve  the  generation  the  world  will  acknov.iedge 
them,  although  they  may  viev*^  them  for  a  time  with  a  degree  of  zeal 
and  power  which  burns  hot  against  a  carnal  nature.  But  this  burn- 
ing degree  of  zeal  and  power  will  abate  in  time  with  those  who  live 
in  the  generation,  being  consumed  on  their  lusts,  and  they  and  the 
rest  of  the  world  become  one  again.  Accordingly  it  is  ever  found 
that  none  of  those  churches  who  live  in  the  generation  can  retain 
their  separation  from  the  world  even  as  far  as  they  sometimes  gain 
it ;  neither  can  they  keep  a  day  of  power  and  I'Qvival  in  rcligioik 
more  than  a  short  time.  : 

Besides  ;  The  men  of  the  world  do  not  hate  a  man  or  people,  r.or 
count  them  dead  men,  or  not  of  themselves,  because  tiiey  pui'siie  a 
profession  and  show  correspondent  works,  provided  that  profession 
and  those  works  be  in  the  approbation  of  the  generation  of  this 
world.  Men  esteem  others  the  more  for  living  up  to  what  they  pro- 
fess. If  a  man  will  practise  what  they  esteem  as  -virtue  ;  if  he  be 
just  in  his  dealings,  rendering  to  all  men  their  due  ;  if  he  be  upright 
in  his  deportment,  chaste  in  his  outward  conversation,  humane  to- 
wards mankind,  kind  to  his  family,  generous  to  the  poor,  merciful  to 
the  afllicted  and  hospitable  to  strangers ;  and  if  he  show  the  same 
goodness  in  other  respects,  although  he  should  profess  lo  be  a  chris- 
tian and  therefore  not  of  the  world,  as  long  as  he  will  support  the 
generation  of  this  world  and  acknowledge  it  as  being  consistent  with 
the  life  of  a  christian,  the  world  will  never  hate  him  nor  count  him 
out  of  their  class;  they  will  but  esteein  him  the  better  for  his  con- 
sistent deportment.  That  which  separates  a  man  froui  this  world  s» 
as  to  make  him  not  of  the  Avorld  even  as  Chiist  is  not  cf  the  world, 
and  craiscs  the  world  to  hate  him,  cannot  be  his  abstai-nrg  from  idc- 


NOT  OF  THE  WORLD.  333 

hti7  or  the  worship  of  false  gods,  from  profaning  the  name  of  the 
Lord,  from  murder,  manslaughter  or  otherwise  taking  the  lile  of  a 
man,  from  theft  or  fraud,  from  false  witness  or  slander,  from  adul- 
tery or  fornication,  from  drunkenness  or  debauchery  ;  for  all  these 
things  and  the  like  the  world  themselves  disclaim  ar.d  disapprove  ac- 
cording to  their  own  profession  as  good  citizens  of  the  world,  a^d 
those  who  practise  them  are  more  or  less  esteemed  unworthy  cf 
countenance.  These  therefore  cannot  be  the  works  of  the  world  to 
which  Jesus  alluded  when  he  said,  "  But  me  it  hateth  because  I  tcs- 
«  tify  of  it,  that  the  works  thereof  are  evil ;"  neither  can  these  be  the 
things  which  his  followers  do  not  practise,  so  that  they  are  not  of  the 
world  even  as  he  is  not  of  the  world,  and  the  world  hateth  tl.em  on 
that  account. 

But  let  a  man  once  deny  himself  and  take  up  his  cross  and  follov/ 
Christ;  let  him  once  maintain  that  gospel  which  teacheth  us  to  deny 
all  ungodliness  and  worldly  lusts,  lawful  or  unlawful;  (for  many 
things  are  lawful  which  are  not  christian  ;)  let  him  support  the  tesu- 
mony  of  Christ  in  his  own  words,  That  the  children  of  this  wot  id 
marry  and  are  glve?i  in  marriage  ;  but  those  accounted  i^: or tuy  to 
obtain  that  world  and  the  resumction  from  the  dcad^  neither  man-y 
7-tor  are  given  in  marriage,  and  live  according  to  that  testimony,  sho\^  - 
ing  that  he  is  not  of  the  v/orld  even  as  Christ  is  not  of  tlie  world,  a;  d 
it  will  scon  be  .seen  what  maketh  the  separation— it  will  he  seen  v.i  at 
ailed  the  v/orld  at  Christ  Jesus,  -why  they  hated  him  and  why  tl:ey 
hate  his  disciples,  even  as  he  said,  Because  thexj  are  not  of  the  rjcrld 
even  as  he  is  not  of  the  'world.  They  who  take  up  their  crocks  a::d 
follow  Christ  reject  that  v/hich  is  the  life  of  the  world,  and  are  of 
course  dead  men  in  th.eir  view,  as  well  as  in  reality,  dead  with  Christ 
from  the  rudiments  of  the  world,  and  as  added  a  little  affer ;  Yc  ore 
dead  and  your  life  is  hid  -with  Christ  in  God.  No  wondor  therefore 
that  the  world  hate  them,  that  is,  tlie  death  and  the  life  which  arc  m 
them  ;  they  arc  dead,  and  no  creature  ever  yet  loved  its  own  deati* 
but  hateth  it,  and  they  live  a  life  with  Christ  in  Gcd,  a  life  which  the 
world  abhor,  a  life  of  self-denial  and  the  cross  of  Christ ;  I  am  cruci- 
jicd  ivith  Christ ;  Jievertheless  I  live  ;  yet  not  /,  but  Christ  liveth  iri 
me  ;  a  life  which  speaketh  death  to  this  world  and  the  rudiments  cf 
it,  which  the  children  of  this  world  love  more  than  all  things  besides; 
for  by  these  things  men  live  and  in  these  they  glory.  Well  said  Jesus  ; 
/  have  given  them  thy  ivord  ;  and  the  vjorld  hath  hated  them^  be- 
cause  they  are  not  cf  the  "Morld^  even  as  I  am  not  of  the  ivorld. 

It  hath  been  supposed  that  the  hatred  and  opposition  of  the  world, 
particularly  of  the  Jews,  against  Jesus,  arose  from  his  teaching  a  doc- 
trine which  overturned  and  superseded  their  law,  disanniiliing  their 
system  of  service,  and  leading  them  in  new  and  unknown  paths.  But 
the  world  hated  him  because  he  testified  cf  it  that  the  vrorks  thereof 
are  evil ;  and  he  did  not  teach  that  that  law  or  service  was  evil ;  that 
therefore  could  not  be  the  cause  of  the  world's  hatred.  Besides ; 
The  disannulling  of  the  Jewish  lav/  was  net  understood  by  the  disci- 
ples, much  less  by  the  unbelieving  Jews  until  after  tlie  giving  of  tl:e 


334  CHRIST'S  PEOPLE 

Spirit :  this  therefore  could  be  no  part  of  the  cause  of  their  hating; 
him  and  putting  him  to  death.  That  bis  doctrine  led  them  in  new 
and  unknown  paths  is  indeed  true.  The  doctrine  of  self-denial  and 
the  cross,  to  eat  his  flesh  and  to  drink  his  blood,  or  to  live  his  life,  to 
cease  from  the  generation  of  the  world  or  have  no  part  with  him, 
was  to  them  an  offensive  doctrine :  it  struct  directly  against  the  lusts 
of  the  flesii,  the  lusts  of  the  eyes  and  the  pride  of  life,  the  all  that  is 
in  the  world.  (1  Jno.  2.  16.) 

The  Jews,  it  hath  been  presumed,  were  offended  with  Jesus,  and 
hated  him,  because  he  said  that  God  was  his  Father.  But  why  should 
this  offend  them  ?  Did  they  not  call  themselves  the  sons  of  God  ? 
IVe  /lavc,  said  they,  ojie  Fat/ier,  God.  (Jno.  8.  41.)  And  could  it  be 
offensive  to  them  to  hear  their  Messiah  say,  My  Father  luorketh  kU 
thcrto^  and  I  work  ?  But  the  truth  is,  they  hated  him  for  another 
cause  ;  his  denying  himself,  and  bearing  his  cross,  as  he  also  taught 
them  to  do,  against  all  ungodliness  and  worldly  lusts;  the  lust  of  the 
flesh,  the  lust  of  the  eyes  and  the  pride  of  life,  including  all  covete- 
ousness  and  the  claiming  of  v-'orldly  possessions.  And  their  charge 
against  him,  for  saying  that  God  was  his  Father,  was  only  a  pretext 
to  support  their  quarrel  against  his  holy  and  self-denying  life  which 
^•as  not  according  to  this  world. 

In  the  same  manner  they  contended  with  him,  for  breaking  the 
sabbath.  Not  because  they  cared  for  keeping  the  law  in  truth  ;  for 
they  made  void  the  law  by  their  traditions;  neither  because  he  did 
bieak  the  sabbath,  or  violate  the  law  in  any  case  ;  for  he  was  always 
able  to  put  them  to  confusion  and  to  vindicate  his  own  works  on  the 
sabbath,  by  their  own  law  and  their  own  practice,  and  thus  to  show, 
that  they  only  sought  an  occasion  against  him  by  such  accusations, 
because  they  hated  his  doctrine  and  his  holy,  self-denying  life.  He 
did  not  gratify  the  lust  of  the  flesh  and  of  the  world  ;  he  did  not  mar- 
ry and  hold  private  possessions.  The  world  hated  him  because  he 
testified  of  it  that  the  works  thereof  were  evil. 

Again  ;  One  of  their  heavy  charge^  against  him  to  ensirre  his  crif- 
cifixion,  was  that  he  made  himself  a  king  and  was  therefore  an  ene- 
my to  Cesar :  as  if  they  had  been  friends  to  Cesar.  When  it  is 
evident  that  nothing  would  have  pleased  them  better,  than  that  he 
■would  have  taken  the  command  and  established  them  in  the  king- 
dom and  glory  of  this  world,  at  the  expense  of  the  life  of  Cesar  and 
all  his  pov/er.  And  such  was  their  opposition  to  Cesar  and  his  go- 
vernment, that  no  man  was  by  them  counted  a  greater  sinner  than  he 
who  held  the  ofRce  of  a  tax  gatherer,  called  a  publican,  tmder  Cesar's 
government.  But  they  hated  him,  not  because  he  did  any  evil,  but 
because  he  denied  himself,  as  they  also  do  his  disciples,  and  say  all 
manner  of  evil  against  them  falsely  for  his  name's  sake,  whom  they 
follow  in  the  same  self-denial. 

It  is  also  true  that  the  branch  cannot  bear  fruit  of  itself  except  it 
abide  in  the  vine,  no  more  said  Jesus,  can  ye,  except  ye  abide  in  me. 
Now  as  true  as  this  similitude  is  when  applied  to  Christ  as  the  vine 
and  his  people  as  the  branches,  so  true  is  it  when  applied  to  the  world 


NOT  OF  THE  WORLD.  335 

as  the  vine  and  the  children  of  the  world  as  the  branches,  and  illus- 
trates the  subject  as  correctly  in  the.one  case  as  in  the  other.  For  as 
no  man  can  bring  forth  the  appropriate  fruit' of  Christ,  or  of  his  body, 
the  church,  unless  he  abide  m  him,  so  neither  can  any  man  or  woman 
or  both,  bring  forth  the  appropriate  fruit  of  the  world,  unless  they 
are  of  the  world  and  abide  in  it.  But  the  whole  world  lieth  in  wick- 
edness ;  those  therefore  who  are  of  the  world  and  abide  in  it,  even 
those  who  bring  forth  the  fruits  or  do  the  appropriate  works  of  the 
world,  are  lying  in  wickedness,  [av  fw  rtov^jpo]  in  the  devil,  and  not  in 
Christ.  But  they  that  marry,  or  in  any  relation  propagate  the  chil- 
dren of  the  world  serve  the  world,  and  therefore  do  not  serve  Christ; 
they  bring  forth  the  appropriate  fruit  of  the  world  and  are  therefore 
of  the  world  and  abide  in  it.  Thus  it  is  logically  proved,  by  udcnia- 
ble  premises  and  correct  conclusion,  that  they  Avho  marry,  or  do  the 
works  of  natural  generation,  are  of  the  world  and  sot  of  Christ. 

After  taking  this  view  of  the  subject  the  common  silencing  objec- 
tion will  present  itself,  that  if  this  is  the  true  gospel,  and  all  should 
believe  and  obey  it,  as  all  ought  surely  to  obey  the  truth,  the  world 
would  soon  ccrne  to  an  end.  To  obviate  this  let  it  be  considered  in 
the  first  place  that  the  very  work  of  Christ  is  to  bring  the  world  to 
an  end  in  his  people  as  soon  as  they  become  his.  A  work  unknown 
to  the  church  before  the  coming  of  Christ,  as  saith  the  apostle ; 
"  Now,  all  these  things  happened  \mto  them  for  our  example  ;  and 
"  they  are  written  for  our  admonition  upon  whom  the  ends  of  the 
"  world  are  come."  (1  Cor.  10.  11.)  Accordingly,  as  before  shown, 
his  people  are  not  of  the  world  even  as  he  is  not  of  the  world. 

Now  let  us  ask,  on  what  principle  can  the  end  of  the  world  be  ef- 
fectuated by  the  abstinence  of  those  who  are  not  of  it  ?  The  world 
is  to  be  served  and  continued  through  its  own  subjects  and  is  suflici- 
cntly  organized  for  that  purpose.  But  the  objection  includes  this 
also,  that  the  call  is  to  every  one  to  come  into  the  same  faith,  and 
should  this  be  so,  the  world  must  inevitably  come  to  a  period.  It  is 
true ;  the  call  is  to  every  one  wherever  the  gospel  comes ;  but  it 
is  also  true,  that  few  are  disposed  to  obey.  There  is  a  heavier  ob- 
jection in  the  way  than  the  fear  or  the  prospect  of  the  world's  com- 
ing to  an  end  ;  their  unwillingness  to  deny  worldly  lusts  is  of  more 
weight  with  them,  than  the  prospect  of  the  world's  being  at  an  end, 
the  hope  of  salvation  or  the  fear  of  damnation.  Is^ow  the  deciding 
question  is  simply  this,  Which  is  the  most  momentous  work  ;  to  con- 
tinue building  up  the  world  in  its  present  order  in  which  the  salvn- 
tion  of  Christ  is  not  known  and  keep  every  individual  to  that  vvork, 
or  to  build  up  the  church  of  Christ  in  eternal  Hfe  for  all  souls  who 
are  vpilling  to  come  out  of  the  world  and  be  joined  to  Christ  ?  They 
that  prefer  the  latter  will  confirm  the  wisdom  of  their  choice  by 
making  a  speedy  escape  from  the  course  of  the  world  ar.d  all  its  fet- 
ters, and  uniting  themselves  to  the  body  of  Christ,  the  church.  And 
those  that  make  choice  of  the  former  m.ay  solace  themselves  in  their 
short  lived  and  paltry  inheritance,  the  portion  of  Esau,  while  we  con- 
sider the  second  ansv/er  to  the  objection  in  the  words  of  Jesus  Christ. 


3o6  CHRIST'S  PEOPLE 

"  And  this  gospel  of  the  kingdom  shall  be  preached  in  ail  the*. 
"  world,  for  a  witness  unto  all  nations  ;  and  then  shall  the  end  come." 
(Matt.  24  11.)  This  prophecy  was  not  fulfilled  in  the  apostolic 
dispensation,  nevertheless  it  will  surely  come  to  pass.  Now  what 
can  they  effect  who  are  so  deeply  interested  in  keeping  this  world 
from  running  out  ?  Can  they  rebuke  the  purpose  of  God  which  is 
to  pubiish  to  all  nations  that  everlasting  gospel  of  Christ  which  he 
hath  already  introduced  amongst  men  to-  make  a  finishing  work  of 
salvation  in  all  who  will  receive  it  ?  Can  they  withstand  the  decree 
of  God  saying,  let  the  finishing,  the  everlasting  gocpel  be  published 
to  the  men  who  dwcil  on  the  earth,  saying,  "  Fear  God  and  give  glo- 
"  ry  to  him  for  the  hour  of  his  judgment  is  come?"  Or  can  they 
prevent  the  faith  and  obedience  of  honest  souls  who  seek  a  kingdom, 
■which  hath  foundations,  whose  builder  and  maker  is  God  ?  Can 
they  support  the  world  in  its  present  course  and  order  when  the  tes- 
timony is  fulfilled  and  the  end  is  come,  any  more  than  the  disobedi- 
ent in  the  days  of  Noah  could  by  their  eating  and  drinking  and  mar- 
riages, keep  the  flood  from  drowning  them  Mhcn  it  came?  "  For  as 
<«  ia  the  days  that  were  J^efore  the  flood  they  v/ere  eating  and  drink- 
"  ing,  marrying  and  giving  in  marriage,  until  the  day  that  Noah  en- 
"  tercd  into  the  ark,  and  knew  not  until  the  flood  came  and  took  them 
"  all  away ;  so  shall  also  the  coming  of  the  son  of  man  be."  (Matt. 
24.  38,  39.)     They  will  not  yield  until  the  end  is  come. 

As  God  in  the  days  of  Noah  gave  the  people  warning  long  enough 
to  prove  them  aid  give  them  a  fair  opportunity  to  repent,  before  be 
brought  the  flood,  so  when  the  everlasting  gospel  hath  been  preached 
to  all  the  world  for  a  testimany  to  all  nations  until  the  time  is  fulfilled 
and  all  have  heard,  then  cometh  the  end  :  and  v/hether  many  or  few 
have  believed  the  world  can  support  its  cause  no  longer. 

In  every  dispensation,  except  the  christian,  marriage  was  justifiable 
and  consistent;  for  in  Christ  alone  the  people  are  called  to.leave  the 
world  and  its  works.  And  the  practice  is  so  common,  that  mankind 
are  hardiy  convinced  that  Christ  is  at  all  distinct  from  Adam.  Hence 
some  after  all  will  plead  th.c  instruction  or  permission  given  to  Noah  ; 
as  if  Noah  had  been  Christ,  and  had  th.e  pre-eminence,  or  had  even 
been  a  follower  of  Christ,  many  hundreds  of  years  before  he  opened 
the  way;  or  as  if  Noah  were  the  pattern  and  example  of  believers, 
whose  steps  they  are  to  follow.  Neither  do  all  the  permissions,  com- 
mandments and  regvilaticns,  under  the  law  of  Moses  and  the  whole 
levitical  priesthood,  although  they  contained  every  commandment 
from  tiie  beginning,  aff'ord  any  support  to  the  faith  or  practice  of 
marrying  and  living  in  the  generation  after  coming  into  Christ,  in 
whom  there  is  neither  male  nor  female.  "For  (in  Christ)  there  is 
«'  verily  a  disannulling  of  the  commandment  going  before,  for  the 
"  weakness  and  unprofitableness  thereof.  For  the  law  (called  the 
"  commandment  going  before,)  made  nothing  peifect,  but  {\)e  bring- 
"  ing  in  of  a  better  hope  doth  ;  by  the  which  we  draw  nigh  to  God." 
"When  the  priesthood  was  in  the  hands  of  the  tribe  of  Levi  and  of 
Aaron.and  the  first  born  of  the  high   priest  was   his  heir,  they  all 


NOT  QF  THE  WORLD.  ^37 

^ianicd  and  begat  children  in  the  flesh.  But  the  priesthood  bcin<j 
transposed,  from  Aaron  to  Christ,  who  is  made  priest^  not  after  the 
*)rder  of  Aaron,  but  after  the  order  of  Melchizedec,  who  wiis  with- 
out father,  without  mother,  and  without  descent,  so  is  the  Son  of 
God  and  so  are  his  people,  without  father,  without  mother  and  with- 
out descent  after  the  flesh :  these  neither  marry  nor  are  given  in 
marriarje.  For  the  priesthood  l^ein^^  changed  or  transposed  there  is 
a  transposition  or  change  made  also  in  the  law.  There  is  one  laNy 
and  one  rule. 

The  thought  is  in  itself  inconsistent  and  preposterous,  that  chris- 
tisins  should  count  it  their  province  or  privilcg-e  to  occupy  tlie  old 
ground  of  the  generation  cf  the  first  Adam,  after  they  are  called 
out  to  be  a  separate  and  devoted  people  to  God.  That  any  people 
should  be  redeemed  from  death  and  initiated  into  life,  and  yet  be 
participators  in  the  appropriate  works  of  hini  in  whom  all  die  ;  or 
should  be  regenerated  from  tbte  first  Adam  into  the  second  ;  trans- 
planted from  the  world  into  the  church,  the  body  of  Christ;  from 
the  ruined  state  of  fallen  nature  into  a  state  of  salvation  by  the  grace 
lof  God  in  Christ ;  from  union  and  relation  to  th.e  men  of  tlie  world^, 
xvho  all  lie  in  wickedness,  to  a  relation  and  union  with  the  general 
assembly  and  church  of  the  first  born  whose  names  are  written  in 
heaven  ;  or  in  a  word,  from  Adam  to  Chi-ist,  and  from  earth  to  hea- 
ven, and  yet  occupy  the  same  ground  from  which  they  were  trans- 
planted, and  cultivate  the  same  old  poilutcd  soil  of  the  fleshly  gene- 
ration, is  too  absurd  to  admit  of  a  supposition  :  these  different  states 
arc  incompatible  with  each  other.  It  is  utterly  unreasonable,  that 
they  who  believe  they  were  conceived  in  sin  and  shapcn  in  iniquity, 
as  well  as  all  others  who  have  been  thence  produced,  should  clea\c 
\o  the  former  ground  and  cultivate  the  old  soil  v/hcrcln  they  w  err 
thus  conceived  and  shapcn,  after  (they  say)  they  have  been  called 
with  the  holy  calling  of  the  gospel  into  Christ,  to  be  a  people  devot- 
ed to  God,  to  serve  him  in  the  newness  of  t!ie  Spiiit,  and  no  more  in 
the  oldness  of  the  letter.  Can  it  be  that  such  people  have  any  real 
luidcrstanding  of  the  character  of  Christ  the  quickening  Spirit,  the 
Lord  fiom  heaven  ?  Or  of  the  nature  and  work  of  Christ,  in  the  re- 
demption of  souls  ?  Or  can  they  have  any  just  conceptions  cf  the 
greatness  and  reality  of  that  change  which  is  experienced  by  those 
who  arc  called  in  Christ  to  put  oH"  the  old  man  with  his  deeds  wh.ich 
are  corrupt  (so  that  all  his  fruit  even  the  most  legitimate,  is  conceiv- 
ed in  sin  and  shapen  in  iniquity,)  according  to  the  deceitful  lusts, 
and  to  put  on  the  nev>^  man  who  after  God  (and  not  after  tlie  fleshly 
works  of  the  old  generation)  is  created  in  righteousness  and  true  ho- 
liness ?  Can  they  be  the  circumcission  who  worship  God  in  the  Spi- 
rit and  rejoice  in  Christ  Jesus  and  have  no  ccnhdencc  in  the  flesh, 
to  whom  it  is  like  cutting  the  heart  strings  and  rending  t!ie  cords  of 
life,  to  renounce  the  fleshly  works  and  fleshly  relation  of  the  first. 
Adam  for  the  sake  of  Christ  and  eternal  life  in  him  ?  Do  they  love. 
•■dm.  move  than  these  ? 

V  2 


333  CHRIST'S  PEOPLE 

But  some  will  yet  say,  Did  we  not  all  come  forth  into  life  by  natu- 
itil  generation  ?  And  without  it  how  could  there  be  any  people  to  be 
saved  ?  And  what  then  ?  Because  we  are  all  born  into  the  world  by 
natural  generation,  bom  of  blood,  of  the  will  of  the  ficsh,  arid  of  the 
will  of  man  according  to  his  desires  and  propensities,  nuist  we  on 
that  account,  or  can  we,  remain  en  the  ground  and  in  the  works  of 
natural  generation  after  we  are  called  out  to  be  of  tlie  number  of 
the  new  born  chidren  of  God  in  Christ,  who  are  born,  not  of  blood, 
nor  of  the  will  of  the  flesh,  nor  of  the  will  of  man,  but  of  God,  and 
are  not  of  the  v.orld  even  as  Jesus  is  net  of  the  v,orld?  Can  any 
man  be  in  Christ  and  remain  v>'here  he  was  before  ?  Can  a  man  put 
oSF  the  old  man  v.ith  his  deeds,  and  put  on  the  new,  and  be  a  partaker 
of  the  nature  and  a  practiser  of  the  v/orks  which  are  the  very  core  of 
the  old  man's  life  and  the  foundation  of  his  existence  ?  Let  the  dead 
bury  their  dead;  and  let  the  world  propagate  its  members;  but  Let 
not  God's  people  return  to  the  beggaily  elements,  the  rudiments  of 
the  world,  wherein  some  desire  to  be  in  bondage. 

But  some  will  argue,  that  to  put  off  the  old  man  v.ith  his  deeds^ 
implies  nothing  more  than  to  put  off  or  renounce,  and  not  practise 
€«•  approve,  the  evils  whicli  have  attached  themselves  to  him,  and 
whiGh  he  hath  practised,  as  drunkenness,  murder,  theft,  adultery,  for- 
nication, covetousness  and  other  unlawful  works  and  lusts.  But  thia 
plan  in  its  utmost  extent  is  only  to  dress  the  old  man  in  goodly  attire, 
to  sweep  and  garnish  the  house,  and  let  him  live.  These  are  no 
part  of  the  old  man.  They  are  unmanly  things,  as  well  as  unchris- 
tian. Unlawful  deeds  were  never  committed  to  him  to  do;  neither 
was  he  ever  allowed  to  indulge  in  unlawful  lusts;  they  are  none  of 
his  appropriate  works  even  in  nature,  unless  by  that  appropriation 
which  he  himself  hath  made  by  deviating  from  his  proper  line,  with- 
out any  authority  from  God.  And  althougli  these  and  such  like  arc 
the  works  of  the  ficsh,  they  pertain  to  it  in  its  fallen  condition  only, 
in  its  fallen  nature  as  opposed  to  the  Spirit.  And  the  flesh  is  not  to 
be  redeemed  from  its  loss,  purified  and  saved,  but  to  be  crucified 
with  the  affections  and  lusts,  whether  appropriate  or  self-made.  So 
also,  the  old  man  is  not  to  be  renewed  and  redeemed  by  Christ,  but 
put  oiT  with  his  deeds,  whether  appropriate  by  God's  appointmeM 
or  self-made.  And  Christ  is  to  be  put  en,  the  new  man  who  is  re- 
newed in  knowledge  after  the  image  of  him  who  created  him  in 
every  follower,  in  whcrn  he  is  formed.  "  Put  ye  en  the  Lord  Jesus 
<<  Christ ;  and  make  no  pro\  islon  for  the  flesh  to  fulfil  the  lusls  theix- 
•' of,  [do  not  make  the  provision  of  the  flesh  towards  its  desires. 
Ro.  13.   14.] 

As  Jesus  was  a  partaker  of  a  human  body  and  soul  as  other  men 
?.Tc,  that  he  might  be  the  elder  Brother  of  histedeemed  brethren, 
tl'ic  Father  of  his  spiritual  children,  a  fellow  partaker  and  leader  in 
their  sufferings  and  tribulation,  and  thus  be  made  like  them  in  all 
things,  Avhile  he  opcr.ed  "for  them  the  new  and  living  way  through 
the  vail,  that  is  to  say,  his  fiesh,  his  own  being  pai  I  of  the  .same  which' 
t];cy  l>.ad,  and  by  the  cress  which  he  tav.ght  them  also  to  bear.  In  that 


NOT  OF  THE  WORLD.  339 

situation,  I  say,  he  used  the  proper  means  of  support  for  the  animal 
life  of  the  natural  body,  but  took  no  part  in  the  generation  of  tlie 
world,  nor  made  any  provision,  by  laying  out  or  submitting  to  any 
method  for  the  fulfilling  or  satisfying  of  the  desires  or  lusts  of  the 
flesh;  so  it  is  justifiable  and  consistent  with  Christianity  to  provide 
Things  necessary  and  convenient  for  the  support  of  the  body,  to  make 
a  vessel  for  God's  service,  subject  to  the  Spirit,  which  mortifies  the 
deeds  of  the  body,  but  not  to  feed  it  for  the  indulgence  of  fleshly 
lusts  or  the  performance  of  the  first  Adam's  works,  after  being  call- 
ed into  Christ.  We  have  an  altar  whereof  they  have  no  right  to 
partake  who  serve  the  tabernacle.  (Heb.  13.  10.) 

Farther  to  illustrate  the  doctrine  of  Christ  and  show  that  the  world 
Avill  hate  and  oppose  the  people  of  Christ  as  they  also  do  himself,  I 
will  introduce  iha  sayir>g  of  Christ  to  t!ie  Jews.  "  I  am  come  in  my 
"  Father's  nam.e,  and  ye  receive  me  not :  if  another  shall  come  in 
"  his  own  name,  him  ye  will  receive."  (Jno.  5.  43.)  Could  anything 
more  strikingly  exhibit  the  enmity  of  the  world  against  God  and  his 
Christ,  than  the  rejection  and  abuse  winch  Jesus  received  at  th.e  hand 
of  the  people  among  whom  he  wrought  so  many  miracles,  spake  so 
many  gracious  v/ords,  did  so  many  kind  offices  and  good  works,  and 
in  all  his  works  revealed  the  Father  so  clearly  ?  But,  /  am  come  in 
my  Father's  }iame,  and  ye  receive  me  not  :  if  another  shall  come  in 
/;/.?  o-vn  2iame,  hi?n  ijc  vjHI  receive.  Query :  If  any  man  should  come 
professedly  in  his  ov»'n  name  and  propose  to  be  a  teacher  to  lead  men 
to  life,  not  even  pretending  that  God  had  sent  him,  or  that  iic  had  any 
commission  frcrn  God,  would  even  the  world  receive  him?  I  trow 
not.  These  words  then  are  figurative  ;  and  the  phrases.  In  my  Fa- 
ther's name,  and  In  his  own  72«7/2c,  are  to  be  understood  as  containing 
nioi  e  than  words. 

When  Jesus  spake  of  the  false  prophets  and  teachers,  he  said, 
.Many  shall  come  in  my  name,  saying,  I  am  Christ.  Saying  bi;t  not 
doinff  according  to  Christ,  not  walking  in  bis  Spirit  or  works.  Now 
if  any  man  will  come  in  the  name  of  Christ,  720t  saying  but  doing 
according  to  Christ,  walking  in  his  Spirit  and  works,  him  the  multi- 
tude will  not  receive.  But  if  another  shall  come  in  his  own  name, 
as  almost  all  do,  not  saying  but  doing  also,  walking  in  his  ov.'n  ways 
and  teaching  out  of  his  own  spirit,  him  they  will  receive.  For  when 
a'man  comelh  in  his  own  name,  or  according  to  his  own  spirit,  and 
will  promise  the  people  salvation  in  that  spirit,  he  cometh  in  the 
name  and  spirit  of  all  the  world,  and  they  will  receive  him  and  close 
in  with  the  plan.  A  Christ,  or  his  ministers,  who  will  preach  salva- 
tion to  the  fiesh  or  in  the  fiesh,  bring  the  most  acceptable  news  to 
iiiankind,  and  they  will  receive  them. 

Now  it  is  according  to  the  name  and  the  spirit  and  the  practice  of 
this  world  to  marry  and  live  in  the  generation,  therefore  it  is  that  all 
those  preachers  of  the  various  denominations  v/ho  approbate  that 
work  as  being  consistent  with  Christianity  find  so  hearty  a  reception 
among  mankind.  They  bring  thera  no  cross  against  their  own  life. 
These  arc  they  who  promise  the  people  liberty  while  they  them- 


540  CHRIST'S  PEOPLE 

selves  are  the  servants  of  corruption.     But  it  is  not  according  to  the 
spirit  of  this  v/orld  for  a  man  to  deny  himself  and  take  up  his  cross 
and  follow  Christ,  bcarinf^  his  yoke  and  his  reproach,  to  crucify  the 
ilcsh  ^vith  the  affections  and  lusts  and  lose  his  life  for  Christ's  sake 
and  the   gospel's.     Therefore  it  is  that  those  preachers  and  people 
vho  follow  Christ  bearing  hi&  cross  and  his  reproach  and  teach  the 
necesMty  cf  con)jng  out  from   among  them  and  not  beirg  of  this 
world  even  as  Christ  is  not  of  this,  world,  as  the  true  way  to  be  saved, 
find  such  poor  reception  among  professed  christians  as  v.ell  as  others. 
These  are  they  who  truly  come  in  the  name  of  Christ  and  cf  the 
Father,  and  the  people  prove  it  by  their  so  generally  rejecting  them. 
The  foregoing  doctrin'e,  bears  haid  against   the  children  of  this 
%vorld,  whose  only  dependence  is  the  flesh,  who  trust  in  it  for  their 
existence  and   continued  succession  here  and   finished  happiness  m 
heaven.     For,  cut  off  the  flesh  and  the  woild  is  ruined  ;  its  children 
are  enervated  ;  they  have  no  longer  any  source  of  existence,  no  long- 
er any  comfort  or  any  lively  spring  of  action  or  pursuit,  in  this  stage 
of  action;  and  their  grand  concentrating  hope  and  prospect  of  per- 
fected happiness  (most  of  them)  in  the  next  world  is  the  resurrec- 
tion and  reanimation  of  the  flesh,  or  natural  body  ;  so  that  their  great 
confidence  is  i;i  the  flesh,  without  which  they  have  no  hope.     "  But 
"  we  are  the  circumcission  who  worship  God  in  the  Spirit,  and  re- 
"  joice  in  Christ  Jesus,  inid  have  no  covjidenee  m  the  Jlesh^  (Phil.  3. 
3.}  nciiher  for  Ijfe  nor  happiness  here,  nor  for  any  part,  much  more 
the  perfecting  of  happiness  in  heaven.     For  notwithstanding  we  had 
our  confidence  in  the  flesh  when  we  v/ere  cf  the  v/oikl,  having  re- 
nounced the  world  and  its  appropriate  works,  to  fcilow  Christ  and  be 
of  him,  wc  have  that  confidence  no  more,  neitlier  stand  in  relation  tu 
those  who  live  according  to  the  flesh.     "  For  the  love  of  Christ  con- 
'<  strainethus,  I^ecause  we  thus  judge,  that  if  one  died  for  all,  theu 
<-'■  were  all  dead  :  And  that  he  died 'for  all,  that  they  who  live,  should 
*'  not  henceforth  live   unto  themselves,   but  unto  him  whp  died  for 
»  them,  and  rose  again.     Wherefore,  henceforth   know  we   no  man 
"  after  the  flesh  :  yea,  though  we  have  known  Christ  after  the  flesh, 
«'  yet  now  henceforth  know  we  him  no  more."  (2  Cor.  5.  14,  Scc.]j 
Once  Christ  was  known  as  a  man  descending  from  the  loins  of  Abra- 
ham, Isaac  and  Jacob  according  to  the  flesh,  but  he  is  now  known  in 
the  Spirit  as  the  Lord  from  heaven  and  Head  of  the  new  and  spiritu- 
al creation,  the  tru^  Father  of  the  faithful;  the   former  kindred  or 
relation,  therefore,  according  to  the  flesh,  Avith  all  its  knowledge  is 
forgotten,  and  men  become  known  and  ur.ited  in  the  Spiiit.  "  There- 
"  fore,  if  any  man  be  in  Christ,  he  is  a  new  creature  ;  [or,  there  is  a 
"  new  creation,  Greek,]  old  things  are  passed  away,  I'.chold,  all  things 
"  are'become  new.     And  all  thi.ngs  are  of  God."     He  hath  new  mo- 
tives, new  prospects,  new  works,  a  ncv/  parentage,  and  all  new  kin- 
dred, in  the  Spirit  and  according  to  Christ,  in  the  room  of  the  old  in 
the  flesh  and  according  to  thp  first  Adam,  new  springs  and  a  ncAv 
life.     He  drinketh  out  of  a  new  fountain,  serveth  a  new  master,  and 
finally  walkcth  with  hiiii  in  the  new  and   living  way  which  he  hcKfe 


NOT  OF  THE  WORLD.  341 

consecrated  through  the  vail  in  which  he  vailed  himself  tliat  we 
might  hold  a  relation  to  him  and  follow  him  ;  that  is  to  say,  his  flesh. 
Vor  he  is  dead  Avith  Christ  from  sin,  from  the  world  and  its  rudi- 
ments, and  alive  to  God  in  the  Spirit.  His  brethren,  and  his  sistci-s, 
'  and  his  mother,  are  the  same  as  Christ's  are,  these  who  du  the  will 
of  his  Father  in  heaven.  lie  is  a  subject  of  the  same  death  whicli 
Chiist  died,  to  sin,  and  of  the  same  life  Vv-hich  Christ  lived,  lo  God. 
He  no  more  looks  to  Adam  as  his  head  or  his  root,  or  his  Iaw-!:^ivcr, 
but  to  "  Jesus  the  author  and  finisher  [or,  the  first  leader  and  pcr- 
"  fecter]  of  our  faith  ;  v,-ho,  for  the  joy  that  Avas  set  befcj-e  hii:n,  en- 
"  dured  the  cross,  despising  the  shame,  and  is  set  down  at  the  right 
"  hand  of  the  throne  of  God."  .  Thus  h.c  is  eventually  an  overcomcr 
with  Christ  and  sitteth  with  hi.ii  on  his  tlirone,  even  as  he  overcame 
and  hath  sat  down  with  the  Father  on  his  throne. 

But  all  this  work  of  dying  with  Christ,  of  sulTcring' with  him,  and 
of  losing  the  life  for  Christ's  sake  and  the  gospel's,  is  considered  by 
some  and  argued  with  obstinacy,  as  consisting  in  an  in\vard  woik,  re- 
forming indeed,  and  regulating  the  life  and  manners  of  men,  as  well 
as  softening  their  hearts,  but  not  cutting  them  off  from  the  oiiginal 
stock  so  perfectly,  but  that  they  may  do  the  appropriate  worlis  of  the 
ijrst  Adam  while  they  also  serve  Christ — may  propagate  and  do  the 
other  appropriate  works  of  the  world  while  ihey  are  not  of  the 
v.-orld  even  as  Christ  Jesus  is  not  of  the  world.  But  besides  the  im- 
possibility of  a  man's  serving-  tv/o  masters,  and  the  imprcpi'icty  or 
rather  absurdity  of  any  man's  propagating  the  world  and  doing  the 
appropriate  works  of  the  world  av:d  of  the  first  Adam  th.e  fatlicr  of 
the  world,  when  he  himself  is  not  of  the  world,  which  are  silencing 
considerations  with  men  of  discernment ;  it  may  be  asked,  Hcv>^ 
conieth  it  to  pass  that  by  the  faith,  or  work  of  Christ,  the  son  is  di- 
vided against  the  father,  and  the  father  against  the  son,  the  m.othcr 
against  the  daughter,  and  the  daughter  against  the  motlier,  the 
daughter-iii-law  against  the  mother-in-law,  and  the  mother-in-law 
against  her  daughter-in-law,  and  that  a  man's  foes  are  (emphatically) 
those  of  his  own  house,  or  family  ;  a'.id  how  cometh  it  to  pass,  with 
?ui  emphasis,  that  the  kindreds  of  the  earth  (or  earthly  kindreds,  re- 
Jations'l  shall  wail  because  of  him. ;  unless  the  faith  and  work  of 
Christ  cut  the  cords  of  the  kindred  of  the  earth  and  took  the  life  of 
the  fleshly  or  Adamic  relation?  According  to  the  promise  of  God 
to  his  Israel,  even  to  Christ,  so  it  is  coming  to  pass.  "  Thou  art  my 
*•*  battle-ax  and  my  weapons  of  war :  for  with  thee  v  ill  I  break  in 
"  pieces  the  nations,  and  with  thee  will  I  destroy  kingdoms ;  And 
"  with  thee  will  I  break  in  pieces  the  horse  and  his  rider;  And 
*'  with  thee  will  I  break  in  pieces  the  chariot  and  his  rider ;  Willi 
'<  thee  also  will  I  break  in  pieces  man  and  woman ;  and  with  thee  will  I 
"  break  in  pieces  old  and  young;  and  with  thee  will  I  break  in  pieces 
"  the  young  man  and  the  maid  ;  I  will  also  break  in  pieces  with  thee 
"  the  shepherd  and  his  flock;  and  with  thee  will  I-* break  in  pieces 
"  the  husbandman  and  his  yoke  of  o.\en  ;  and  Avith  tliee  will  I  break 
"  in  pieces  captains  and  rulers,"  (Jer.  51.  20,  to  23.)  even  all  the  con- 
nections and  the  whole  order  of  the  flesh  and  th«  v/orld,     Af'-ain, 


342  CHRIST'S  PEOPLE 

The  promise  of  God  for  the  work  of  Christ  is  as  follows.  "  And  it 
*'  shall  come  to  pass  in  that  day,  that  I  will  seek  to  destroy  all  the 
"  nations  that  come  against  Jerusalem.  And  I  will  pour  upon  the 
»'  house  of  David,  and  upon  the  inhabitants  of  Jerusalem,  the  spirit 
"  of  grace  and  supplications  :  and  they  shall  look  upon  me  whom 
*'  they  have  pierced,  and  they  shall  mourn  for  him,  as  one  mourneth 
"  for  his  only  son,  and  shall  be  in  bitterness  for  him,  as  one  that  is  in 
"  bitterness  for  his  first  born.  In  that  day  shall  there  be  a  great 
"  mourning  in  Jerusalem,  as  the  mourning  of  Hadadrimmon  in  the 
"  valley  of  Megiddon.  And  the  land  shall  mourn,  every  family 
"  apart;  the  family  of  the  house  of  David  apart,  and  their  wives 
"  apart ;  the  family  of  the  house  of  Nathan  apart,  and  their  wives 
"apart;  The  family  of  the  house  of  Levi  apart,  and  their  wives 
"  apart ;  the  family  of  Shimei  apart,  and  their  wives  apart ;  All  the 
"  families  that  remain,  every  family  apart,  and  their  wives  apart." 
(Zee.  12.  9,  to  14.)  Men  and  wives  are  in  the  course  of  this  world; 
for  its  children  marry  and  are  given  in  marriage ;  but  the  work  of 
Christ  will  rend  them  all  asunder  for  the  destruction  of  the  flesh, 
that  the  Spirit  may  be  saved — that  they  may  be  as  angels  of  God  in 
heaven,  all  joined  to  the  Lord  in  one  Spirit. 

But  it  is  argued  that  this  work  of  dying  with  Christ  was  all  done 
in  him,  that  is  by  him  in  our  room  when  he  suffered  once  in  the  end 
of  the  world,  and  that  the  actual  loosing  of  the  life  for  Christ's  sake 
and  the  gospel's  is  limited  to  those  v.'ho  are  called  to  suffer  martyr- 
dom, or  give  up  the  natural  life  in  the  cause  of  Christ.  But  if  this 
be  true,  none  besides  those  martyrs  can  be  saved :  for  whosoever 
will  save  l;is  life  shall  lose  it;  and  in  all  the  revelations  of  God  to 
men  where  do  we  read  of  any  Avho  ever  arrived  to  finished  salvation 
except  those  who  arrived  through  great  tribulation,  suffering  and 
death,  in  a  word,  any  but  martyrs  who  loved  not  their  lives  unto  the 
death  ? 

No  affliction  so  great ;  no  death  strikcth  so  deep  and  deadly  a  blow 
against  human  nature,  its  hope,  its  life  and  its  prospects  in  its  fnlien 
state  as  the  piercing  call  of  God  to  come  out  of  the  world  into 
Christ :  this  death  is  to  both  the  male  and  female  ;  for  both  are  par- 
takers of  the  ruin  v.hich  is  in  the  flesh  by  sin.  But  as  the  woman 
"vvas  first  in  the  transgression,  was  deceived,  and  first  obeyed  the  ser- 
pent, (and  the  man  obeyed  through  her  means,)  she  is  exposed  to  an 
increased  death  and  torture  in  coming  out  of  the  world  into  Christ. 
But  both  have  to  be  torn  up  from  t'le  foundation  or  never  be  saved. 
The  nature  of  the  serpent,  which  is  the  source  of  all  iniquity,  hath  its 
life  and  subsistence  in  the  works  of  natural  generation,  and  liveth  un- 
der cover  of  marriage  finst  instituted  by  Gcd,  or  that  appointment 
according  to  which  a  man  was  to  forsake  his  father  and  his  mother 
and  be  joined  to  his  Avife,  and  they  twain  were  to  be  one  flesh.  This  was 
the  original  order  of  the  first  creation,  and  was  in  its  own  time  and 
place  correct  and  innocent ;  until  the  serpent  beguiled  the  wom.an, 
and  she  became  obedient  to  luni  and  partook  of  hia  nature,  which  she 
hath  retained  ever  since,  with  much  obsequiousness  ;  and  the  »^'cnian 


NOT  6Y  the  world.  343 

ingeniously  occupying  the  same  bait,  en'dced  the  man,  and  decoyed 
him  into  the  same  transgression  ;  to  whom  he  hath  yielded  himself  a 
servant,  and  to  the  serpent  through  her,  ever  since,  to  the  production 
of  all  the  real  evils  which  are  extant,  or  ever  have  been  on  the  earth. 
For  that  original  order  appointed  and  fixed  by  God,  wherein  the 
blessing  of  God  would  have  been  found  in  peace,  had  it  been  kept 
according  to  the  original  calculation  and  design,  that  Cod  might  stek 
a  godly  sifi?rf,  (Mai.  2.  15.)  when  it  became  subverted  over  to  the 
devil,  became  the  fruitful  womb  of  the  contrary  evils,  and  the  earth 
was  filed  nvlth  -violence.  (Gen.  5.  13.)  According  to  this  view- 
Solomon,  notwithstanding  he  lived  in  a  dark  day,  when  the  light  of 
the  gospel  had  never  appeared,  and  therefore  could  not  find  out  all 
the  truth,  as  he  confessed,  w'hen  he  applied  his  heart  to  know^  and  to 
search,  ajid  to  seek  out  misdom,  and  the  reason  of  things,  and  to  know 
the  wickedness  of  foil]/,  even  the  foolishnsss,  and  madness,  exclaim- 
ed, "  And  I  find  more  bitter  than  death  the  woman  whose  licart  is  as 
«  snares  .and  nets,  and  her  hands  as  bands  ;"  (Eccl.  7-  25.)  thus  es- 
teeming the  woman  as  the  ground  work,  or  productive  soil  of  ail  the 
evils,  the  folly  and  wickedness,  under  the  sun.  According  tov/hat 
was  seen  and  written  before  ;  "  That  the  sons  of  God  saw  the  daugh- 
"  ters  of  men  that  they  w^ere  fair ;  and  they  took  them  wives  of  all 
*'  whom  they  chose.  And  God  said  my  Spirit  shall  not  ahvays  strive 
«  with  man,  for  that  he  also  is  flesh.  And  God  saw  that  the  wicked- 
"  ness  of  man  was  great  in  the  earth-,  and  that  every  imagination  of  tlie 
*'  thoughts  ofhis  heart  was  only  evil  continually."  (Gen.  5. 2, 3, 5.)  This 
was  the  fruit  of  their  being  one  flesh,  after  tlie  first  order  of  creation 
became  subverted  by  the  serpent;  and  so  it  remained,  not  only  vmtil 
the  days  of  Solomon  but  ever  since.  I  would  not  be  understood  by 
the  strong  language  here  used,  that  the  woman  is  alone  in  the  trans- 
gression :  the  man  is  as  really  guilty  as  the  woman.  But  as  the 
•woman  was  first  deceived  and  first  in  the  transgression,  she  appear- 
elh  foremost  in  the  production  of  evil  and  in  the  affliction  to  be  felt 
in  the  work  of  redemption.  "  Woe  to  them  that  are  with  child  and 
*'  to  them  that  give  suck,  in  those  days."  (Mark.  13.  17.)  Why  not 
as  directly  to  them  that  beget ;  unless  because  the  woman  star.delh 
in  the  front  of  the  afflicted  ?  For  the  work  of  redemption  ccmeth 
with  death  to  the  fallen  nature  of  the  human  family:  and  this  fallen 
nature  is  the  life  of  the  lost  vv'crld. 

From  the  same  source  may  we  account  for  the  greater  and  if  pos- 
sible more  universal  opposition  in  women  than  in  men  against  the 
gospel  and  cross  of  Christ  in  these  last  days ;  that  gospel  which  is 
especially  adapted  to  redeem  the  woman  from  all  her  woes  in  conse- 
quence of  the  fall.  The  woman  was  created  an  helper  meet  for  the 
man.  But  when  the  order  between  the  man  and  v.oni?n  was  sub- 
verted into  the  nature  of  the  serpent,  the  woman  obeying  him  instead 
of  the  man,  her  appointed  head,  they  were  both  lost  in  tlie  flesh  to- 
gether ;  and  the  woman,  viewing  the  flesh  to  be  cut  ofl"  by  the  cross 
of  Christ,  and  the  work  of  generation  to  cease,  considercth  herself 
as  rejected  and  striped  of  her  all- — dishonorable,  disesteemed  and 
cscless — a  mere  nuisance  on  the  earth:  for  if  called  cut  from  the 


3U  CHRIST'S  PEOPLE 

■work  of  propagating  the  species,  she  seeth  no  other  work  v-hlch  ihr; 
man  cannot  peiforni  Vvithout  her.  For  in  nf.twre,  she  hath, no  under- 
standing  more  tlian  the  man,  of  the  honorable  and  liappy  lot  she  is  to 
fill  in  the  ■work  of  redemption.  Besides,  since  the  day  when  the  sons 
of  God  saw  the  daughters  of  men  that  they  were  fair,  and  took  them 
wives  of  all  whom  they  chose,  the  woman  b.uth  found  that  the  only 
peculiar  attachment  or  regard  which  a  man  in  nature,  (or  in  what 
common  professors  call  grace,  or  the  gospel.)  hath  to  a  woman,  hatb 
its  root  and  subslstance  in  the  work  of  generation,  -which  being  cut 
off  by  the  failh  of  the  gospel,  her  estimation  and  glory  in  nature  are 
e'lcrnally  sunk,  and  she  is  degraded  and  ruined  :  for  her  ccnsequencc 
with  all  her  glory  is  in  the  fiesh,  and  the  glory  of  the  man,  the  iTcshly 
glory  is  in  the  woman  ;  but  the  gospel  calleth  them  both  to  worship 
God  in  the  Spirit  and  rejoice  in  Christ  Jesus,  and  have  no  confidence 
in  the  flesh.  Thus  the  unhappy  woman,  led  by  tlie  nature  of  the 
serpent,  whom  she  hath  so  long  obeyed,  unhappily  rebellcth  against 
the  messenger  of  her  peace  and  redemption,  and  the  man  led  by  the 
same  spirit  received  from  her,  rebelleth  also.  And  thus  it  will  be 
until  they  become  acquainted  with  the  nature  of  the  redemption  in. 
Christ;  in  whom  the  man  is  emphatically,  the  glory  of  God,  comely 
and  honorable,  and  the  woman  is  truly  the  glory  of  the  man,  comciy 
and  amiable  ;  and  the  union  in  the  Spirit  is  safe,  innocent  and  pure. 
This  statement  is  not  intended  to  cast  any  disparagement  on  the 
woman  in  her  proper  order,  but  if  possible  to  bring  her  to  sober  re- 
flection and  con\ict  her  judgment  aiul  conscience  of  her  lost  estate  : 
and  to  let  her  know  that  her  art  of  pleasing,  as  the  idolizing  world 
delicately  term  it,  however  noble  and  amiable  the  faculty  in  its  pro- 
per use,  is  subverted  into  the  serpentine  skill  of  beguiling  and  decoy- 
ing, being  abundantly  used  to  that  effect ;  which  if  not  crucified  by 
the  cross  of  Christ,  will  eventuate  in  her  destruction.  "  I  find,  (saith 
*•  Solomon,)  more  bitter  than  death  the  vjornan  whose  heart  is  as 
*'  snares  and  nets."  It  may  be  objected,  as  it  already  hath  been,  that 
the  woman  here  exhibited  or  characterized,  is  not  the  whole  sex  in 
contradistinction  from  the  man,  but  the  dissipated  or  lecherous  wo- 
man of  exceptionable  conduct.  This  objection  may  arise  from  two 
causes.  First ;  The  unwillingness  of  the  man  as  Aveil  as  the  woman, 
to  be  convicted  of  the  egregious  ruin  which  hath  overtaken  the  wo- 
man by  her  obedience  to  the  serpent,  and  which  is  by  her  dispersed 
amongst  her  admirers;  and  secondly,  an  unacc{uaintancc  with  the 
construction  and  force  of  language,  I  jind  7>:or:-  bluer  than  death  the 
vjoman  nvhose  heart  in  an  snares,  importing  the  «;ame  cs  if  it  read, 
./oj"  her  heart  is  as  snares  and  nets.  Surely  the  man,  lost  as  he  fs, 
Vi'iil  not  agree  that  the  woman  of  an  exceptionable  character  is  tJ:e 
only  one  wh.o  can  environ  liim  with  her  snares  and  nets.  Cut  it  is 
the  appropriate  pov/cr  of  the  woman,  in  her  fallen  state,  to  allure  by 
the  flesh  in  the  nature  of  the  serpent;  and  Solomon  v^as  led  astray, 
no  do\ibt,  by  the  most  worthy  in  his  knowledge.  Tl-e  Hebrew  text 
is  correv-tly  translated  thus.  "  I  find  more  bitter  than  death,  the  wo- 
"  man,  (or  as  the  scvcr.ty  h.ave  tran'jiatrd  it,  I  find  her  out ;  and  I  say 


Not  OF  THE  WORLD.  345 

■""  th'at  there  is  soniewhat,  more  bitter  than  death,  with  the  woniaii) 
*'  who  is  as  snares,  -and  her  heart  as  nets,  and  her  hands  as  bands." 
No  doubt,  accordinc^  to  the  words  which  follow,  "  Whoso  plcasctlj 
«  God  shall  escape  IVonx  her;  bin  the  sinner  shall  be  taken  by  her," 
'but  Solomon,  who  then  knew  uo^.  fully  the  seat  of  depravity  (but  the 
Spirit  knew,)  might  have  clierished  the  idea  that  th.c  evii  lay  in  the 
Exceptionable  condvict  of  nearly  all  women,  and  that  iftUe  good  woman 
•couid  be  foun^,  it  might  be  remedied.  But  unhappily  he  never  cou!;i 
iSnd  her;  and  no  wonder  ;  for  the  earth  had  not  yet  been  honored  with 
her  person, nor  the  church  been  blessed  with  her  Spirit.  The  Gooo  v/o  - 
man  is  she  that  hath  forsaken  and  crucified  the  flesh,  and  hath  borne  her 
cross  after  Christ  Jesus  her  Loixl :  the  good  v/oman  could  not  be  fonnct 
before  the  good  man.  The  flesh  must  be  crucified;  for  it  is  of  the  world 
and  not  of  God  ;  and  its  fruits  have  always  been  in  iniquity  and  i.n  sin; 
as  saith  the  Psalmist ;  "  Behold,  I  was  shapen  in  iniquity ;  and  in  sin 
'''  did  my  mother  conceive  me."  As  our  common  translation  reads. 
But  no  English  language  occurs  to  me,  calculated  to  express  the 
force  of  the  original,  without  lengthening  the  descrij-.tion.  The 
Psalmist,  pressed  with  the  sense  and  weight  of  his  corruption  and 
depravity,  which  he  brought  with  Mm  by  descent  from  tlie  rock 
whence  he  was  hewn  and  the  hole  of  the  pit  whence  he  was  digp-ed, 
and  laboring  to  make  a  clear  communication  of  his  impressions,  used 
the  most  energetic  expressions,  it  is  probable,  his  nilive  languria' 
could  afford,  "  I  wa.s  conceived*  in  the  act  of  iniquity,  and  in  the  act 
"  of  sin  my  mother  inclosed  me,  in  the  lust  of  coition  ;"  evidently 
making  the  whole  work  and  production^  the  fruit  of  sin,  and  that  nei- 
ther the  fellowship  nor  nature  of  God  was  therein — that  God  was  not 
known  therein. 

Would  time  and  the  limits  of  the  book,  admit,  there  is  abundant 
testimony  in  history  to  prove  by  that  authority,  that  it  hath  been  the 
faith  of  all  professed  christians  since  the  days  of  the  apostles,  to  re- 
nounce the   generation  of  the  first  Adam,  as  being  included  in  the 

*  .•'•nHSin.  J^or  what  reason  the  English  translators  have  rendered 
this  word  bij^  I  was  shapen,  /  know  not,  unless,  being  finable  to  find 
any  phrase  by  which  to  render  the  following  *n:3n%  which  they  havf 
rendered  by  conceived,  ?Afi/  substituted  the  word  shapen  /br  the  first, 
that  a  gradation,  or  increase  in  strength  of  exfire.-.sion,  somewhat 
answerable  to  the  original,  might  apfiear  in  the  descri/ition  ;  the  last 
fihrase  being  the  strongest  and  most  exfiressive  of  the  root  and  na- 
ture ofhiiman  defira-oity.  The  Septuagint,  though  oiily  a  iransla- 
tion  from  the  Hebrew  text,  and  therefore  cannot  denmnd  implicit 
reliance,  yet  as  its  authors  were  Hebrews,  and  at  least  ought  to  have 
Understood  their  own  language  correctly,  renders  the  first  of  the 
above  phrases  by  a  Greek  word,  ^^nvviXri^Orii^  which  properly  and 
naturally  reads,  I  was  conceived,  and  the  latter  by  {^c-xtc^^-^f]  a  re- 
markable word.,  which  by  a  secondary  meaning  signifes  to  conceive, 
hut  primarily,  according  to  derivation  is  indicative  of  per.'ness^  cr 
•'J>anl6n?ies8, 

X  2 


^ 


3-46  CHRIST'S  PEOPLE 

cross  of  Christ,  which  every  chrislisn  is  required  to  bear.  And  al- 
though all  did  not  bear  a  full  cress  in  that  point,  they  ■•.vho  did  were 
esteemed  the  best  christians.  At  this  day  all  these  faithful  and  zea- 
lous disciples  of  Christ  are  counted  heretics;  and  as  such  their  manr;- 
led  characters  have  been  handed  down  to  us,  by  historians  \\  ho  ■were 
enemies  to  the  cross  of  Christ.  But  enouijh  is  siaid  to  prove  the 
point  in  hand ;  neither  have  ^\c  any  good  evidence  that  the  notion  of 
christians'  marrying-  and  doing  the  vi'orks  of  the  first  Adam,  ^vas  ever 
patronised  with  full  fellowship  in  any  professed  christian  church  imtil 
in  modern  times  :  it  is  entirely  an  innovation  ;  the  \\  ork  of  men,  who 
are  lovers  of  carnal  pleasures,  more  than  lovers  of  God,  or  real 
friends  to  the  cross  of  Christ.  I  say  the  mangled  characters  of  the 
most  zealous  and  faithful  disciples,  who  have  denied  themselves  for 
the  sake  of  Chrhst  and  his  gospel,  have  been  handed  down  to  us  un- 
der the  name  of  heretics;  and  such  are  all  those  estcerned  by  the 
professing  pai't  of  the  world,  who  correctly  adhere  to  the  doctrine 
and  example  of  Christ  in  obedience.  It  is  esteemed  the  worst  kind 
of  heresy  ;  the  worst  kind  of  apostacy  from  Christ,  to  renounce  the 
world,  or  the  first  Adam  the  father  of  the  world,  and  put  all  confi- 
dence and  all  dependence  in  Christ ;  rejoicing  in  Christ  Jesus  and 
having  no  confidence  in  the  fiesh.  So  tbat  after  all  the  mighty  cut- 
cry  of  heresy,  delusion  and  presumption  against  the  believers  in 
Christ's  second  appearing,  our  faith  is  not  so  dificrent  from  that  of 
other  people,  as  many  represent  it,  or  as  prejudice  and  opposition 
say.  Do  we  believe  that  tlie  old  generation  is  not  the  w'ork  of  Jesus 
Christ?  So  do  they.  Do  we  believe  that  his  real  followers  do  not 
practise-  it? .  So  do  they  ;  as  many  as  have  kept  a  direct  line  of  iaith 
from  the  primitive  church.  Do  we  believe  that  God's  purpose  is 
to  put  a  period  to  the  world  and  the  old  generation  ?  So  do  they.  Do 
we  believe  that  God  will  put  an  end  to  the  world  by  fire,  that  the 
earth  aud  the  works  thereof  shall  be  burnt  vy),  and  that  the  elenienls 
shall  melt  with  fervent  heat  ?  So  do  they :  and  so  in  niany  other 
points.  The  erroneous  notion  among  professors,  that  prophetic  lan- 
guage can  be  understood  by  them  before  it  is  explained  by  the  ac- 
complishment, is  productive  of  many  more.  By  that  they  are  ex- 
posed to  take  metaphorical  and  symbolical  language  in  a  literal 
acceptation.  The  fire  of  Gcd  by  which  the  earth  is  to  be  consumed, 
is  preposterously  maintained  to  be  elementary  fire,  notv.itlistanding 
so  many  scriptures  speak  differently.  But  what  that  fire  is,  the  gos- 
pel, or  the  Spirit  of  God  in  the  gospel,  is  the  best  expositor,  and 
showeth  those  who  keep  the  gospel,  that  it  is  God  himself,  who  is  a 
consuming  fiie ;  or  the  Holy  Spiiit ;  who  is  tlie  fire  in  Zion ;  or 
Chiist  w^ho  is  like  a  refiner's  fire.  By  this  fire  tlic  earth  and  the 
works  that  are  therein  shall  be  burnt,  and  the  elements  shall  melt 
with  fervent  heat ;  '"  And  the  workl  passeth  away  and  tlie  lust  there- 
"  of:  but  he  that  Gocth  the  will  of  God  abideth  for  ever."  It  is 
before  shown  and  every  where  known  that  the  lust  of  the  world,  or 
th.e  works  of  the  generation  of  the  world,  are  the  elements  of  the 
workl.     "  Nevcrtl-.elcss,  we,  according  to  his  promise,  look  for  new 


NOT  OF  THE  WORLD.         ^  S4r 

•■•  heavens  and  a  new  earth,  "vvherein  clwellcth  righteousness  ;"  in  the 
earth  as  well  as  in  the  heavens,  alter  the  great  burning  hath  come  to 
pass,  and  the  heavens  and  the  earth  have  passed  away  with  a  great 
noise.  (1  John  2.  17.  2  Pet.  3.  10,  8cc.)  It  is  also  a  question  with 
some,  and  with  many  a  matter  of  obstinate  unbelief,  whether  the 
times  and  seasons  are  come,  in  which  the  old  heavens  and  earth  shall 
pass  a\Vay  by  the  lire  of  God.  The  mistaken  notion  that  the  prophe- 
cies can  be  understood  before  the  day  of  their  accomplishment  or 
v/ithout  the  gift  of  the  same  Spirit  v/ho  gave  them  at  first,  and  also 
the  notion  that  they  are  to  be  literally  fulfilled,  operate  strongly  in 
support  of  their  not  believing  that  the  times  are  come,  while  tliey 
do  not  see  those  literal  accomplishments,  not  considering  that  the 
vork  of  the  kingdom  of  Christ  is  spiritual,  and  that  "  None  of  the 
wicked  shall  understand:  but  the  wise  shall  understand j"  that  is  the 
pious.     But  these  things  Avill  be  more  fidly  considered  hereafter. 

CONCLUSION  OF  PART  SECOND, 

Thus  we  have  performed  what  was  proposed,  to  show  whaJt  ai'C  the 
distinguishing  characteristics  of  the  church,  or  body,  of  Christ,  by 
which  they  can  be  known  and  distinguished  from  all  other  people — 
They  are  found  to  be  a  people  in  the  possession  of  that  gospel  which 
giveth  them  power  over  all  sin,  so  that  in  the  progress  of  the  work 
they  cease  to  commit  sin,  or  do  any  iniquity — a  people  living  in  the 
c.Kcrcise  of  such  iove  and  union  as  no  other  people  can  imitate,  being 
the  product  of  r.o  other  cause,  no  other  spirit  than  that  of  which  they 
are  possessed — the  Spirit  of  God — the  unity  of  the  S/iirit  i?t  the  bo7id 
of  ficace — a  people  who  are  not  of  ttiis  world,  and  therefore  rcithci- 
marry  nor  are  given  in  marriage  as  the  children  of  this  world  do,  but 
live  as  the  angels  of  God,  who  are  devoted  to  the  work  and  ser\'icc  of 
God  in  the  Spirit  and  serve  not  the  flesh.  Therefore,  brethren^  ive 
(ire  debtors,  not  to  the  fesh,  to  live  after  the  fesh.  For  f  ye  live 
after  the  fesh,  ye  nhall  die  :  but  if  ye  through  the  S/iirit  do  mortify 
the  deeds  of  the  body,  ye  shall  li-ue. 

It  may  appear  to  some  a  very  improbable  thing,  or  rather  imprac- 
ticable, for  a  society  of  people  to  subsist  on  tlie  earth  from  year  to 
year,  and  from  age  to  age,  in  the  practical  rejection  of  the  physical 
order  of  procreation.  Hut  God  hath  begun  the  work  and  he  will 
carry  it  on.  It  is  not  the  work  of  man,  or  it  could  not  stand ;  for 
said  Jesus,  "  Every  plant,  Avhich  my  heavenly  Father  hath  not  plant- 
*'  cd,  shall  be  plucked  up  from  the  root."  It  hath  been  shown  that 
tl'.e  Hesh  is  not  the  source  of  confidence  in  the  people  of  God,  but  the 
Spirit — That  the  flesh  is  the  source  of  divisions,  of  v/ars  and  conten- 
tions ;  but  that  the  church  and  people  of  God  are  united  in  one  Spi- 
rit. '*  Jerusalem  is  builded  as  a  city  that  is  compact  together."  The 
church  of  God,  the  nev/  Jerusalem,  is  built  in  a  new  order  of  things 
after  the  Spirit ;  in  Christ,  "  Of  whom  the  whole  family  in  heaven 
^'  and  earth  is  named."  So  said  John,  in  the  Book  of  Revelations  ; 
^  --Vnd  I  savv'  a  ncv  heaven  and  a  new  earth :  for  the  first  heaven  aiid 


345  CHRIST'S  PEOPi.E 

•<  the  first  earth  ■^cve  passed  away ;  and  there  was  no  more  sea.** 
The  material  heaven  and  earth  coiiid  not  subsist  in  their  present  or- 
der, without  the  water  of  the  sea,  to  supply  both  the  animal  and  the 
A-ecetable  creation.  But  the  language  is  prophetic  and  symbolical. 
The  sea  is  the  source  and  treasure  of  many  ivaters  on  the  earth ; 
•which  are  used  in  this  same  book,  of  the  Revelations,  as  a  symbol  of 
Teopies,  and  multitudes,  and  nations,  and  tongues  :  a  divided  and  im- 
mense multitude  over  whom  the  great  whore ;  THE  MYSTERY 
BABYLON  THE  MOTHER  OF  HARLOTS  AND  ABOMI- 
NAvTIONS  OF  THE  EARTH  presideth,  with  noise,  tumults  and 
divisions,  like  the  roaring  waves  and  commotions  of  the  sea.  But 
none  of  these  things  are  in  the  church  of  Christ;  iia  whom  there  is 
neither  Greek  7ior  Jew,  neither  bond  nor  Jree,  neither  male  nor  fc~ 
viale  ;  neither  confusion,  nor  division,  nor  tumult ;  for  in  that  church 
God  hath  hrs  iweHing.  "  And  I  John  saw  th.c  holy  city,  new  Jerusa- 
«'  lem,  coming  down  from  God  cut  of  heaven,  prepared  as  a  bride 
"  adorned  for  her  husband.  And  I  heard  a  great  voice  out  of  hcaveUj^ 
"  saying,  Behold,  the  tabernacle  of  God  is  with  men,  and  he  will 
"  dwell  with  them,  and  they  shall  be  his  people,  and  God  himself 
"  shall  be  with  them,  and  be  their  God.  And  God  shall  wipe  away 
"  all'  tears  frcm  their  eyes  ;  and  there  shall  be  no  more  death,  neithip 
"  sorrow  nor  crying,  neither  shall  there  be  any  more  pain :  fbv  the  for-j 
"  mer  things  arc  passed  away."  (Rev.  21.  Ij  2,  3,  4.}  '  ' 


MANIFESTO. 


PART  III. 

OF  THE  RESURRECTION  AND  JUDGMENT. 

CHAPTER  I. 

Of  the  Resurrection;  more  fiarticularly  as  it  relates  to  t/ie /lerson 
oj"  Jesus  Christ. 

THE  belief  of  the  resurrection  is  acknowledged  by  all  who  pro- 
fess Christianity,  as  an  inseparable  article  in  the  profession  of  the  gos- 
pel of  Christ.  "  For  if  the  dead  rise  not,  then  is  Christ  not  raised  j 
"  and  if  Christ  be  not  raised,  your  faith  is  vain ;  ye  are  yet  in  your 
"  sins."  (1  Cor.  15.  16,  17.) 

The  gospel  of  Christ  hath  a  special  relation  to  a  future  state  of 
existence,  as  the  time  and  place  of  the  most  glorious  fulfilment  of 
its  most  precious  promises.  And  that  future  state  cf  happiness  is 
unattainable  without  the  resurrection  of  the  dead ;  because  death, 
without  restoration,  is  the  issue  with  all  in  the  first  order  and  state  of 
things,  dnce  the  fall.  For  to  this  day,  "  In  Adam  ail  die,"  accord- 
ing to  the  threatening;  "  For  in  the  day  that  thou  eatest  thereof  thou 
f  shalt  surely  die."  (Gen.  2.  \7.)  And  again  ;  "  In  the  sweat  of  thy 
"  face  shalt  thou  eat  bread,  till  thou  return  to  the  ground  ;  for  out  of 
"  it  wast  thou  taken  ;  for  dust  thou  art  and  to  dust  shalt  thou  return," 
(3.  17.)  The  only  method  therefore,  of  restoration  to  life,  and  the 
only  true  foundation  of  hope  for  a  future  state  of  happiness,  are  to 
be  found  in  Christ,  who  is  the  resurrection  and  the  life,  and  who  saith 
to  his  foHovers,  Because  I  live  ye  shall  live  also.  The  certainty  of 
the  resurrection  therefore,  is  not  a  matter  of  dispute,  being  granted 
by  all. 

The  inquiry  relates  rather  to  such  questions  as  these  ;  What  is  the 
resurrection  from  the  dead  ?  How  is  it  effected  ?  What  is  the  state 
of  those  who  have  attained  to  the  resurrection  from  the  dead  ?  Or 
in  the  language  of  scripture  ;  "  IIow  are  the  dead  raised  ?  and  with 
"  what  body  do  they  come?"  But  the  whole  of  the  differences  on 
this  subject  will  naturally  be  presented  to  view  for  investigation  in 
the  discussion  of  this  simple  inquiry  ;  Is  it  necessary  to  the  accom- 
plishment of  the  resurrection,  taught  by  Jesus  Christ  and  his  apos- 
tles, that  the  material  body,  which  men  inhabit  during  their  natural 
or  physical  life,  be  raised  again,  restored  to  life,  and  confirmed  in  etcr- 


350  OF  THE 

nal  life  ;  or  co.n  that  resurrection  be  accomplished  in  the. spirit,  ^\■kh' 
out  the  reuniting-  of  the  spirit  with  the  natural  body  ? 

In  treating  this  subject,  my  purpose  shall  be.  In  the  firet  place- — To 
collect  and  examine  the  evidences  alledged  in  favor  of  the  resurrec- 
tion of  the  same  body.  And  secondly — To  consider  some  passages 
of  scripture,  v/hich  cann9t  be  understood  with  good  sense  if  consider- 
ed as  speaking  of  the  resurrection  of  the  same  material  body.  And 
thirdly — To  show  that  the  true  resurrection  promised  in  Christ,  is  the 
passing  from  the  first  Adam  into  the  second. 

I  am  not  unavi^aie,  that  to  satisfy  the  mmd  and  conscience  of  natu- 
ral men,  and  to  stop  tlie  mouth  of  gainsaycrs,  on  this  subject,  will  be 
a  more  difHcult  and  arduous  undertaking,  than  on  almost  any  other 
particular  pertaining  to  the  gospel.  And  no  marvel,  when  it  is  con- 
sidered that  the  gospel  is  a  spiritual  topic,  pertaining  to  spiritual 
things  and  a  spiritLsal  work,  and  that  the  resurrection  is  the  very  sub- 
stance and  marrow  of  the  gospel,  and  as  it  were  the  basis  on  which  it 
stands  or  Avith  which  it  falls — No  resurrection  no  gospel.  It  is  also 
that  rudiment,  or  first  principle,  accoi'ding  to  which  the  whole  work 
of  the  gospel  is  carried  on,  and  the  whole  building  framed  together, 
and  finally  accomplished,  in  the  Spirit  of  Christ — He  is  the  resurrec- 
tion. It  is  therefore  not  strange,  that  it  is  out  of  the  reach  and  com- 
prehension of  natural  men.  "  For  the  natural  man  receiveth  not  the 
"  things  of  the  Spirit  of  God  ;  they  are  foolishness  to  him  ;  ncithei^ 
'•  can  he  know  them,  because  they  are  spiritually  discerned."  [l  Cor. 
2.  1  i."]  Nevertheless,  candid  inquirers  are  not  incapable  of  receiv- 
ing such  evidence,  adapted  to  their  intellectual  faculties,  as  will  satis- 
factorily evince,  -what  the  true  resurrection  of  the  saints  is,  and  hov/ 
to  attain  to  it. 

Now  according  to  the  proposed  plan,  the  first  business  is.  To  col- 
lect and  examine  the  eridences  alledged  in  favor  of  the  resurrection  of 
the  same  body.  And  as  the  resurrection  is  entirely  dependent  on 
revelation,  for  its  confirmation  and  elucidation,  our  examination  shall 
have  immediate  respect  to  the  scripture  testimony.  And  as  life  and 
immortality  were  brought  to  light  by  the  gospel,  and  the  resurrection 
was  not  known  with  any  certainty  to  the  Gentiles,  and  but  riii perfectly 
known  or  understood  by  the  Jews,  being  first  taught  explicitly  and 
fully  by  Jesus  Christ  and  then  by  his  apostles,  the  principal  attention 
shall  be  paid  to  the  apostolic  Avritings,  with  such  of  the  Jev.ibh  7x6 
Jesus  and  his  apostles  have  quoted. 

It  is  peculiarly  necessary  in  treating  this  subject,  to  consider  the 
great  darkness  and  ignorance  of  the  Jews  respecting  the  resurrec- 
tion ;  for  although  it  was  believed  and  looked  for  by  some,  yet  such 
was  the  darkness  on  this  subject,  and  particularly  respecting  the  re- 
surrection of  Jesus  Christ,  that  it  could  be  said  of  his  disciples  and 
f.yllowers,  "  For  as  yet  they  knev/  not  the  scriptures  that  he  must  rise 
"  again  from  the  dead."  Being  natural  and  accustomed  to  a  carnal 
dispensation,  they  understood  natural  and  carnal  things,  but  were  ig- 
norant of  the  spiritual.  This  state  of  things  made  it  necessary,  to 
u:'.e  exprer.sions  and  representations  to  the  Je\vs,  in  the  introduction 


RESURRECTION.  351 

m  chrisLianity,  very  cUfTerent  from  those  used  l^y  christians  who  iverc 
instructed  in  the  nature  of  the  spiritual  work  and  king-dom  of  God. 
Accordingly  the  apostles  used  very  different  liuiiruage,  differer.t  re- 
presentations, and  on  the  whole,  a  very  different  statement  of  facts 
in  their  first  public  ministrations,  proving-  the  certainty  of  the  resur- 
rection of  Jesus  Christ,  from  what  they  afterwards  used  in  the  pro- 
.gress  of  Christianity,  showing  what  that  resurrection  is  in  its  nature 
and  effects.  And  it  ought  by  all  means  to  be  considered,  that  the 
statement  and  proof  of  the  fact,  of  the  resurrection  of  Jesus  Christ, 
and  consequently  of  his  people,  are  very  different  matters  froTn  the 
.illustration  of  its  nature,  sliowing  how  the  dead  are  raised  and  with 
what  body  they  come.  By  not  attending  to  this  distinction,  the  mind 
is  liable  to  be  led  quite  astray,  and  to  substitute  the  natural  in  the 
room  of  the  spiritual,  and  so  err  from  the  truth  not^  knowing  the 
scriplures  neither  the  power  of  God. 

Before  we  enter  fully  into  the  discussion  of  this  subject,  it  will  be 
expedient  to  premise,  that  the  term  soov  admits,  and  neccssarilv 
rcquires,  different  acceptations,  in  the  holy  scripiures  as  well  an  in 
other  v/rilings  and  in  the  common  use  of  language,  to  the  present 
day.  Sometimes  it  means  the  animal  body  in  distinction  from  the 
spirit — Sometimes,  an  individual  person  including  body  and  spirit — 
At  other  tim.cs,  a  ntimber  of  persons  collectively,  as  wiien  we  s'^eak 
of  a  body,  or  corps  of  soldiers,  and  also  the  church,  or  bcdy  of 
■Christ,  and  the  like.  Respect  will  be  had  to  v.hatis  here  p:  cniisod, 
in  the  sequel. 

The  arguments  in  proof  of  the  i'cjurrortion  oi  the  same  natural 
©r  animal  body,  generally  concentrate  in  tiie  rcsurreclion  of  Jesus 
Christ.  The  advocates  of  this  sentiment  plead,  That  the  resurrec- 
tion of  Jes\is  Christ  was  a  real  fact — That  there  could  !)c  no  resur- 
rection of  Jesus  Christ  without  the  resurrection  and  reanimation  of  the 
same  material  body  which  he  inhabited  ];c&)re  his  crucifircion  ;  be- 
cause the  resurrection  of  that  bcdy  is  the  grand  point  in  wiiicii  his 
resurrection  consisted,  so  that  to  (leny  the  resurrection,  reanimation 
and  ascension  of  that  material  body,  is  the  same  as  to  <leny  the  re- 
surrection of  Jesus  Christ  altogether — That  the  rcsuirecticn  of  Jesus 
Christ  is  the  example  and  pledge  of  that  of  his  pccpic  ;  therefor*;, 
tho  resurrection  of  the  material  body  of  the  saints  is  an  undoubted 
fact  to  be  expected  in  the  fuHilm.ent  of  the  promises  of  God  in 
Christ ;  as  the  grand  point  in  which  the  resurrection  of  his  people 
consists,  consequently,  it  is  considered  erroneous  to  teach  that  the 
resurrection  is  come,  until  those  material  bodies  actuaiiy  arise.  These 
considerations  render  the  subject  serious. 

With  respect  Jo  the  first  paiticular here  stated,  as  pleaded  by  the 
abettors  of  the  resurrection  of  the  material  body — That  the  resur- 
rection of  Jesus  Christ  was  and  is  a  real  fact ;  It  is  prantcd  without 
hesitation.  And  also  that  his  resurrection  is  the  example  and  pledge 
of  that  of  his  people,  is  freely  acknowledged.  But  the  second  pro- 
position is  not  granted,  neither  can  it  be  proved,  neither  the  inference 
c'rawn  from  it.     For  in  the  first  place  ; 


332  OF  THE 

It  is  no  where  explicitly  stated  in  the  scriptures,  that  tiic  same 
material  body  of  Jesus  arose,  or  had  any  part  in  his  resurrection. 
Had  tiiat  been  the  case,  it  was  quite  natural  for  it  to  have  been  men- 
tioned, as  that  was  the  particular  object  of  the  disciples'  attention, 
for  which  they  sought,  and  of  which  alone  they  seemed  to  have  any 
real  knowledge  or  understanding:  for  as  yet  the  Holy  Spirit  had  not 
been  given,  to  lead  them  into  the  knowledge  of  spiritual  things.  Ac- 
cordingly, both  Peter  and  Mary  and  those  with  them,  made  their 
search  for  the  body.  And  Mary,  because  she  sa\v  not  the  body,  saicl 
«  They  have  taken  away  my  Lord."  And  the  angel,  adapting  his 
language  to  the  understanding  of  the  women,  said,  '<  Come  see  the 
place  where  the  Lord  lay."  This  manner  of  speech  was  no  doubt 
common  in  those  days,  as  it  is  also  in  these.  NothiDg  is  more  com- 
mon than  to  say  such  a  man  was  buried  there,  or  he  lies  there,  when 
at  the  same  time,  no  one  believes  the  man  is  there  at  all,  but  the  vi- 
sible part,  the  body,  or  carcase,  is  there,  and  that  serves  as  a  reason 
for  such  language  ;  but  the  most  essential  constituent  of  the  man  is 
believed  to  be  some  where  else,  so  that  professors  do  not  hesitate  to 
talk  of  such  an  one's  being  in  heaven.     In  the  next  place, 

With  all  that  is  said  oh  the  resurrection  of  Christ  and  in  confirma- 
tion of  the  fact,  there  is  no  language  used  in  the  scriptures,  but  what 
is  capable  of  being  consistently  understood,  v.ithout  implying  that  his 
material  body  had  any  share  in  the  true  resurrection  or  ascension. 
Yet  it  is  not  to  be  denied  that  he  appeared  to  his  disciples  invested 
with  a  body  which  could  be  apprehended  by  their  senses.  Of  which 
hereafter. 

Now  if  all  the  expressions  used  in  the  scriptures,  in  proving  and 
describing  this  fact,  be  capable  of  a  consistent  acceptation  without 
implying  the  resurrection,  reanimation  and  ascension  of  the  same 
material  body,  to  the  right  hand  of  the  Father,  that  view  of  the  re- 
surrection fails  of  being  established.  For  no  language  can  prove  or 
establish  any  fact,  except  that  which  cannot  be  consistently  under- 
stood in  a  different  lightj  especially  when  pointed  language,  of  equal 
authenticity,  teacheththe  contrary  :  which  will  be  inquired  into  here- 
after. 

It  is  farther  to  be  considered  here,  and  kept  in  mind  through  the 
whole  inquiry  and  argumentation,  that  unless  the  ascension  of  the 
same  material  body  to  the  right  hand  of  the  Father  can  be  establish- 
ed, the  above  plan,  of  a  literal  resurrection,  must  fall  to  the  ground. 
For  he  is  the  life  as  well  as  the  resurrection,  and  that  which  arose, 
must  also  have  ascended,  and  live  for  ever,  else  not  be  a  participator 
in  the  resurrection  of  Christ;  and  to  consider  the  resurrection  of  the 
same  body  as  an  example  and  pledge  of  that  of  the  saints,  and  then 
to  suppose  that  body  not  to  ascend  as  aforesaid,  would  render  the  re- 
surrection of  the  saints  a  blank. 

In  the  histories  of  the  evangelists  we  find  the  following  remarka- 
ble language,  which  is  argued  as  an  unequivocal  proof  of  a  real 
material  body,  consequently  the  same  which  was  crucified.  "  And 
«  they  came  and  held  him  by  the  feet,  and  worshiped  him."  [Matt. 


kESURRECtioN.  fk 

58.  9.j  "  And  as  they  thus  spake,  Jesus  himself  stood  in  the  midsl 
"  of  them,  aad  saith  unto  them,  Peace  be  unto  you.  But  they  were 
*«  terrified  and  affrighted,  and  supposed  that  they  had  see  1  a  spirit. 
"  And  he  said  unto  them,  Why  are  ye  troubled  ?  and  why  do  vhous^hls 
"  arise  in  your  hearts  ?  Behold  my  hands  and  my  feet,  that  it  is  I 
«  myself:  handle  me  and  see :  for  a  spirit  hath  not  flesh  and  benes  as  ye 
*'  see  me  have.  And  when  he  had  thus  spoken,  he  showed  tlicm  his 
«'  hands  and  his  side."  [Luk.  24.  36,  to  40.]  "  Then  the  same  day 
*'  at  evening,  being  the  tirst  day  of  the  week,  when  the  doors  were 
*'  shut  where  the  disciples  were  assembled  for  fear  of  the  Jews,  came 
*'  Jesus,  and  stood  in  the  midst,  and  saith  unto  them,  Peace  be  unto 
*'  you.  And  w'lien  h6  had  so  said  he  sliowed  unto  them  his  hands 
"'  and  his  side.  Then  were  the  disciples  glad  when  Tiiey  saw  the 
*'  Lord."  "  And  alter  eight  days  again  his  disciples  were  within, 
"  and  Thomas  witli  them :  then  came  Jesus,  the  doors  being  shut, 
""  and  stood  in  the  midst,  and  said.  Peace  be  unto  you.  Then  saith 
"  he  to  Thomas,  Reach  hither  thy  finger,  and  behold  my  hands;  and 
*'  reach  hither  thy  hand,  and  thrust  it  into  my  side  ;  and  be  not  faith- 
*'  less  but  believing.  And  Thomas  answered  and  said  ur.io  him, 
«  My  Lord  and  my  God."  [Jno.  20,  19,  20,  26,  27.  28.]  Here  it  is 
argued,  was  a  real,  material  body. 

It  hath  been  granted  above,  that  he  appeared  in  a  body  which 
could  be  apprehended  by  the  senses,  seen  and  felt.  But  it  is  argued 
that  it  was  a  body  of  flesh  and  bones :  so  be  it ;  therefore  a  body 
which  could  not  inherit  the  kingdom  of  God,  and  consequently  did 
hot  ascend  thither.  For  flesh  and  blood  cannot  inherit  the  kingi- 
dom  of  God  ;  and  it  is  known  that  flesh  and  bones  do  not  live  without 
blood,  because  the  life  of  all  (such)  living  is  the  blood  thereof;  and 
it  is  evident  that  the  phrases,  flesh  and  blood  and  flesh  and  bones  lite- 
rally mean  one  and  the  same  thing — the  animal  constitution  distinctly 
from  the  spirit ;  the  latter  of  which  is  capable  of  inheriting  the  king- 
dom of  God,  but  not  the  former. 

But  this  body  had  the  wounds  in  the  hands,  feet  ?.nd  si'i-;,  and  there- 
fore must  be  the  same  body.  If  the  wounds  prove  it  to  have  been 
the  same  body  which  was  pierced  with  the  spear  and  the  nails  in  the 
crucifixion,  they  also  prove  it  to  have  remained  in  the  same  material 
state  as  when  he  was  crucified  and  buried ;  but  that  was  hot  possible, 
because  he  had  appeared  to  some  in  a  different  form  once  or  twice, 
on  that  same  day,  in  the  evening  of  which  he  tan)e  and  stood  in  the 
midst,  and  showed  himself,  on  the  first  occasion  of  which  John  hath 
related  these  circumstances.  This  appearance  was  in  the  eveninr;  of 
the  first  day  after  the  resurrection,  as  particularly  stated  by  both 
Luke  and  John,  who  both  relate  the  same  interview  between  Jesus 
and  his  disciples. 

Now  to  have  preseiA'ed  the  woiinds  safe  through  such  changes,  oi^ 
to  have  restored  them  to  their  former  state  for  the  disciples  to  see 
them,  implies  an  accommodation  of  his  appearance  to  their  preju- 
dices and  natural  senses  as  really  as  an  assumption  of  the  whole  bo- 
dy, or  the  accommodating  of  himself  to  their  senses  while  the  ani- 

T  2 


BSJ.  OF  THE 

mi'  1  body  constituted  no  part  of  the  representation  ;  the  existence 
therefore  of  those  wounds  proves  nothing  in  favor  of  that  being  the 
same  body  which  had  been  crucified.  Add  to  this  the  remarkable 
fact  of  his  coming  and  showing  himself  to  them  when  the  doors  were 
shut,  so  carefully  related  by  John,  in  his  i.arrc.tive  both  of  the  even- 
ing of  the  first  day  and  also  of  the  eighth  after,  when  Thomas  was 
present.  Unquestionably  the  evangelist,  in  relating  this  fact  so  care- 
fully on  each  of  these  occasions,  intended  to  indicate  something  ex- 
traordinary or  miraculous  in  it.  If  then  the  miracle  consisted  in  the 
same  material  body's  being  found  in  the  house,  or  coming  in,  when  the 
comnjon  avenues  adapted  to  the  entrance  of  such  bodies  were  all 
closed,  it  proves  unequivocally  that  these  wounds  were  also  miracu- 
lously preserved  or  restored,  to  accommodate  the  appearance  to  the 
prejudices  and  carnal  weaknesses  of  the  disciples.  The  discovery 
therefore,  or  the  existence  of  these  wounds,  is  no  pi'oof  of  its  being 
the  same  body,  for  it  was  as  natural  according. to  the  view  here  stated, 
to  show  them  in  one  body  as  another.  With  respect  to  the  silly 
plea  which  I  have  heard,  that  Jesus  had  gone  into  the  house  and  con.- 
cealed  himself,  while  the  doors  were  yet  open,  it  implicates  him  in 
the  commission  of  a  fraud,  or  the  disciples  in  an  uncandid  statement 
of  facts ;  or  both.  For  him  to  come  into  the  midst  of  them,  the 
doors  being  shut,  if  he  had  come  in  before,  Avas  no  more  extraordi- 
nary than  for  any  other  man  to  step  into  a  company ;  and  tlie  suppo- 
sition gives  the  whole  narrative  the  appearance  of  fiction  and  atfec-. 
tation,  and  not  a  relation  of  simple  facts :  the  notion  is  chimerical. 

As  for  the  objection  which  some  make,  that  this  view  of  the  sub- 
ject represents  Jesus  as  putting  a  cheat  on  the  disciples,  persuading 
thern  it  was  the  same  body  when  it  was  not,  it  is  easily  obviated. 
This  reply  is  plain  and  simple.  That  he  was  the  same  Jesus  Christ 
who  had  before  conversed  with  them  and  had  been  crucified,  and 
that  was  the  point  to  be  proved  ;  but  that  he  was  then  clothed  with 
the  same  animal  body  in  which  he  had  formerly  dwelt,  the  disciples 
laever  tell  us  that  it  was  the  same  or  that  they  thought  it  was.  And 
admitting  that  in  their  ignorance  of  spiritual  things  and  the  earthly 
conceptions  relative  to  the  kingdom  of  God,  which  they  then  had  and 
retained  until  after  the  ascension  and  the  giving  of  the  Holy  Spirit, 
they  had  nojother  apprehension  or  conception,  than  that  he  .appeared 
to  them  in  the  same  body  as  before,  that  being  the  extent  of  their 
knowledge  or  prospeats,  this  being  an  admissible  case,  (which  I 
would  not  pcremtorily  contradict,)  is  no  proof,  either  that  the  former 
animal  body  was  a  partaker  of  the  true  resurrection,  or  that  the  dis- 
ciples were  imposed  on  by  any  fraudulent  or  deceptions  measures. 
They  received  such  evidences  of  the  triitii  as  their  weaknesses  re- 
quired, and  their  infancy  in  spiritual  tilings  admitted  ;  for  they  were 
yet  unacquainted  witli  the  distinction  between  the  natural  and  spi- 
ritual creation — between  the  old  man  and  the  new.  And  there  could 
be  no  deception  in  his  appearing  to  them  in  the  old  creation,  or  body, 
or  an  assumed  body  in  the  appearance  of  the  old,  until  they  were 
oonvinced  of  his. resurrection,  his  being;  alive  and  his  really  appear- 


RESURRECTION.  355 

ing  to  them,  and  until  they  obtained  more  correct  knowledge  of  his 
true  character  in  the  new  creation,  more  than  in  any  man's  putting  on 
a  coat  which  he  had  been  accustomed  to  wear,  or  one  resembling  it 
where  the  people  were  not  sufficiently  acquainted  with  him  to  know 
him  without  such  coat,  and  yet  the  necessity  of  his  being  known 
were  indispensable. 

If  it  was  an  imposition  or  cheat  for  Jesus  Christ  to  show  himself 
to  his  disciples  in  a  form  adapted  to  their  senses  and  apprehension, 
when  he  was  not  clothed  in  the  same  flesh  and  blood,  which  he  had 
formerly  taken  on  him,  it  was  no  less  an  imposition,  to  intimate  that 
the  wounds  had  remained  as  they  were,  after  having  passed  through 
tliat  which  rendered  it  impossible.  ■  And  no  reason  can  be  produced, 
why  he  should  carry  those  wounds,  after  he  arose,  had  he  even  inha- 
bited the  same  body,  except  to  accommodate  himself  to  the  senses 
and  understanding-  of  his  disciples,  so  as  to  gain  their  consent  to  the 
truth  of  his  being  alive,  or  the  truth  of  his-  resurrection.  Figures 
and  shadowy  representations  are  not  the  substance  ;  yet  they  are  not 
false  or  fraudulent,  when  they  subserve  the  purpose  of  conveying 
evidence  to  the  understanding  and  of  establishing  truth.  The  disci- 
ples were  yet  in  nature,  the  Holy  Spirit  being  not  yet  given,  and 
needed  natural  and  perceptible  representation^,  to  confirm  them  in 
the  faith  of  that  substance  which  is  spiritual. 

But  the  advocates  for  the  resurrection  of  the  animal  body  argue 
farther  ;  That  as  the  l)ody  had  now  become  spiritual,  it  could  be  put 
into  any  form,  or  removed  to  any  place,  Dn  any  necessary  occasion, 
with  the  utmost  ease,  a  spiritual  body  being  unresisted  by  matter. 
\yithout  this  expedient  there  is  no  accounting  for  the  various  appear- 
ances which  took  place,  as  passing  into  the  house,  the  doors  being 
shut,  disappearing  in  the  open  light,  and  the  like.  But  this  argu- 
ment militates  directly  against  the  common  plea,  that  it  Mas  properly 
fl-fesh  and  bones,' and  the  same  in  which  he  was  crucified.  Thus  the 
arguments  on  that  side  of  the  question  destroy  each  other,  and  like 
the  witnesses  against  Chrict  in  old  time,  agree  not  among  themselves. 
For  the  arguments  adduced  to  prove  the  resurrection  of  the  same 
material  b'bdy,  assert  that  it  is  yet  material,  fiesh  and  bones,  conse- 
sequently  that  which  cannot  inherit  the  kingdom  of  God,  and  there- 
fore can  have  no  participation  in  the  resurrection  of  Christ,  as  alrea- 
dy proved.  But  if  to  avoid  this  difficulty,  it  be  argued,  that  the  body 
which  was  raised  was  spiritual,  the  one  argument  invalidates  the 
other,  and  there  remains  no  proof  of  its  being  the  former  material 
body.  And  if  it  be  said  that  the  body  of  Jesus  is  not  asserted  or  be- 
lieved to  have  been  proper  flesh  and  bones  after  the  resurrection,  but 
that  which  had  been  such,  now  become  a  spiritual  body.  I  ask  what 
peculiar  faculty,  or  ability,  such  a  spiritual  body  would  possess  to  fa- 
Tor  the  appearance  of  flesh  and  bones,  or  what  claim  it  would  have 
to  be  so  denominated,  above  that  which  was  originally  spiritual  ?  Spi- 
rit is  spirit ;  and  that  which  is  of  the  spirit  is  also  spirit.  And  flesh 
is  flesh,  and  that  which  is  of  the  fiesh  is  also  flesh.  So  that  all  such 
motions  of  fl«sh  and  blood,  or  flesh  and  bones,  becoming  spirit,  o»  • 


3j6  of  the 

being  so  modified  as  to  constitute  a  spiritual  body,  arc  without  fou»  *. 
dation. 

But  the  crowning  argument  with  some  may  be,  that  the  body  of 
Jesus  was  not  transformed  into  a  spiritual  body,  as  long  as  he  con- 
versed with  his  disciples,  but  was  thus  translated  when  he  ascended 
to  heaven.  But  this  proposition  lacks  proof.  It  also  militates  against 
the  scripture  testimony,  and  even  contradicts  it,  concerning  the  re- 
surrection of  the  dead,  of  which  the  resurrection  of  Christ  is  main- 
tained, not  improperly,  to  be  an  example,  It  is  raised  a  spiritual  body: 
of  this  hereafter.  Neither  is  the  above  proposition  free  from  the 
former  difficulty,  that  fiesii  and  blood  cannot  inherit  the  kingdom  of 
CTod.  And  the  scripture  makes  yjo  provision  for  any  qualification  of 
that  unequivocal  expression ;  for  neither  is  there  any  doctrine  in 
revelation,  nor  any  principle  in  natural  reason,  philosophy  or  morals, 
to  teach  us  that  matter  can,  by  any  method  or  degree  of  modifica- 
tion, be  transformed  into  spirit :  ail  such  conceptiojps  therefore,  are  at 
best  vague  and  groundless.  '      '      "' 

This  sentence.  "  A  spirit  hath  not  flesh  arxl  bones,  as  ye  see  me 
<'  have,"  contains  no  real  proof  that  it  was  tl.ie  same  body,  when  two 
things  are  considered.  First ;  the  intention  of  the  expression;  which 
v/as  to  convince  the  disciples  that  he  was  a  real  man,  the  same  Lord 
Jesus  whom  they  had  formerly  known,  and  by  the  way  to  dispel  their 
fear?,  and  so  bring  thein  to  be  composed  and  conversable.  For  they 
wereterrified  and  affrighted  and  supposed  they  had  seen  a  spirit.  This 
shows  that  he  had  hot  the  common  appearance  ;  for  why  should  they 
be  terrified  at  tlie  sight  of  a  man  with  whom  they  had  been  so  long 
conversant  or  suppose  him  to  be  some  unknown  spirit,  having  already 
heard  that  he  had  risen  ?  The  answer  however  was  well  caleul-ati-d 
to  soothe  their  minds,  until  they  should  becorne  better  acquainte4 
with  him  in  his  tnie  order. 

The  terror  with  which  the  disciples  were  seized  on  that  occasion 
and  the  reason  assigned,  strongly  indicate  the  necessity  which  existed, 
th3t  he  should  show  himself  to  them  a  man  in  full  form  with  flesh 
a.;Kl  bones.  They  v.-ere  terrified  and  affrighted,  and  supposed  that; 
they  had  seen  a  spirit.  From  this  it  appears  they  knew  very  little 
about  spirits  :  they  had  not  yet  understood,  that  their  I^ord  and  Mas-. 
ter  was  a  spirit.  But  they  were  now  in  a  kiiid  of' deserted  forlorn 
condition™- their  Lord  had  been  crucified- — the  Jews  Vv'ere  their  enc' 
mies,  for  fear  of  whom  they  were  gathered  together  info  that  house—- 
and  in  the  midst  of-  these  calamilies,  as  if  to  perfect  their  misery^ 
behold  1  a  spirit-?— an  evil  spirit,  or  demon,  as  they  supposed — a  mes- 
senger of  evil.  For  why  should  they  have  been  afraid  of  an  heaven- 
ly spirit- — an  angel  of  peace  ?  But  their  understanding  was  small  on 
these  subjects.  No  method  therefore  was  so  proper,  to  calm  their 
fca''f.,  as  to  present  himself  to  them,  a  man  in  full  form,  and  perfect 
in  all  his  members,  and  give  them  a  fair  opportunity  to  esfmint; 
hh>i,  LOf;e*hcr  with  the  wounds  which  he  had  wisely  rctnincd  for  tiiis 
purpose,  vr^tJi  they  were  satisfied  that  This  is  He.  It  halh  hern 
already  (jvi^gicj  that  nuch  ^repr-^sentations  imply  no  fraud.    Observe.; 


RESURRECTION.  557 

It  is  not  said,  I  am  flesh,  or  I  have  fiesh  and  bones ;  but,  a  spirit  hath 
not  flesh  and  bones,  as  ye  see  nie  have — as  ye  behold  or  [(Sfcopfttf.] 
contemplate  me  as  having.  A  lorm  of  expression  perfectly  consist- 
ent with  an  accommodating  appearance,  or  an  assumed  body  lor  ac- 
commodation's sake.  For  the  Lord,  even  Jesus  Christ,  is  a  Spirit, 
and  therefore  hath  neither  flesh  nor  bones. 

Secondly ;  We  are  told  by  the  learned,  that  according  to  the  idiom 
or  manner  of  the  Jews,  whose  language  Jesus  and  his  disciples  used, 
they  said  any  thing  is  so,  when  it  appeared  to  be,  and  there  are  exam- 
ples in  the  scriptures  to  confirm  this  observation.  Accordingly  it  is 
said.  (Gen.  5.  24."!  "  And  Enoch  walked  with  God,  and  he  w?.s  net  : 
<'  for  God  took  him."  He  did  not  cease  to  be,  he  only  di?apf  eared 
from  the  earth.  "  And  (Jno.  1.  14.)  the  Word  was  made  flesh;" 
that  is,  was  clothed  with  flesh,  or  took  on  him  flesh  and  blood  such  as 
the  children  had.  Again;  (2  Cor.  5.  2i.)  "  For  he  liath  made  hiiu 
"  who  knew  no  sin,  sin  for  us."  For  our  sakes  he  prepared  liim  a 
body,  and  clothed  him  in  flesh  and  blood  such  as  the  cliiidren  liad, 
sinful  as  it  was,  thus  laying  on  hirn  the  iniquity  of  us  all.  But  who 
is  dark  enough  to  believe  that  the  Word  which  was  God,  was  also 
proper  flesh,  or  that  Jesus  Christ  was  really  sin  ?  Again;  (Ro.  5. 
20.)  "Moreover  the  law  entered  that  the  ofTcnce  might  ahotmd." 
That  it  might  be  seen  how  much  it  did  abound,  for  by  the  law  is  the 
knowledge  of  sin.  Once  more  ;  (Ro.  6.  17.)  "  But  God  be  thanked 
^'  that  ye  were  the  servants  of  sin."  That  ye  iiave  seen  that  ye  were 
servants  and  taken  the  conviction.  These  examples  are  suflicient  to 
confirm  the  observation,  that  it  was  according  to  the  Jews'  manner 
to  say  on  many  cccasions,  that  such  a  matter  is,  when  it  appeared  to 
|)e.  The  saying  of  Jesus  therefore,  after  the  fullest  examination  con- 
tains neither  assertion  nor  conclusive  proof  thai  he  then  posses.scd 
the  same  animal  body  which  he  had  formerly  inhabited. 

The  saying  of  IMatthew,  "  And  they  came  and  held  him  by  tlie 
".feet,"  contains  no  decisive  proof  that  it  was  the  same  body.  Before 
any  such  fact  can  be  established  from  that  saying,  we  must  have  it 
proved  that  the  body  which  Jesus  possessed  when  divested  of  the 
clay  tenement,  and  which  saints  also  possess  eventually,  is  incapable 
of  perceptibility  and  form,  and  also  that  he  was  unable  to  assume  per- 
ceptibility for  the  satisfaction  of  those  women. 

Another  particular  related  by  Luke  of  that  first  memorable  even- 
ing, was  his  eating.  (24.  41,  to  43.)  "  And  while  they  yet  believed 
''  not  for  joy,  and  wondered,  he  said  unto  them,  Have  ye  here  any 
"  meat  ?  And  they  gave  him  a  piece  of  a  broiled  fish  and  ol  an  honey- 
^'  comb.  And  he  took  it,  and  did  eat  before  them."  It  is  presuma- 
ble, that  few,  if  any,  will  be  so  weak  as  to  suppose  this  was  done 
for  any  thing  else  than  a  sign,  to  take  off  their  excessive  commotion 
of  mind,  to  render  them  more  conversable  by  becoming  more  fami- 
liar with  them,  and  eventually  to  confirm  their  faith  in  the  resurrec- 
tion, and  in  him  as  their  Lord  and  Master.  Now  if  this  sign  could 
not  have  been  given  without  the  use  of  the  same  body  which  he  for- 
f.\ev\y  inhabitod,  it  must  undoubtedly  have  been  there.     But  I  pre- 


3oS  OF  THE 

sunie  none  will  say  that  Jesus  had  not  power  to  give  it  through  some 
otlicr  medium;  it  therefore  fails  of  proving  the-  presence  of  the 
same  body. 


CHAPTER  n. 

The  subject  cont'miied  ;  ivith  some  att;7ition  to  firofihetic  scriptti     t, 

SEVERAL  other  particulars  are  recorded  by  the  evangelisia  .a 
confirmation  of  the  fact,  that  Jesus  rose -from  the  dead ;  but  I  have 
purposely  selected  those  Avhich  had  the  gres-test  appearance  of  favor- 
ing those  who  plead  that  the  same  material  body  arose,  and  asceodedy 
and  that  the  same  matci  ial  bodies  of  the  saints  must  also  arise.  My 
object  in  selecting  these  hath  been,  that  the  labor  might  be  shortened, 
both  in  writing  and  reading ;  for  these  comprehend  every  evidence 
contained  in  the  other  particulars,  and  so  present  the  whole  in  a 
shorter  view  than  could  have  been  done  by  quoting  every  passage 
which  speaks  of  these  things.  And  in  all  these,  and  all  the  rest,  al- 
though there  is  suflicicnt  proof  that  Jesus  rose  fronl  the  dead,  yet 
none  either  by  expi-ess  testimony  or  by  necessary  consequence,  that 
the  same  body  arose  ;  because  all  the  language  is  capable  of  a  differ- 
ent acceptation  consistently  with  truth.  For  as  before  intipiated,  it 
is  perfectly  just  to  plead,  that  as  long  as  the  language"  alledged  in 
proof  of  the  fact,  is  capable  of  a  different  acceptation,  it  cannot  pass  for 
proof,  especially  considering  that  other  scriptures  of  equal  authenti- 
city more  explicitly  teach  the  contrary.  Uncertain  consequential  argu- 
ments, and  tliese  pai-tly  analogical,  however  plausible;  without  explicit 
testimony,  must  not  be  allowed  to  overbalance  proposed  and  explicit 
teachings  of  equal  authority  ;  neither  can  literal  and  natural  repre- 
sentations of  a  spiritual  work,  adapted  to  the  understanding  of  natu- 
ral men,  be  admitted  as  being  capable  of  cornmunicating  the  know- 
ledge and  understanding  of  said  work,  as  well  as  the  work  itself,  or 
the  language  and  experience  of  those  who  travel  in  it. 

The  subjects  of  every  new  dispensation  require  the  light  and 
teachings  of  that  dispensation,  before  they  can  understand  the  nature' 
and  order  of  its  works.  The  apostles  wei'C  just  emerging  from  a 
dispensation  which  consisted  in  outward  things.  In  meats  and  drinki 
and  divers  washings  and  carnal  ordinances,  and  which  had  only  a 
shadow  of  good  things  to  come  and  not  even  the  real  image  of  the 
things,  (Heb.  9.  10,  and  10.  1.)  and  were  properly  in  a  carnal  state, 
and  had  earthly  conceptions  of  the  work  of  Christ  and  kingdom  of 
God,  as  their  works  and  language  every  where  show.  At  one  time 
they  were  inclined  to  command  fire  to  come  down  from  heaven, 
to  consume  those  who  did  not  receive  their  master.  [Luk.  9.  54.]  At 
another  time  they  undertook  to  defend  him  with  the  sword.  [Jno.  1  S. 
10.  Matt.  26.  41.1  And  at  another  time  Peter  undertook  to  rebuke 
Jesiis  himself  bel:ause  he  showed   thcjn  what  should  befall  ijii^? 


RESURRECTION.  359 

*'  That  he  must  go  to  Jerusalem,  and  suffer  many  things  6f  the  El- 
"  ders  and  chief  Priests  and  scribes,  and  be  killed,  and  be  raised  again 
»'  the  third  day.  Then  Peter  took  him,  and  began  to  rebuke  him, 
"  saying,  Be  it  far  from  thee,  Lord :  this  shall  not  be  unto  thee."  No 
doubt  but  he  intended  to  fight  courageously.  But  Jesus  ordered 
Jiim  to  get  behind  hivn,  as  one  v.ho  stood  in  his  way,  and  called  him 
satan,  an  enemy,  telling  him  in  plain  terms  that  he  savored  the  things 
,of  men,  who  seek  ease  and  protection  to  the  fiesh,  and  not  the  thhigs 
of  God,  whose  way  h  to  crucify  the  flesh  that  the  spirit  may  be  saved, 
"  Get  thee  behincl  me,  satan  ;  thon  art  an  offence  to  me  :  for  thou 
"  savorest  not  the  things  that  be  of  God,  but  those  that  be  of  men." 
[Matt.  16.  21,  to  23.1  And  so  deeply  were  they  ail  lost  in  a  carnal 
sense  of  things,  and  m  ignorance  of  the  work  and  kingdom  of  God, 
that  when  Jesus  was  taken  and  crucified,  they  felt  themselves  for- 
saken, and  beoame  disconsolate,  as  though  all  had  been  lest.  For 
notwithstanding  ail  the  teachings  which  they  had  received  from  his 
own  mouth,  and  the  writings  of  tlieir  own  prophets  they  knew  not 
that  he  was  to  ht  put  to  death  and  to  rise  again,  "  For  as  yet  they 
*'  knew  not  the  scripture,  that  he  must  rise  again  from  the  dead," 
iJno.  20.  9.j  and  when  it  came  to  pa«is,  they  were  with  difhculty 
prevailed  on  to  believe,  by  the  plainest  testimony  of  their  OAvn  senses, 
as  their  history  shows.  And  even  after  he  had  risen  and  they  had 
believed  and  conversed  with  him  about  forty  days,  their  carnal  sense 
greatly  remained,  and  they  still  expected  aq  earthly  kingdom.  And 
hoping,  that  as  he  was  risen  from  the  dead  to  their  full  conviction 
and  satisfaction,  the  time  had  come  when  he  would  commence  his 
reign  Vv'ith  them  for  ever,  "  They  asked  of  him,  saying.  Lord,  wilt 
"  thou  at  this  time  restore  again  tlie  kingdom  to  Israel  ?  And  he 
<'  said  unto  them.  It  is  not  for  you  to  kiiov/  the  times  or  the  seasons, 
•'  which  the  Father  hath  reserved  in  his  own  power.  But  ye  shall 
*'  receive  jxAver  after  that  the  Holy  Ghost  is  com.e  upon  you."  [Acts. 
L  6,  to  8.]  They  asked  him,  if  he  would  at  this  time  restore  the 
kingdom,  as  though  they  had  once  had  it,  (wlien  that  which  they  had 
had  was  only  carnal,)  after  he  had  so  plainly  taught  them  long  before, 
that  the  kingdom  is  within,  and  cometh  not  with  obser^"ation,  or  out- 
ward show.  But  knowing  their  earthly, conceptions  and  their  short- 
sightedness in  spiritual  matters,  he  referred  them  to  the  teachings  of 
the  Holy  Spirit,  shortly  to  be  given  to  them,  whose  office  it  was  to 
guide  them  into  all  truth,  and  to  take  of  the  things  of  Jesus  Christ 
and  show  to  them  ;  whom  after  they  had  received,  they  began  to  un- 
derstand the  spiritual  nature  of  the  work  and  kingdom  of  God. 

Now  it  could  not  be  expected,  that  the  disciples,  under  the  influ- 
ence of  those  earthly  \\exvs  with  which  they  were  so  strongly  pre- 
possessed, according  to  the  vrorks  and  teaching  of  the  dispensation 
in  which  they  had  been  educated,  could  suddenly  receive  the  know- 
ledge and  understanding  of  a  spiritual  kingdom  and  of  the  resurrection 
to  eternal  life  in  that  kingdom,  without  such  evidences  and  represen- 
tations, adapted  to  their  senses  and  their  understanding,  as  were  suffi- 
cient to  establish  thg  fact,  that  Jesus  did  arise,  and  confirm  them  in 


360  OF  THE 

the  belief  of  it,  the  tnie  nature  of  which  they  had  afterwards  to 
learn,  by  a  farther  experience  under  the  guidance  of  the  Holy  Spi- 
rit. And  for  the  same  reason,  it  behooved  these  disciples,  in  preach- 
iii!^  the  gospel  to  others,  who  labored  under  the  same  disadvantages, 
or  greater,  to  present  to  them,  such  evidences  as  w  ere  calculated  to 
beget  in  them  the  faith  of  the  fact,  that  Chiist  arose  from  the  dead, 
by  addressing  them  in  such  language,  as  they  coidd  understand, 
although  by  so  doing,  they  were  obliged  to  dwell  greatly  in  the  let- 
ter, and  leave  the  true  spiritual  substance  to  be  learned  by  future  ex- 
perience. All  people  must  be  children  in  grace,  as  well  as  in  nature, 
before  they  can  be  men  and  women  of  full  age,  grown  up  into  hinx 
in  all  things,  who  is  the  head,  even  Christ. 

It  will  likely  be  objected  that  it  is  unfair  to  make  a  studied  labor 
of  explaining  all  these  facts  in  such  a  manner  as  to  exclude  the  re- 
surrection of  the  animal  body,  when  a  simple  attention  to  the  narra- 
tive would  certainly  fix  that  impression.  Thus  it  hath  been  objected 
to  me,  that  a  child  would  leceive  the  understanding  of  the  natural 
body  as  being  raised,  by  just  reading  or  hearing  the  account.  I  ac- 
knowledge the  truth  of  the  observation,  but  not  the  propriety  of  the 
argument.  And  no  doubt  a  child  or  minor,  previously  to  better  infor- 
mation, being  necessarily  ignorant  of  the  nature  and  order  of  spirits, 
or  spiritual  existence,  would  readily  receive  the  impression  of  a  natu- 
ral body,  as  well  as  others  who  know  nothing  beyond  nature  ;  but  the 
argument  is  disingenuous,  f  )r  although  Jesus  enjoined  it  on  all,  to 
become  as  little  children,  that  requisition  did  not  relate  to  the  under- 
standing of  the  spiritual  nature  of  his  work  and  kingdom,  but  to  sim- 
plicity of  manners  teachableness,  and  the  like.  Hence  the  apostle's 
exhortation,  >'•  Brethren,  be  not  children  in  understanding;  howbeit 
"  in  malice  be  yc  children,  but  in  understanding  be  men."  [I  Cor. 
1 4.  20.]  It  is  also  granted  tliat  the  narrative  of  facts  given  by  the 
evangelists  would  readily  fix  the  impression  of  the  resurrection  of 
the  animal  body,  were  there  no  testimonies  to  the  contrary,  and  were 
not  the  subject  better  understood  by  the  gift  of  the  Spirit  in  those 
who  have  traveled  in  their  spirits  into  the  same  work  with  Christ,  as 
the  apostles  began  to  do  after  the  Spirit  descended  on  them  ;  or  could 
the  resurrection  of  the  animal  body,  be  once  estabHshed  by  unques- 
tionable testimony,  the  different  facts  recorded  by  the  evangelists 
would  be  strong  corroboratives,  naturally  coinciding  with  such  testi- 
mony. But  such  unequivocal  testimony  is  wanting.  And  it  cannot 
be  unfair,  in  a  snhject  of  so  serious  a  nature,  to  examine  the  evidences 
with  the  utmost  scrupulosity,  and  give  them  no  more  weight  than 
they  necessarily  and  justly  claim. 

Another  objection  is.  That  if  the  sa^pe  body  did  not  rise,  it  could 
not  be  the  same  Jesus  Christ,  for  he  could  not  properly  exist  as  the 
man  Jesus  without  it.  I  would  ask,  "What  imperfection,  inability, 
or  deficiency,  existed  in  Jewus  the  Son  of  Ciod  above  other  men,  that 
he  could  not  exist  and  be  the  same  Jesus  Christ  without  a  body  of 
clay?  Abraham,  Isaac  and  Jacob  had  laid  off  the  tabernacle  of  clay, 
ages  before  the  ministration  of  Moses,  and  yet  they  existed  in  his 


RESUiniECTlON.  35  i 

days,  the  same  Abraham,  Isaac  aud  Jacob, and  tlie  Lord  rcmembeioJ 
them  and  was  their  God.  But  God  is  not  the  God  of  the  dead,  bui; 
of  the  livinji;.  Moses  also,  though  he  had  been  dead  hundreds  of 
years,  and  his  body  buried  in  one  of  the  hills  over  against  Bcth-Peor, 
v/as  alive  In  the  days  of  Jesus  Christ,  and  came  in  company  with 
Elias,  and  talked  with  him  in  the  mount,  and  the  disciples  saw  him, 
and  it  rjas  Moseu  :  so  sailh  the  evangelist.  If  these  and  many  more 
could  e>dst,  and  retain  their  personality  and  name,  before  tlie  lesur- 
rection  was  completed,  aiid  while  their  animal  bodies  were  in  the 
<Iust,  how  much  more  the  Son  of  God  who  is  the  resurrection  and 
the  life  ?  a  true  Spirit  of  divine  ori^ijin  ? 

Another  objection  stands  thus;  If  the  animal  body  did  not  rise, 
there  w^as  no  resurrection  in  the  case,  for  none  but  that  body  died. 
This  objection  originates  in  ignorance  of  wl.at  the  true  resurrection 
is.  Jesus  laid  down  the  tabernacle  and  descended  into  the  common 
state,  or  place,  of  the  dead,  and  returned  again  to  be  seen  among  the 
living,  "  Now  no  more  to  return  to  corruption."  And  the  scripture 
was  fulfilled,  "  Thou  wiit  not  leave  my  soul  in  hell,  neither  wilt  tr.ou 
*'  suffer  thine  Holy  One  to  see  corruption." 

Jesus  Christ  the  first  born  Son  of  God  was  a  man,  and  lived  a  Jew, 
being  born  under  the  law.  In  the  character  of  man,  he  was  invested 
with  the  whole  of  human  nature  in  its  fallen  state,  according  to  the 
order  of  the  first  Adam,  that  he  might  be  a  suitable  leader  to  lead 
them  out  of  their  lost  estate,  who  were  subjected  to  death  by  reason 
of  sin.  "  For  both  he  rhat  stuictificth  and  they  who  are  sanctified 
*'  are  all  of  one,  for  which  cause  he  is  nut  ashamed  to  call  them  bre- 
"  thren.  For  as  much  then  as  the  cliildren  are  partakers  of  llesh 
<'  and  blood,  he  also  himself  likewise  took  part  of  the  same  ;  that 
*'  through  death  he  might  destroy  him  that  had  the  ])owcr  of  death  ; 
"  and  deliver  them  who  through  fear  of  death  were  all  their  lifetime 
"  subject  to  boridage.  For  verily  he  took  not  on  liim  the  nature  of 
*'  angels  ;  but  he  took  on  him  the  seed  of  Abraham.  Wherefore 
«  in  all  things  it  behoved  inm  to  be  made  like  unto  his  brethren  ;  that 
"  he  might  be  a  merciful  and  faithful  high  ])riest  inthings  pertaining 
"  to  God,  to  make  reconcilialion  for  tlie  shis  of  the  people.  For  in 
"  that  he  himself  hath  suffered,  being  tempted,  he  is  able  to  succour 
«  them  that  are  tempted."  [ileb.  '2'.  11,  14  to  18.]  "  All  we,  like 
<'  sheep  have  gone  astray  ;  we  have  t^irned  every  one  to  his  own  way  ; 
*'  and  the  Lord  hath  laid  on  him  the  iniquity  of  us  all." — "  By  his 
"  knowledge  shall  my  righteous  servant  justify  many  ;  for  he  shidi 
"  bear  their  iniquities."  flsa.  53.  6,  11.]  "Behold  the  I.aiiib  o7 
"  God  who  taketh  away  [or  beareth  away]  the  sins  of  the  world." 
[Jno.  1.29.] 

As  a  Jew,  he  Avas  a  true  minister  of  th.at  dispensation  to  fulfil  it, 
'  and  to  open  the  door  for  th.e  salvation  of  the  Gentiles  as  well  as  tlie' 
Jews.  "  For  he  is  the  end  of  the  law  for  rigiileousness  to  every  one 
"  Avho  believeth."  "  Now  I  say  that  Jesus  Christ  was  a  minister  of 
*'•  the  circumcission  for  the  truth  of  God,  to  confirm  the  promises 
^  made  to  the  fathers;  and  that  the  Gentiles  might  glorify  God  for 

z  3 


or  THE 

-  his  mercy.  (Ro.  10.  4.  and  15.  8,  9.)  And  he  not  only  kept  the 
Jewish  lav,  or  law  of  Moses  perfectly,  but  also  the  intermediate  dis- 
pensation committed  to  John  as  his  forerunner,  submitting  to  hh 
Ijaptism,  and  saying,  «  Thus  is  becometh  us  to  fulfil  all  righteous- 
iicss,"  and  so  putdngan  end  to  that.  And  this  was  consistent  with 
tlic  views  which  John  had  of  these  things,  that  the  ministry  'of  Jesus 
Christ  would  supersede  his,  as  he  said,  "  He  must  increase,  but  I 
•nuist  decrease."  [Jno.  3.  30.1 

Thus  keeping  his  way  fully  cleared  on  every  hand,  and  in  every 
character  which  he  filled,  he  stood  on  fair  ground  to  commence  the 
Avork  of  his  supreme  character,  as  the  Son  of  God,  the  first  born 
among  many  brethren,  to  introduce  the  new  and  spiritual  family,  the 
kingdom  of  God.  Now  in  accomplishing  this  work,  the  labor  of 
Jesus  v/as  to  renounce  all  the  M'orks  and  travel  out  of  all  the  nature 
pf  the  first  Adam,  to  die  to  sin  and  live  to  God  according  to  the  law 
of  the  new  creation  :  for  he  is  the  beginning  of  the  creation  of  God. 
So  it  is  written,  "  In  that  he  died,  he  died  to  sin  once  ;  but  in  that  h6 
liveth,  he  liveth  to  God."  [^Ro.  6.  10.1  And  this  is  the  true  resur- 
reciibn  of  Christ  and  of  his  people,  of  whom  he  is  the  examples- 
captain  and  leader,  of  which  all  other  resurrections  are.  but  the  sign. 
But  this  remains  to  be  more  fully  stated  in  the  third  general  pVo- 
position. 

Now  to  return  more  immediately  to  the  point  in  hand.  Having 
tluis  far  examined  the  history  of  facts,  relating  to  the  resurrection  of. 
the  man  Jesus,  I  shall  next  proceed  to  enq\}ire  into  the  import  of 
some  portions  of  scripture  of  a  prophetic  nature,  relating  to  the 
same  subject. 

When  the  Jews  had  asked  a  *gn,  "  Jesus  answered  and  said  unto 
■^'  them,  Destroy  this  temple  .and  in  three  days  I  will  raise  it  up. 
•'  But  he  spake  of  the  temple  of  his  body."  (Jno.  2.  19,  2!.)  This 
scripture  will  likely  be  considered  as  an  explicit  and  decisive  testi- 
mony, that  the  same  material  body  arose  and  ascended.  And  it 
might  be  so  considered  were  it  not  for  two  reasons.  The  first  is  that 
other  scriptures  more  copiously  teach  the  contrary,  as  will  be  shown 
hereafter.  And  secondly.  We  are  not  without  example  of  the  same 
'orm  of,  expression,  in  the  teachings  of  Christ,  wl^.erein  the  same  is 
not  intended :  that  is  V/here  the  demonstrative  pronoun  it  which 
commonly  implies  the  same  as  the  antecedent  noun  to  which  it  stands 
related,  doth  not  in  these  instances  imply  the  same,  but  that  which 
sMCceeds  in  the  room  thereof.  "  For  whosoever  will  save  his  life 
'^  sv.sll  lose  it :  but  whosoever  will  lose  his  life  for  my  sake,  the  same 
*•  shall  find  it."  [Luke.  9.  24.]  This  text  is  a  plain,  example  of  what 
i i  staled  above  ;  for  'he  life  which  the  man  is  here  said  to  save,  is  not 
the  same  which  he  would  lose  by  so  doing  ;  the  one  being  carnal,  the 
oihcr  spiritual  and  eternal.  And  the  life  which  is  here  stated  as  be- 
ing lost  for  Christ's  sake,  is  not  the  same  which  is  found  by  so  doing, 
the  first  being  carnal  and  the  last  spiritual  and  eternal.  Yet  it  is  said 
he  that  Icseth  his  life  shall  find  it  ;  which  it,  doth  not  signify  the 
same  life  v/hich  is  lost,  but  thjit  Avhich  succeeds.      So,  destroy  this 


RESURRECTION.  S63 

I 

tempio,  or  body,  and  in  three  days  I  will  raise  it,  doth  not  necessari- 
ly signity  the  raising  of  the  same  body,  but  of  that  which  succeeded, 
or  it  is  applicable  to  any  body  which  answered  the  purpose  of  his  lac- 
ing raised  ;  as  much  as  to  say,  Kill  me,  and  in  three  days  I  will  be 
alive  and  have  a  living  body. 

Another  argument,  vigorously  maintained,  for  the  rrsurrection  aiid 
ascension  of  the  same  materia!  body,  is  grounded  on  the  words  of 
the  Psalmist  (16.  10.)  «  For  thou  wilt  not  leave  my  soul  in  hell;  nei- 
«  ther  wilt  thou  suiter  thine  Holy  One  to  see  corruption."  This 
]Drophecy  is  twice  quoted  by  the  apostles,  with  express  application  to 
Christ  and  his  resurrection.  Peter,  speaking  of  David,  saith,  "  lie, 
"  seeing  this  before,  spake  of  the  resurrection  of  Christ,  that  his 
"  soul  was  not  left  in  hell,  neither  his  flesh  did  see  corruption."  [  Acis 
2.31.]  And  Paul  on  the  same  subject,  saith,  "And  we  declare 
*'  unto  you  glad  tidings,  how  that  the  promise  which  Avas  made  to 
"  the  fathers,  God  hath  fulfilled  ihe  ssfme  to  us  their  ciiiidren,  in  tliat 
«  he  hath  raised  up  Jesus  again  ;  as  it  is  also  written  in  the  second 
*'  Psalm,  Thou  ait  my  Son,  this  day  have  I  begotten  thee.  And  as 
*'  concerning  that  he  raised  him  up  from  the  dead,  now  no  more  to  re- 
ctum to  corruption,  he  said  on  this  wise,  I  will  give  you  the  sure 
*'  mercies  of  Davi,d.  For  David  after  he  had  served  his  own  gcnera- 
"  tion  by  the  will  of  God  fell  on  sleep,  and  was  laid  unto  his  fathero^ 
"  and  saw  corruption  :  but  he  wlnom  God  raised  again  saw  no  cornip- 
•«  tion."  [Acts  13.  32  to  37.] 

It  is  remarkable,  that  in  all  which  is  said  by  both  these  apostles^ 
it  is  not  once  said  that  the  material  body,  or  flesh,  was  that  which 
arose.  Paul,  in  all  he  said  while  commenting-  on  the  remarkable 
prophecy,  did  not  once  nama"  the  body,  or  flesh  of  Jesus  Chriist, 
but  simply  stated  that  he  was  raised  from  the  dead,  as  God  had  pro- 
mised to  do  ;  a  fact  acknowledged  on  all  hands.  And  that  Jesi-s  conld 
be  raised  from  the  dead,  and  exist,  the  same  Jesus,  without  the  same 
material  body,  had  been  already  proved. 

But  much  stress  hath  been  laid  on  the  words  of  Peter,  «  Neither 
^  his  flesh  did  sec  corruption."  That  this  is  figurative  language  is 
evident ;  for  a  dead  body  of  flesh  in  no  case  seeth.  That  there \vas 
a  marked  difference  between  Jesus  and  David  with  respect  to  death 
and  resurrection  is  not  denied  ;  for  David  was  buried,  and  as  other 
men  do,  remained  among  the  dead,  waiting  for  the  day  of  resun-cc- 
tion  and  redemption,  while  liis  body  remained  in  the  senulchrc  and 
returned  to  its  native  dust ;  but  Jesus,  who  was  the  resurrection  and 
the  life,  though  he  expired  and  Ayas  laid  in  a  tomb,  on  the  third  dav 
was  found  atiiong  the  living,  God  having  raised  him  from  the  dead, 
having  loosed  the  pains  of  death,  because  it  was  not  possible  he  could 
be  holden  of  it.  But  that  all  this  could  take  place  without  the  ma- 
terial body  constituting  any  part  of  the  true  resurrection,  hath  been 
already  shown,  and  remains  to  be  farther  illustrated  in  its  proper 
placo. 

This  phrase  therefore,  «  Neither  his  flesh  did  see  cornnlion,"' 
<4oth  not  positively  prove  more  than  what  is  not  disputed,  that' he  Ait 


364  OF  THE 

not  remain  undei'thc  power  of  death  as  others  had  dene,  and  that  his 
material  body  did  not  rcm&in  in  the  toivib  and  moulder  to  dust  as 
others  did  :  for  when  they  looked  into  the  tomb,  they  saw  not  the 
body  of  the  Lord. 

People  api>ear  as  intent  for  the  resurrection  of  the  animal  body  of 
Jesus,  as  if  they  thought  the  resurrection  disannulled,  and  Chi-ist  and 
his  salvation  made  of  no  effect  without  it.  But  it  may  with  propri- 
vty  be  asked  on  the  contrary.  What  use  had  he  for  that  body,  aftev; 
tiie  end  for  which  he  took  it  on  him  was  accomplished  ?  .  That  encV 
accordir.,[^  to  the  scripture  was,  "  That  through  death  he  might  dcr 
"  stroy  him  that  had  the  power  of  death  and  deliver  those  whof, 
*'  through  fear  of  death,  were  all  their  lifetime  subject  to  bondage." 
("Heb.  2.  14,  15.]  He  had  now  travailed  through  death  and  con-*., 
quered  it,  with  him  that  had  the  power  of  it ;  he  had  finished  the 
work,  which  the  Father  had  given  him  to  do,  even  before  he  had 
altogether  passed  through, th.at  natural  death  of  the  animal  body  on 
the  cross.  What  use  therefore  had  he  for  that  body  any  longer  ?  Or 
Avas  that  body  so  much  au]3erior  to  the  spirit,  that  without  it  he  could 
not  be  glorified  with  the  Father  himself,  with  the  glory  which  he  had 
with  him  before  the  world  was?  How  then  did  he  partake  of  that 
glory  before  he  had  put  on  said  body  ?  .    ' 

Was  the  assumption  of  that  body  of  flesh  and  blood  the  work  of 
glorification  or  humiliation  ?  Not  of  glorification,  but  of  humilia- 
tion: this  p.ccdeth  no  proof.  And  having  once  stooped  to  the  work 
oi  humiiiatioji,  must  he  forever  remain  under  it  ?  By  parity  of  rea- 
s(;n,  because  he  once  submitted  to  death,  he  must  forever  remain 
under  its  power,  or  lose  the  reward  of  victory  through  death  and  exal- 
tation through  his  huiiiiiiatipn.  [See  Phil.  2.6,7,  Scc.J.  When  he 
hjid  passed  through  death  and  risen  from  the  dead,  the  foundation  was 
completely  laid,  he  being  the  ciricF  corner  stone  ;  he  had,opene;d  the 
nev/  and  living  way,  had  set  us  an  example  that  we  might  follo\y  his 
steps,  was  made  perfect  through  sufferings,  and  had  become  a  ccir)- 
piete  forerunner  and  captain  of  his  people.  And  what  now  remain- 
ed, but  to  convince  his  disciples  of  the  truth  of  what  be  had  done, 
and  lead  them  into  an  understanding  of  its  nature  and  design!'  And 
as  the  work  and  kingdom  of  Christ  arc  si'iritual,  what  need  for  the 
animal,  or  material  body  ? 

But  some,  may  object,  that  this  reasoning  arraigns  the  work  of 
God,  and  inquires-into  matters  which  are  not  our  concern;  that  the 
work  of  God  is  evidence- enough  for  us,  and  that  the  fact  of  Christ's 
being  raised  ficmtlie  dead  ought  to  silence  ail  our  objections.  God's 
works  are  not  arbitiary  ;  and  it  is  net  contrary  to  true  obedience  and 
real  faith,  for  us  to  inquire  into  the  reason  and  r.atuie  of  the  works 
of  God,  as  far  as  will  l^e  profitable  for  tlie  ministration  of  light.  But 
let  tlxfact  be  once  established,  that  Jesus  Christ  rose  from  the  dead, 
and  disputing  on  that  point  is  at  an  end:  this  is  the  undisputed  fav't 
iJUKi;-:-;  c'w>'.:i;ns.  Aid4etit,  he  established  by  the  authciity  of  in- 
r.,' •;  '"fn,  li.at  ;ji«  rtsurrecticn  cf'Jtsus  Chu:;t  f-.om  tl.e  dtrd  ccn- 
sisu-d-iutix  :ai5!i;g  ag;;;n  el  ti,"  n;aie;iii  l.u:y.  ir  \,.i:{  [t  ccyld  not  Le 


RESURRECTION.  ^65 

accoviiplishcd  without  it,  and  disputing;  is  at  an  end  on  that  point  also; 
but  that  is  the  point  in  debate,  and  which  cannot  be  pvoved  in  the  affir- 
mative, until  it  be  first  proved,  that  that  material  body  constituted  the 
true  Jesus  Christ,  so  that  he  could  not  exist  without  it — the  negative 
of  which  hath  been  already  proved. 

It  may,  as  hath  already  been  done,  be  objected  ;  If  tlie  material 
body  did  not  actually  rise,  or  is  not  the  proj^er  subject  of  the  resur- 
rection of  Christ,  what  was  done  with  it  ?  for  it  was  not  found  in  the 
tomb,  neither  did  it  sec  corruption.  Let  me  use  the  liberty  assumed 
above,  but  witli  move  propriety,  and  soy.  What  is  tb.at  to  us  ?  Have 
we  any  ri;^ht,  or  any  occasion  to  search  into  the  unrevealed  method 
of  God's  working,  and  that  too  in  a  matter  which  doth  not  materially 
-•afreet  our  salvation  ?  "It  is  the  Spirit  tliat  quickeneth;  the  fiesh 
'*  profitcth  nothing-."  (Jno.  6.  60.) 

But  to  obviate  this  objection  move  fully,  for  those  vrho  count  it 
weighty,  or  even  plausible ;  let  me  ask ;  Was  there  not  as  much 
reason  for  removing  the  body  of  Jesus  from  the  tomb  as  for  conceal- 
ing the  body  of  Moses  from  the  Israelites,  so  that  no  man  knew  of 
his  sepulchre  ?  If  the  fathers  Avcre  in  danger  of  worsh.ipping  the  body 
or  tomb  of  IMoses,  as  hath  been  supposed,  ("or  what  other  reason  can 
be  assigned  for  his  concealment  ?}  on  account  of  his  great  character 
and  mighty  v.orks,  how  much  more  might  the  body  of  Jesus,  who  so 
far  exceeded  Moses  in  the  glory  of  liis  character  and  works,  have 
become  a  snare  to  his  follov/ers,  and  a  real  hindrance  to  their  belief 
of  the  resurrection,  and  to  tlicir  understanding  of  his  spiritual  cha- 
racter and  vrork,  in  tlie  carnal  condition  in  which  they  still  remained  ? 
They  have  taken  away  my  Lord,  said  Mary,  because  she  found  not 
llie  body.  Anel  could  they  have  been  readily  convicted  of  idolatry, 
or  any  v/rong  procedure,  in  offering  adoration  to  their  Lord  ?  while 
all  the  tinic  their  sense  would  have  been  cleaving  to  the  flesh,  to  the 
neglect  of  the  Spirit.  Neither  is  it  probable,  that  they  could  have 
been  readily  convinced,  or  easily  satisfied,  with  respect  to  his  resur- 
rection, or  his  being  actually  alive,  his  ascension  and  glorification,  and 
other  things  pertaining  to  his  work  and  kingdom,  while  they  could, 
at  any  time,  by  going  there,  have  seen  him  to  their  sense,  dead  in  tlie 
•ton\b.  Besides;  Kow  much  more  diiBculty  must  have  attended  tlie 
ministry  of  the  disciples,  after  they  had  come  to  believe,  to  convince 
others,  ■\A  ho  cither  had  no  faitli  in  the  resurrection  at  all,  or  had  car- 
nal and  natural  views  of  it,  that  he  had  risen  from  the  dead  and  was 
artually  alive,  while  his  body  could  at  any  time  have  been  seen,  or 
had  it  been  commonly  known  how  it  Avas  ren^oved  ?  The  report, 
common  among  the  Jews,  that  his  disciples  had  come  and  stolen  him 
away  by  night,  while  the  soldiers  were  asleep,  v/as  fabricated  to  pre- 
vent the  peo])le  from  believing,  and  what  plausibility  would  have 
been  attached  to  that  febrication,  could  the  body  have  been  found  ? 
Frcm  every  consideration  therefore  it  was  necessary  that  the  body 
should  be  removed  as  it  was,  cut  of  the  reach  or  knowledge  of  any 
of  them. 


5(36  OF  THE 

Upon  the  \rholc ;  I'lcm  a  consideration  of  the  real  cliaractcr  a\A 
condition  of  the  disciples — the  literal  and  carnal  sense  of  things 
which  they  had  by  nature  and  according  to  the  carnal  dispensation 
to  which  they  had  been  accustomed — their  slowness  of  heart  to  be- 
lieve on  the  plainest  testimony,  it  appears  to  have  been  necessary  to 
represent  to  tliem,  the  work  of  God  in  the  resurrection  and  ascension 
of  Christ,  in  such  a  dress  as  that  they  could  at  least  apprehend  it,  and 
be  convinced  of  its  truth  in  the  sense  and  understanding  of  things,  in 
v/hich  they  then  were,  while  in  the  mean  time  every  possible  hin- 
drance was  taken  out  of  the  way,  that  being  confirmed  in  the  truth 
of  facts  which  had  actually  come  to  pass,  they  might  the  more  easily 
be  led  into  a  better  understanding  of  their  true  nature,  after  they  be- 
came more  fully  able  to  receive  coi'rect  information ;  which  was  af- 
ter they  had  received  the  Holy  Spirit.  '^  I  have  yet  many  things," 
said  Jesus,  "  to  say  to  you,  but  ye  cannot  bearihem  noW.  Howbeit, 
"  when  he,  the  Spirit  of  truth,  is  come,  he  will  guide  you  into  all 
"  truth — He  shall  glorify  me  :  forjie  shall  receive  of  mine,  and  shall 
<'  show  unto  you."  "(Jno.  16.  12,  13,  14.) 

The  removal  of  that  material  body  required,  that  the  stone  should 
be  rolled  away  from  the  mooth  of  the  sepulchre,  because  material 
sul^stance  rccjuircth  space  to  move  in,  free  from  other  obstructing 
materials.  But  what  was  to  hinder  the  soul  of  Jesus,  replete  with 
the  resurrection  power  of  God,  to  enter  the  grave,  reanimate  the 
body,  and  bring  it  forth,  a  spiritual  body,  without  removing  the  stone, 
or  even  cracking  the  seal,  any  more  than  to  enter  the  house  where 
the  discij)les  were,  the  doors  being  slnit  ? 

Thus  far  of  the  resurrection  as  it  immediately  relates  to  the  per- 
son of  Jesus  Christ.  And  herein  I  have  taken  notice  of  the  princi- 
pal and  most  prominent  passages,  as  being  most  calculated  to  com- 
prehend the  whole  and  bring  them  all  into  full  examinatico*  which 
are  pleaded  in  favor  of  the  resurrection  of  the  same  material  body, 
and  have  found  none  but  what  are  capable  of  a  consistent  and  suffici- 
ently free  acceptation  without  including  the  belief  of  that  fact.  That 
point  therefore  of  the  liteial  resurrection  of  the  same  animal  body 
I'cmains  unestablished ;  untaught  in  explicit  language  of  the  scrip- 
tures, unproved  by  fair  and  necessary  inference.  But  io  the  mean 
time  it  is  proved  that  Jissus  Christ  was  capable  of  existing  and  being 
tiie  same  Jesus  Christ,  without  inhabiting  that  same  bcdy ;  conse- 
quently the  resurrection  and  reanimation  of  that  body,  is  not  the  point 
in  M'hich  the  resurrection  of  Jesus  Christ  consists,  as  commonly  in- 
sisted ;  therefore  to  deny  the  resurrection,  reanimation  and  ascension 
of  that  material  body,  is  not  tlie  same  as  to  deny  the  resurrection  of 
Jesus  Christ  altogether,  seeing  that  the  resm-rection  can  exist  in  fact, 
according  to  the  scriptures,  without  the  aid  of  that  bcdy  :  he  was 
quickened  in  the  Spnit. 

In  peruaing  these  sheets,  it  may  frequently  be  suggested  to  these 
of  a  difi'ercnt  sentiment,  that  it  is  uncandid  to  labor  prcpcscdly  after 
a  method  of  understanding  these  scriptures  ai;d  all  others,  so  as  to 
exclude  tlie   faith   cf  the   rcs\irrccticn  of  the  animal  body.     But  st 


RESURRECTION.  96? 

method  of  arguing  which  is  open  and  above  board  is  not  uncandid. 
I  proposed  in  the  beginning  of  this  branch  of  the  subject  to  show  that 
all  these  scriptures  could  be  understood  consistently  without  implying 
that  fact ;  and  it  is  r.ot  an  unfair  method  of  arguing,  to  show  that 
any  fact  is  not  established  by  the  arguments  advanced  for  that  purpose 
and  particularly  with  respect  to  the  subject  now  in  consideration, 
or  others  of  the  same  nature,  it  doth  not  so  properly  belong  to  us 
who  disbelieve  the  resurrection  of  the  animal  body,  to  prove  it  did 
not  rise ;  what  belongeth  to  us,  is  the  negative  pan ;  and  that 
cannot  require  proof,  according  to  any  philosophical  or  logical  me- 
thod of  reasoning.  But  to  those  v.'ho  believe  the  resurrection  of  that 
body,  and  consider  it  an  essential  part  in  the  resurrection  of  Jesus 
Christ,  it  belongs  to  establish  it  in  the  affirmative,  by  unquestionable 
testimony,  while  it  is  not  disingenuous  in  us  to  analyze  every  argu- 
ment with  the  strictest  scrutiny,  and  to  invalidate,  as  far  as  honesty, 
truth  and  reason,  will  admit. 

I  have  hitherto  kept  up  the  idea  of  the  resurrection  and  tlie  as- 
cension as  being  so  closely  connected  together  that  that  which  arose 
Tnust  also  have  ascended,  and  that  which  ascended  must  also  liavc 
arisen.  This  idea  needs  ho  farther  proof,  being  evident  from,  the 
most  simple  view  of  the  subject.  But  that  the  material  body  was 
not  that  which  ascended,  cither  in  whole  or  in  part,  (at  least  that  it  is 
not  necessarily  included,  the  point  now  under  consideration,)  is  fairly 
argued  from  this,  that  that  which  ascended  was  the  same  which  de- 
scended first  from  heaven.  "  He  that  descended  is  the  same  also 
"  that  ascended."  [Eph.  4.  10.]  Now  the  animal  body  was  not  that 
v/hich  descended,  being  produced  of  the  substance  of  Mary's  body, 
and  brought  forth  like  those  of  other  men.  Add  to  this,  that  the 
apostle  hath  explicitly  marked  the  difference  between  his  dying  and 
rising,  applying  the  first  to  the  flesh,,  "  Put  to  death  in  the  flesh,*' 
and  the  second  to  the  Spirit,  "  But  quickened  in  the  Spirit."  It  is 
observable  that  he  is  never  said  to  be  quickened  in  the  flesh,  or  his 
flesh  to  be  alive  :  It  is  already  proved  that  the  man  could  be  alive 
^vithout  it. 

I  take  the  liberty  to  appeal  to  the  learned  for  the  consistency  and 
correctness  of  the  translation  which  I  have  i)iefcred  in  the  text  las* 
quoted,  while  I  ask  if  any  reason  can  be  proff'ered,  for  rendering  the 
one  phrase  In  the  flesh,  and  the  other  By  the  Spirit,  when  the  gram- 
j^atical  construction  and  government  of  both  arc  precisely  the  same? 
Add  to  this,  that  the  similar  expression,  a  few  lines  after,  which  re- 
lates to  the  above  as  a  kind  of  recapitulation,  is  in  the  sam.e  giam- 
matical  const ructioii  and  government,  and  is  necessarily  rendered  m 
the  flesh.  "  For  as  much  then  as  Christ  hath  sufl'ercd  for  U6  /.'.'  the 
«  flesh."  [1  Pet.  3.  (8.  and  4.  1.] 

The  following  propositions  appear  necessary  to  be  believed  by  the 
abettors  of  the  doctrine  of  the  resurrection  of  the  same  material 
body,  before  their  plan  can  be  complete.  First.  That  the  body  of 
Jesus  was  raised  a  spiritual  body ;  consequently  it  was  a  spiritual 
body  on  that  evening  when  he  appeared  to  the  disciples  in  the  hcttst, 


C6S  OF  THE 

the  doors  being  shut.  For  they  insist  (not  impropferiy)  thut  his  re- 
surreclion  is  a  true  example  aiid  earnest  of  that  of  his  followers,  arid 
also,  that  their  body  is  raised  a  spiritual  body.  It  is  sown  a  natural 
body,  it  is  raised  a  spiritual  body.  Secondiy.  That  wi-.en  he  appear-' 
ed  on  that  same  evening,  and  at  the  same  instant  of  lime,  that  same 
body  of  his  was  a  material  body,  a  proper  body  cf  ficsh  and  bones, 
such  as  a  spirit  hath  not.  "  Handle  me,  and  see,  for  a  spirit  hath 
"  not  flesh  and  bones,  as  ye  see  me  have,"  is  to  them  an  unequivocal 
argument  that  he  l(.>ok  with  him  the  same  body  of  flesh  ap.d  bones. 
Therefore  tliirdiy.  That  the  same  body  A\aa  a  spiritual  ])cdy,  and  a 
proper  material  body  of  flesh  and  bones  at  one  and  ti^e  same 
time.  The  necessity  of  believing  these  propositions  in  support  of 
that  plan,  their  glaring  inconsistency  notwithstanding,  is  sufficient  to 
convince  the  abettors  of  it,  if  they  would  be  reasonable,  not  only  that 
these,  and  the  tantamount  phrases  in  the  scriptures,  ai-e  susceptible 
of  a  ditferent  acceptation  from  that  in  which  they  receive  them,  but 
that  a  more  consistent  one  is  indispensably  necessary  to  the  support 
of  truth.  They  may  however  argue,  thai  it  is  urging  th.e  matter  too 
far,  to  charge  them  with  calling  it  a  proper  material  body,  that  th6 
sense  and  meaning  of  their  language  is  not  to  that' extent.  But  it 
must  be  either  matter  or  spirit,  material  or  immaterial — Let  them 
tell  us  decisively  which  they  mean. 


CHAPTER  III. 

T'ie  Resurrection.)  nvith  more  i?n?ncdia(e  relation  to  the  Samts. 

I  PROCEED  in  the  next  place  to  carry  the  examination  to  the 
resurrection  of  the  saints,  and  therein  to  show,  That  there  is  no  lan- 
guage used  in  the  bcripture  to  prove  or  explain  tlvc  resurrection  of 
Christ's  people,  but  what  is  capable  of  an  easy  and  consistent  accep- 
tation, without  including  tlie  resurrection  of  the  animal  body,  as  be- 
ing the  proper  subject  of  the  resurrection,  or  constituting  any  neces- 
saiy  part  of  it. 

i  have  hitherto  treated  of  this  subject,  with  particular  relation  to 
tlie  person  of  Jesus  Christ  ;  but  as  it  is  pleaded  and  granted,  that 
the  resurrection  of  Christ  is  a  true  earnest  and  example  of  that  of 
his  people,  tne  certainty  of  the  latter  dependhig  on  the  certainty  of 
the  former,  and  the  r;ature  and  manner  of  the  one  servirg  to  eluci- 
date the  naiure  and  n^anncr  of  the  other  alternately,  the  subject  be- 
comes essentially  one,  according  to  the  scriptrues.  We  may  theie- 
fore  with  propriety  proceed  to  examine  the  language  of  the  scrip- 
tures relating  to  the  resurrection  of  the  saints,  to  see  if  it  cannot  Ix; 
xmderstood  consistently,  without  including  the  resurrection  of  the 
animal  body. 

I  have  spoken  of  said  body,  as  not  being  the  proper  subject  of  the 
true  resurrection,  neither  participating  in  it.     My  reason  for  such 


RESURRECTION.  36? 

communications  is,  tliat  I  v/onid  have  the  vmderstaiuling  and  sense  of 
the  people  fixed  on  the  abiding- substance,  and  not  contined  to  the 
shadow.  Not  doubting  but  there  have  been  resurrections  oi  animal 
Tjodics,  of  men  who  were  under  an  indispensable  necessity  of  expe- 
riencing a  resurrection  entirely  distinct,  before  they  could  inherit  the 
kingdom  of  heaven:  as  the  widow's  son  and  Lazarus,  Neither 
would  it  materially  affect  the  subject  in  hand,  were  it  admitted  that 
Jesus  assumed  the  same  body  for  a  time,  and  used  it  as  occasion  re- 
quired, as  a  medium  of  access  to  his  discipleS,  for  their  cunviction 
and  inform.ation.  But  the  true  resurrection  of  which  the  apostles 
spake,  and  to  which  they  looked  for  substance,  was  quite  another 
thing  ;  as  will, be  shown  in  its  place. 

It  hath  been  already  stated,  that  there  is  no  principle  in  nature,  or 
in  the  most  profound  philosophy  ;  neither  any  doctrine  in  the  reve- 
lation of  God  to  men  to  prove  that  niatt;er  is  converted  into  spirit, 
or  material  physical  bcdlesinto  spiritual.  And  to  these  thinj^s  agree 
the  woi^s  of  a  late  writer  ;  "  As  no  possible  comivination  of  t'',c 
"  elementary  parts  of  matter,  howcA-er  j^dirersified,  and  ey.U'..!c'.l, 
"  can  produce  a  result  which  is /?;?7«fli;cr7V//,  or  vv'hich  "s  destitute  of 
*-^  the  properties,  and  qualities  of  matter  ;  so  no  reduction  of  com- 
"  pound  bodies  can  be  carried  beyond  the  elementai'v  furms  out  of 
*'  which,  or  by  which  they  were  produced."  [See  Philos.  hum.  mind 
Page  18.] 

Unwilling  hov/ever  to  cede  their  pretcntionr>  to  a  favorite  plan 
suppoi'ted  by  tradition,  prepossession  and  the  allurements  of  the  ficsh, 
the  abettors  insist,  that  God  hath  actually  taught  by  revelation,  that 
th%  material  body  is  coiiverted,  by  the  power  of  Christ  into  a  spirit- 
ual body,  so  far  at  least,  as  to  be  the  proper  subject  of  the  resurrec- 
tion. In  defeix^e  therefore  of  the  favorite  plan,  the  words  of  Paul 
to  the  Philipians  are  introduced  ;  [3.  20,  21.]  "  For  our  convcrsa- 
"  tion  [in  the  Greek,  citizenship]  is  in  heaven,  from  whence  jdso  we 
*' look  for  the  Savior,  the  Lord  .Tesus ;  who  shall  cliange  our  vile 
"  body,  that  it  may  be  fashioned  like  unto  his  glorious  body,  accord- 
*'  ing  to  the  working  whereby  he  is  able  even  to  subdue  all  thinp,s  to 
*'  himself."  According  to  the  common  use  and  meaning  of  words, 
there  is  no  difficulty  in  understanding  this  passage,  without  any  rela- 
tion to  the  resurrection,  or  reanimation  of  the  material  body,  or  any 
conversion  of  the  natural  into  the  spiritual.  The  ordinary  and  na- 
tural use  of  the  active  verb,  i?o  change,  is  propeily  to  ])ut  away  one 
and  receive  another.  Accordingly  a  man  is  said  to  charige  his  v;o.y- 
ment,  when  he  putsofl"  one  and  puts  on  another;  and  to  get  his  mo- 
ney changed,  when  he  giveth  to  some  other  man  a  large  piece,  and 
reciveth  small  to  answer  his  purpose,  or  giveth  paper  money  and 
receiveth  silver;  or  the  contrary.  But  a  man  will  hard'y  concludvi 
he  hath  got  his  money  changed  by  having  it  taken  away  for  a  time 
and  given  back  again.  So  to  put  off  the  body  and  put  on  the  samr, 
is  no  change.  That  is  not  therefore  the  work  which  Christ  has  to 
do  at  his  coming,  but  to  finish  the  redemption  of  his  people,  delivci-- 
i'.jg;  them  completely  and  finally  from  the  old  man^  and  clothing  thc-ni 

A    .J 


sro  OF  THE 

in  the  new,  fashioning  them  like  himself,  ciccording  to  tlie  working 
[tj/jjiytav,  energy,  or  inward  working]  wJiereby  he  is  able  even  to 
subdue  all  things  to  himself. 

With  respect  to  the  demonstrative,  it,  eommonly  understood  to 
mean  the  same  as  the  noun  to  which  it  points,  ("en  which  account  it 
would  be  argued,  that  this  language,  Who  shall  change  our  vile  body, 
that  IT  may  be  fashioned  like  his  glorious  body, means  the  refitting  of 
our  same  animal  body  for  the  inheritance  of  eternal  hfe,)  it  hath  been 
already  shown  and  exemplified,  that  such  phraseology  is  used  when 
identity,  or  sameness  is  not  intended.  It  is  also  to  be  considered, 
that  the  term,  body^  doth  not  always  mean  the  animal  body,  or  car- 
case, separately  from  the  spirit,  but  the  man,  or  person,  as  intimated 
in  the  beginning.  Thus  a  certain  Greek  author  speaks  of  •wicked 
bodies.  And  the  same  use  of  the  word  is  quite  common  in  our  day. 
Thus  it  is  often  said,  I  see  some  dorft/ coming,  some  body  told  me, 
I  want  some  body  to  do  a  piece  of  work,  there  was  no  body  there, 
and  a  thousand  other  instances,  in  all  which  the  undeniable  meaning 
of  the  term  body,  is  nia?i,  or  /lerson. 

Some  may  suppose  that  an  argument  advantageous  to  the  favorite 
plan,  «iay  be  had  by  a  critical  attention  to  the  Greek  text-  And  it 
must  not  be  denied  that  a  literal  translation  of  the  text  might  be  con-' 
sidered  more  favorable,  at  least  in  the  word  translated  change  ; 
Tlwjs,  "  Who  shall  transform  the  body  of  our  humiliation  [or  hum- 
"  ble  body]  that  it  may  be  conformed  to  the  body  of  his  glory  [or 
'^  glorious  body]  according  to  the  energy  whereby  he  is  able  even  to 
"  subdue  all  things  to  himself."  But  when  we  consider  the  use  of 
the  term,  body,  as  already  sltited.  with  the  other  remarks  on  tliis 
text,  pertahiing  to  the  nature  of  its  language,  as  also  that  the  energy 
or  power  by  which  the  body  is  to  be  transformed  and  fashioned  like 
his  glorious  body,  is  an  inward  working,  we  shall  find  nothing  in  this 
tc::t  sufficient  to  establish  the  resurrection,  reanimation  and  glorifica- 
tion of  the  same  material  body.  For,  to  transform  our  humble  bo- 
dy cannot  necessarily  imply  any  thing  different  froni  transforming 
our  humble  person,  by  removing  finally  all  the  evil  and  useless  in- 
cumbrances and  increasing  the  true  and  valuable  substance,  by  the 
working  of  his  spirit.     Besides, 

It  is  farther  to  be  considered,  that  the  term,  body,  may  very  pro- 
perly be  understood  of  the  church  collectively,  in  the  same  manner 
as  in  the  v/ords  of  the  apostle  in  another  place, (Ro.  8.  23.)  "  Wait- 
"  ing  for  the  adoption,  to  wit,  the  redemption  of  our  body,"  afnd  is 
with  propriety  called  mir  body,  as  being  that  body  of  which  we  (chris- 
tians) are  all  members.  This  view  of  the  subject  properly  com- 
ports with  the' body's  being  called  our  humble  body,  or  the  body  of  our 
humiliatio72,  expressing  the  oppressed  and  afflicted  state  of  the  body, 
or  chvirch,  from  wliich  it  will  be  entirely  redeemed  in  the  progress 
of  the  work  of  Christ  at  his  coming,  and  translated  into  that  which 
is  perfect  and  glorious.  His  work  is  before  him,  and  his  reward  is 
with  liim.  There  is  neither  absurdity  nor  contradiction  in  expound- 
ing these  and  many  other  scriptures  with  the  latitude  here   allowed  ^ 


RESURRECTION.  371 

notwithstanding  the  fabricated  maxim  among  systematics,  That  the 
meaning  of  scripture  is  not  various  but  single ;  a  sentiment  from 
which  all  denominations  justly  as  well  as  necessarily  deviate  in  prac- 
tice, it  being  as  groundless  as  Avhimsical.  Variety  is  not  tantamount 
with  contradiction  :  but  it  is  necessary  to  teach  and  to  expound  ac- 
cording to  [arnxoytai/]  the  analogy  of  the  faith  of  Christ.  (Ro.  12.  6.) 

The  account  given  by  Matthew  (27,  52.)  of  the  bodies  raised 
at  the  crucifixion,  is  alledged  by  some,  in  favor  of  the  notion  of  the 
general  resurrection  of  the  material  bodies  of  all  men.  A  free  con- 
sideration hov/ever  of  the  relation  thei'e  given,  and  the  attending  cir- 
cumstances will  fully  eviuce  that  it  affords  no  proof  of  such  a  feet. 
For  admitting  the  fact  there  stated,  to  be  the  proper  resurrection  to 
life,  of  corpses  which  had  been  buried  in  those  graves  ;  the  simple 
existence  of  the  fact  is  no  proof  of  the  general  resurrection  of 
all  dead  bodies,  or  corpses,  any  more  than  the  resurrcciicn  of  the 
body  of  Lazarus  or  the  widow's  son,  although  both  these  had  to  die 
again,  and  also  to  experience  a  very  different  resurrection,  or  never 
inherit  with  Christ.     But  further  ; 

The  dessign  of  the  historian  seems  to  have  been,  to  give  a  state- 
ment of  the  signs  which  appeared  when  Jesus  expired.  It  is  not 
therefore  probable  that  the  narrative  relates  to  companies  of  invisible 
spirits  only,  or  to  many  spiritual  bodies,  for  the  centurian  and  others 
around  could  not  have  seen  them,  of  course  they  could  not  have  been 
signs  to  them.  What  is  said  of  the  spirits  of  those  saints,  or  in  other 
words,  of  those  saints  in  their  true  order,  took  place  afterwards,  that 
is  after  the  resurrection  of  Christ.  Neither  can  that  resurrection 
of  bodies,  which  took  place  when  Jesus  expired,  be  considered  as 
the  first  fruits  of  his  resurrection  and  thus  be  proffered  as  an  exam- 
ple and  proof  of  the  general  resurrection  of  bodies,  for  tv/o  reasons. 
First.  That  view  of  the  subject  supposes  these  saints  to  have  the- 
pre-eminence  over  Christ,  in  that  very  particular  in  which  he  is  spc- 
ciallv  said  to  have  it ;  "  Who  is  the  beginning,  the  first  born  from 
"  the^dead ;  that  in  all  things  he  might  have  the  pre-eminence." 
«  Christ  the  first  fruits."  (Col.  1.  18.  I  Cor.  15.  23.)  Secondly. 
The  time  had  not  yet  arrived  for  the  fruits  of  his  rcsurrcction,  even 
the  first  fruits  to  appear.  *'  Christ  the  first  fruits  (observe,  he  is  fore- 
"  most;)  afterwards  they  that  are  Christ's  at  his  coming."  The 
apostles,  not  excluding  other  christians  of  their  day,  were  according 
to  their  own  testimony,  a  kind  of  first  f-rtiits.  But  the  first  fruits  to 
God  and  to  the  l.amb^  or  the  first  resurrection,  was  to  appear  long- 
afterwards,  as  sho\vn  to  John  in  the  revelations  made  to  him. 

The  true  state  of  the  facts  related  by  Matthew  appears  to  be  this ; 
That  wh«n  Jesus  expired,  there  was  such  a  miraculous  and  extraor- 
dinary commotion"  in  all  nature,  by  the  special  providence  of  God, 
that  the  vail  of  the  temple  was  rent  in  twain,  from  the  top  to  the  bot- 
tom ;  this  was  a  fact  visible  to  all ;  and  the  earth  did  quake  and  the 
rocks  rent ;  these  facts  vv'cre  also  visible  to  ail ;  and  the  graves  were 
opened ;  this  also  was  visible  ;  and  many  bodies  of  the  saints  which 
slept  arose  ;  that  is,  were  tlirown  out  by  the  commotions  in  the  earth.. 
These  bodies  were  also  visible,  being  kept,  at  least  some  of  them 


3r2  OF  THE 

t> 

mecisuralily  in  form,  by  means  of  the  embalming  which  -was  practis- 
ed by  the  Jews.     Thus  far  tbe  narrative  may  be  considered  as  relat- 
inti;  to  the  thiijgs  which  were  visible ;  and  here  is  a  period  to  the  re. 
laticii  of  the  signs  v/hich  appeared  at  that  time. 

What  is  written  immediately  after  is  separated' from  those  visible 
facts  by  two  particulars,  in  the  Greek  text,  according  to  the  proper 
order  of  language.  First ;  A  full  period  denoting  the  end  of  a  sen- 
tence ;  and  secdndly ;  The  disagreement  of  the  parts  of  speech  de- 
scri!)ing  the  two  facts,  the  one  of  which  was  visible  to  the  merely 
physical  man,  the  other  not.  The  first  of  these  particulars  depend- 
ing on  the  position  of  a  single  point,  is  liable  to  be  varied ;  but  the 
other,  depending  on  correct  orthography  and  due  grammatical  con- 
struction, lis  free  from  that  liableness,  and  is  also  a  strong  reason  for 
the  correctness  of  the  first.  The  Greek  v.'ord  translated  ca?ne,  is  not 
a  I'erb,  as  it  is  made  to  be  in  the  English,  but  a  participle,  and  so 
constructed  as  by  no  means  to  agree  with  the  word  translated  bodies^ 
<"  t  cording  to  ihe  construction  of  that  language,  but  agrees  correctly 
with  the  term  sa/«?i'.-  Besides;  as  before  observed,  the  sentence 
closes  with  tlie  v.'ord  arose,  and  a  different  subject  is  touched  on  in 
few  words,  relating  to  that  which  was  not  visible  to  all :  This  will 
be  still  farther  manifest  by  the  following  consideratioiis. 

First.  It  is  not  a  reastftiable  supposition  that  these  dead  bodies  of 
the  sleeping  saints  wcie  reanimated  by  the  return  of  their  spirits  to 
them,  in  the  power  of  Chiist  as  their4ife,  at  the  time  when  Jesus  ex- 
pired, and  yet  remained  among  the  tombs  until  after  1  is  resurrec- 
tion from  the  sixth  day  in  the  evening  until  the  first  day -in  the  morn- 
ing. To  which  we  may  add,  thst  had  this  been  the  case,  they  must 
have  been  seen  by  many  Jev»s  and  Romans,  without  going  into  the 
holy  city.  But  secondly.  It  ia  stated  that  the  bodies  arose  at  tlie 
time  when  Jesus  expired,  aiid  that  tb.ey-\vho  went  into  the  holy  city, 
v.'b.atever  they  wei'e,  came  out  of  the  graves,  after  his  resurrection. 
This  would  imply  that  these  saints  were  confined,  or  to  use  the  easi- 
est terms,  remained  in  the  tombs  until  the  third  day  after  their  bo- 
dies arose.  To  such  absurdities  the  notion  of  the  resurrection  of 
dead  bodies  necessarily  leads.  But  no  difficuliy  attends  the  plan  here 
stated  ;  That  the  bodies  of  the  sleeping  saints  were  raised,  or  thrown 
out,  1)y  tlie  quaking  of  tliC  earth,  by  which  the  rocks  were  also  rent  j 
but  the  iiaints,  undisturbed  by  the  commotions  of  material  nature, 
remained  at  rest,  until  after  the  resurrection,  when  in  their  proper 
order,  Christ  having  gone  before,  as  their  proper  head  and  forerun- 
ner, they  arose,  or  awoke,  and  coming  forth,  went  into  the  holy  city,  • 
(not  bloody  Jerusalem)  and  appeared  to  such  as  had  eyes  to  see  them. 
"  And  the-  graves  were  opened  ;  and  many  bodies  of  the  K&ints  who 
"  had  slept  were  raised.  And  (these  saints')  having  come  out  of  the 
'•  graves,  (residence  of  the  dead,)  after  his  resurrection,  went  into  the 
"  holy  city,  and  were  manifested  to  many." 

One  passage  out  of  tlie  book  of  Job  seems  proper  to  be  noticed, 
before  ti>is  part  of  the  subject  be  closed,  because  u)§,cci  by  sciiic 
with  a  degree  of  confidence.  The  words  are  these,  (19.  2fi.)  "  An?! 
"  though  after  my  skin,  v.crms   destroy  this  body,  yet  in  my  flesh 


RESURRECTION. 


srs 


-•  shall  I  sec  God."  These  words  hidicate  the  firm  confidcnee  which 
Job  had  in  God,  that  he  would  yet  deliver  him  out  of  ail  his  trou- 
bles, and  appear  on  the  earth  as  his  redeemer,  and  that  his  eyes 
should  see  him  while  yet  in  the  flesh.  All  which  came  to  pass  ac- 
cording; to  his  faith  and  expectation.  (42.  5.)  "  I  have  heard  of  thee, 
"  (said  he)  by  the  hearing  of  the  ear;  but  now  mine  eyes  see  thee." 
And  in  the  e^ent  Job  was  delivered,  after  the  Lord  appeared  to  him, 
and  he  ended  his  days  in  peace  and  prosperity.  But  all  this  proves 
nothing  towards  ihe  resurrection  of  the  body  gf  flesh  and  bones,  after 
it  is  actually  dead.  To  say  that.  Yet  in  my  fiesh  shall  1  .see  God, 
means,  I  shall  see  him  in  my  flesh  at  the  final  resurrection  of  the 
just,  contradicts  the  grand  doctrine  of  the  resurrection  so  confidently 
urged,  that  it  is  raised  a  spiritual  body :  now  ficsh  is  not  spirit. 
These  remarks  are  made  on  the  common  translation. 

But  the  marginal  translation,  which  is  often  much  the  best,  gives 
quite  a  different  and  more  noble  view  of  the  subject,  and  profjerly 
accords  with  the  faith  of  the  gospel  of  Christ  in  Iiis  second  appear- 
ing. In  their  connection  the  words  stand  thus,  "  For  I  know  tliat 
"  my  redeemer  liveth.,  and  that  he  shall  stand  at  the  latter  day  upon 
"  the  earth  :  After  I  shall  awake,  though  this  body  be  destroyed, 
"  yet  out  of  my  flesh  shall  I  see  God:  Whom  I  shall  see  for  myself, 
"  and  not  another ;  though  my  reins  be'  consumed  within  me." 
These  words  whether  Job  understood  them  or  not,  being  the  woids 
of  the  Spirit  of  God,  show  iubold  terms  the  important  cliange  which 
should  take  place  in  the  latter  day,  when  the  I'edeem.ei-  should  stand 
vn  the  earth,  to  accomplish  his  work  of  redemption,  froii)  a  natural 
and  fleshly  state  into  that  v/hich  is  all  spiritual.  When  I  awake 
from  my  long  sleep,  after  all  these  sufferings  and  troubles  arc  over, 
although  this  body  be  then  destroyed,  and  I  see  it  no  more,  I  shall  then 
be  in  comfort,  for  yet  o7it  ofmyjlefih  I  sliall  see  God.  Let  tl-.is  scrip- 
turp  therefore  be  "received  as  it  stands  in  the  common  reading  in  the 
text,  or  in  the  margin,  it  affords  no  proof  of  tlie  resurrection  of  the 
mav erial  body.  But  although  there  is  nothing  false  or  contrary  to  tlic 
doctrine  of  revelation  in  either  of  the  two  translations,  a  more  coi-rect 
and  literally  unexceptionable  one  is  that  which  I  shall  here  give,  after 
remarking  that  the  v.'ords  <z/^«'  my  skin,,  are  the  best  confirmed  read- 
ing in  the  Hebrew  copies  which  use  the  points,  and  perfectly  con- 
sistent with  the  omission  of  them.  But  the  phrase,  in  my  fieshy 
is  contrary  to  the  Hebrew  text  in  every  form  ;  as  the  proper  use  or 
.signification  of  tlie  particle  there  rendered,  zw,  is  out  of,  from,  by 
arid  the  like.  '  The  correct  translation  therefore  is,  "  And  though 
"  after  my  skin  (worms)  devour  this  body,  yet  out  of  my  flesh  I 
'•'  shall  see  God  ;"  when  I  am  in  my  spiritual  state,  having  got  free 
from  this  burdensome  and  afflicting  condition. 

I  have  now  taken  a  plain  and  particular  view  of  iitost,  if  not  all, 
of  those  scriptures  which  I  have  found  to  be  alledgcd  in  favor  of  the 
resurrection,  reanimation  and  glorification  of  the  animal  body,  ex- 
cept those  which  will  more  naturally  be  presented  to  view  in  consi- 
lering  those  branches  of  tiie  subject   \vliich   arc  vet  to  come.    h.\v\ 


574  OF  THE 

in  all  these  which  have  been  noticed,  I  have  shown,  that  they,  and  all 
such,  should  there  be  any  remaining,  can  be  understood  in  a  suffici- 
ently natural  meaning,  without  doing  violence  to  the  common  and 
free  use  of  language,  and  yet  by  no  means  prove  the  resurrection  of 
the  material  body,  or  any  change  of  it  from  matter  to  spiiit. 

This  negative  part  claimed  the  priority  in  the  discussion,  for  twe 
reasons.  First ;  Because  in  establishing  any  point  by  evidence,  posi- 
tive proof  is  not  required  on  the  negative  side,  but  on  the  athrma- 
tive.  It  doth  not  therefore  belong  to  those  who  deny  the  rcsuiTec- 
tion  of  the  animal  body  to  prove  by  positive  evidence  that  it  will  not 
rise,  but  to  the  advocates  of  that  scheme,  that  it  will ;  therefore  to 
obviate  all  their  arguments,  goeth  a  great  length,  not  to  say  the 
whole,  towards  bringing  the  subject  to  a  decision.  And  secondly  ; 
After  the  arguments  in  favor  of  the  resurrection  of  the  animal  body 
ar6  removed,  those  testimonies  which  show  positively,  what  the  re- 
surrection is,  and  that  the  animal  body  hath  no  part  In  it,  will  be  in- 
troduced with  better  efficacy  and  more  lasting  impression. 

Some  may  object,  and  those  too  of  serious  minds,  that  to  spend 
so  much  labor  to  show  that  the  foregoing  and  other  such  scriptures 
may  be  understood,  Avithout  including  the  resurrection  of  the  animal 
body,  is  dishonest  and  unchristian,  and  carrieth  the  appearance  of 
wilfully  blinding  and  misleading  the  people.  This  objection  hath 
been  sufficiently  obviated  already  ;  and  I  presume  it  will  not  be  made 
by  any  candid  pftrsons  who  understand  the  nature  of  reasoning  and 
know  the  use  of  a  negative  part. 

Should  it  be  objected  farther,  that  it  is  needless  to  be  at  the  ex- 
pense of  such  !al>ored  arguments  and  replies,  to  disprove  the  resur- 
rection of  the  animal  body  ;  for  if  the  people  can  be  brought  to  be- 
lieve in  Christ  and  to  follow  him  in  the  regeneration,  all  will  be  well 
in  the  end  ;  for  should  the  same  body  be  raised,  it  will  be  so  modified 
that  it  will  be  no  real  incumbrance  or  other  injury,  and  should  it  not 
rise  Cod  will  so  order  matters,  that  no  loss  will  be  sustained  for 
the  want  of  it.  This  may  be  considered  plausible  reasoning.  Would 
the  people  be  wise  enough  for  their  own  good,  to  follow  Christ  in  the 
regeneration  bearing  their  daily  cross,  we  would  not  be  desirous  of 
contending  with  them  about  this  or  any  other  subject  out  of  their. 
sight,  but  rather  to  let  them  obtain  a  correct  knewledge  of  the  work 
of  God  by  a  faithful  travel,  walking  in  the  obedience  of  Christ ; 
"  If  any  man  will  do  his  will,  he  shall  know  of  the  doctrine."  [Jno. 
7.  17.] 

But  herein  is  discovered  the  craft  of  the  spirit  of  wickedness  which 
ruleth  in  carnal  men,  professors  and  profane.  While  the  grand  mat- 
ters essentially  pertaining  to  th.e  work  of  regeneration  and  following 
Clu'ist  therein,  as  the  self-denial  and  the  cross  which  he  requires  all  to 
bear,  who  follow  him,  or  would  partake  with  him,  are  aliedged  to 
belong  to  those  only  who  are  actual  partakers  of  the  resurrec-tion  of 
the  just,  it  is  no  small  labor  to  convince  those  who  believe  in  the  re- 
surrection of  the  anijnal  body,  of  the  necessity  of  bearing  such  cross 
and  of  partaking  such  self-denial,  while  that  resurrection  doth  not 


RESURRECTION.  375 

aj^ear,  or  as  long-  as  they  can  maintain  any  hope  of  salvation  how- 
ever flimsy,  supported  by  the  prospect  of  any  thmg  yet  to  come  : 
natural  men  do  not  love  the  self-denial  and  the  cross  of  Christ,  neces- 
sary to  traveling  with  him  in  the  regeneration.  These  things  how- 
ever make  it  necessary,  that  people  should  understand  something  of 
the  nature  of  the  resurrection  of  the  just,  which  is  the  resurrection 
in  Christ,  that  they  may  the  more  easily  be  gained  to  that  faith  and 
obedience  which  are  necessary  to  salvation.  And  it  may  be  not  una- 
vailing towards  preparing  the  mind  for  the  reception  of  what  is  yet  to 
come,  to  add  here  that  the  resurrection  of  the  just,  as  they  are  raised 
in  Christ,  is  the  same  in  its  nature,  as  the  regeneration  in  which  men 
follow  Christ  to  salvation  and  eternal  life.  Accordingly  they  are 
used  in  the  scriptures  as  being  tantamount,  or  nearly  so. 

For  the  sake  of  better  clearing  the  way  for  what  is  yet  to  come,  I 
talje  this  opportunity  to  notice  a  very  common  and  prevalent  error 
pertaitmig  to  the  subject  of  the  resurrection  ;  which  is  that  there  are 
two  resurrections  of  the  just,  or  which  they  experience — the  one 
spiritual,  and  the  other  natural,  or  literal — the  one  the  resurrection 
of  the  spirit  from  the  state  of  death  in  sin,  hito  Christ  who  is  the  re- 
surrection and  the  life,  and  the  other  the  resurrection,  reanimation 
and  glorification  of  the  earthly  tabernacle — the  one  the  regenera- 
tion of  the  spirit,  the  other  the  regeneration  of  the  body — or  accord- 
ing to  some,  it  appears  that  regeneration  includes  the  resurrection 
of  both  spirit  and  body,  and  is  not  complete  without  both — the  one 
is  called  the  first,  the  other  the  second  resurrection. 

That  the  scriptures  speak  of  a  first  resurrection,  the  partakers  of 
which  are  blessed  and  holy,  and  over  whom  the  second  death  hath  no 
power,  is  not  denied.  But  they  are  silent  with  respect  to  a  second 
resurrection,  especially  with  this  predication  annexed  to  it,  that  tire 
subjects  of  it  are  blessed  and  holy,  and  free  fi'om  the  second  death ; 
no  mention  is  made,  any  where  in  the  scriptures,  that  they  are  blessed 
and  holy  who  have  part  in  the  second  resurrection.  It  is  therefore 
most  raiional  and  correct  to  understand  the  first  resuiTection  as  be- 
longing to  the  just,  who  are  blessed  and  holy,  and  the  second  (when 
we  use  the  term  at  all :  it  is  not  in  the  scriptures,)  as  pertaing  to  the 
wicked.  For  there  shall  be  a  resurrection,  both  of  the  just,  and  also 
of  the  unjust;  for  all  must  come  forth  in  their  proper  order,  and 
fill  up  their  proper  character,  and  stand  in  their  proper  lot ;  those 
who  have  done  good,  (who  have  been  obedient  to  the'Xvill  of  God  as 
far  as  made  known  to  them,  and  have  also  come  into  Christ  who  is 
the  resurrection  and  the  life,  of  whom  they  have  learned  to  do  good 
all  the  time,)  to  the  resurrection  of  life,  and  those  who  have  done 
evil  (and  continued  so  to  do  ;  for  all  have  done  evil  more  or  less  ;)  to 
the  resurrection  of  damnation.  [Acts  24.  15.  Jno.  5-,  22.  28.] 

A  second  implies  a  first ;  but  a  first  doth  not  necessarily  imply  a 
second  ;  at  least  of  the  same  kind  and  pertaimng  to  the  same  order 
of  things.  Two  cannot  be  without  one,  but.one  may  be  without  two, 
and  that  one  is  the  first.  The  second  death  therefore  necessarily 
j)i:.esupposes  a  first ;  but  the   first  resurrection  for  those   who  are 


376  OF  THE 

blessed  and  holy,  no  more  implies  a  second  for  the  same  characters, 
than  Jesus'  being  called  the  first  begotten,  implies  that  God  has  a  se- 
cond begotten,  according  to  the  same  extraordinary  generation  :  liere 
the  first  begotten  is  also  the  only  begotten.  [Jno.  1,  1  8.  Heb.  1.  6.] 
Besides ;  that  which  is  by  the  Spirit  of  inspiration,  called  the  first  re- 
surrection, fills  the  place  and  time  commonly  assigned  to  the  second, 
even  the  day  or  time  of  judgment ;  and  in  it  the  souls  of  the  faithful 
are  spoken  of  as  being  seen,  but  not  a  word  of  any  oiher  bodies  being 
united  to  them,  or  in  anywise  connected  with  them  ;  thus  in  the  re- 
surrection of  the  just,  the  old  body,  or  tabernacle  is  left  out  of  the 
question,  as  will  be  more  fully  shown  in  its  place. 


CHAPTER  IV.  ^ 

Of  some  scriptures  incafiable  of  a  firofier  accefitatiov  on  l/ie  /:rinri- 
fUe  of  t/iclr  rclati7ig  to  the  resurrection  of  the  animal  body. 

SECONDLY.  I  am  now  to  consider  some  of  those  passages  of 
scripture,  which  cannot  be  understood  with  good  sense,  if  considered 
as  speaking  of  the  resurrection  of  the  same  material  body.  This 
short  branch  of  the  subject  is  nearly  allied  to  that  which  is  next  in 
course;  and  by  a  careful  perusal  and  diligent  digestion  of  what  is 
here  stated,  the  mind  will  be  profitably  ])repared  for  the  j-eceplion  of 
what  is  to  come,  in  which  the  subject  of  the  true  resurrection  in 
Christ,  will  be  treated  of  to  a  still  greater  extent. 

The  first  passage  to  be  introduced  here  is  the  following  ;  [2  Cor. 
5.  J,  2,  gee]  "For  we  know  that  if  our  eartlily  house  of  thistaber- 
"  nacle  were  dissolved,  we  have  a  building  of  God,  a  house  not  made 
"  with  hands,  eternal  in  the  heavens.  For  in-this  we  groan,  earnestly 
"  desiring  to  be  clothed  upon  with  our  house  which  is  from  heaven." 
Were  the  resurrection  of  the  same  animal  body  an  object  of  the 
apostle's  faith  and  expectation,  no  more  favorable  opportunity  could 
have  been  asked  to  bear  his  testimony  to  the  fact,  and  to  ex- 
press his  confidence  in  it,  as  a  source  of  encouragement  against 
the  thoughts  of  its  dissolution.  But  without  the  smallest  intimation 
of  a  resurrection  or  restoration  of  the  body,  (for  so  he  terms  it  after- 
wards,) or  earthly  house  of  this  tabernacle,  he  directs  the  mind  to 
quite  another  source  of  recompense  and  comfoil — -We  have  a  build' 
ing  toith  Godj  a  house  not  made  with  hands,  eternal  in  the  heavens — 
07ir  house  nvhich  is  from  heaven.  And  this  is  the  more  remarkable, 
as  this  ])art  of  the  apostle's  discourse  is  a  manifest  descant  on  what 
he  had  just  before  stated  of  the  confidence  which  he  had,  that  they 
■would  all  be  raised  up  by  Jesus,  by  the  agency  of  the  one  who  had 
raised  up  the  Lord  Jesus  himself.  So  that  what  he  here  speaks  of 
receiving  after  the  dissolution  cf  the  tabernacle,  is  to  be  considered 
as  the  fiuit  of  Christ's  resurrection  in  its  infiuence  on  tlT«m,  and  its 
equivalent  in  them ;  and  yet  nothing  is  said  of  the  resurrection,  or 


RESURRECT10>t.  377 

festorat'ion  of  the  tabejrnacle  or  body.  [Chap. .4.  li,  16,17,  18.] 
"  Knovving  that  lie  y/ho  raised  up  tlie  Lord  Jcsiis,  shall  raise  up  us 
"  also  hy  Jesus,  and  shall  present  us  with  you — For  which  cause  we 
*'  faint  not :  but  though  our  outward  man  peiish,  yet  the  inward  man 
*«  is  renewed  day  by  day..  (The  new  continually  supplan.ting  the  old, 
*»  but  no  account  of  the  old  being  restored.)  For  our  light  affliction 
^*  which  is  but  for  a  moment  worketh  for  us  a  far  more  exceeding 
*'  and  eternal  weight  of  glory  ;  while  we  look  not  at  the  things  which 
"  are  seen,  but  at  the  things  v/hich  are  not  seen  ;  for  the  things  which 
"  are  seen  are  temporal,  but  the  things  which  are  not  seen  ai  c  eter- 
"  nal.  For  we  know,  that,  if  our  earthly  house  of  this  tabernacle 
*'  were  dissolved,  we  have  a  building  with  God,  an  house  ivx  ma^ilc 
"  with  hands,  eternal  in  the  iieavens."  (^l-a,  we  have  it  ready  at  any 
time  Avhencver  this  is  dissolved  without  waiting  for  a  restoration  (n 
the  old.)  "  For  in  this  we  groan,  earnestly  desii  ing  to  I^e  clothed  upcr. 
"  with  our  houoc  which  is  frou".  heaven :  if  so  be  that  being  clotlicd 
"  (with  our  house  from  heaven,)  we  shaU  not  be  found  naked.  (The 
*'  dissolution  of  our  earthly  house  notwithstanding.)  For  we  who  are 
*'  in  this  tabernacle  do  groan  being  burthencd :  not  tliat  we  would  be 
^*  unclothed,  (clean  dissolvecl)  but  clothed  upon,  (fixed  in  a  more  du- 
<'  rabie  and  comfortable  existence  in  the  ti'ue  substanc-e,"^  that  niorta- 
"  lity  might  be  swallowed  up  of  life."  (That  new  dwelling  where- 
with we  shall  be  clothed  \\\io\\  and  which  is  tlie  true  and  eternal  life, 
may  supplantand  for  ever  supersede  the  okl  earllily  house,  whi*h  is 
mortality  in  the  abstract.)  "  Now  he  who  l.alh  wrought  us  for  this 
"  self-same  thing  is  God,  who  also  hath  given  to  us  the  earnest  of  the 
**  Spirit.  (While yet  in  tlie  tabernacle.)  Therefore  we  are  alway.s 
"  contident,  knowing  that  whilst  we  are  at  home  in  the  I)ody  we  are 
"  absent  from  the  Lord  :  (for  wc  walk  by  faith  not  by  sight,)  we  aie 
*'  confident  I  say,  and  willing  rather  to  be  abluent  from  the  body,  and 
"  to  be  present  with  the  Lord.  Whercfoie  v/c  labor,  that,  whether 
"  present  or  absent,  we  maybe  accepted  of  him.  For  we  must  all 
"  appear  liefore  the  judgment-seat  of  Chiisl;  tliat  every  one  may 
"  receive  [bear  or  carry]  the  things  done  in  [byj  his  body,  according 
*'  to  that  which  he  halh  done,  whether  good  or  b^d."  Yet  not  one 
word  or  intimation  of  the  same  old  body  beii>g  raised,  or  of  the  taljcr- 
nacle  being  restored,  at  the  ji;dgment-seat  of  Christ,  or  any  where 
else. 

But  the  following  is,  if  need  be,  slill  more  imcompatit)le  with  rea- 
son and  good  *ense,  on  the  supposition  of  tne  resurrection  of  the 
same  body.  (For  that  is  acknowledged  by  the  advocates  of  that  plan, 
to  be  common  to  both  th"-;  righteous  and  the  wicked,  as  that  which 
will  unavoidably  come  to  pass  in  all  who  rise  at  all.)  The  place  allud- 
ed to,  is  in  the  epistle  to  the  Fhilipians,  (Chap.  3.)  where  the  apostle 
shows  what  he  had  counted  loss  for  Chi-ist,  alid  what  labor  and  care 
he  underwent,  that,  "  If,  saith  he,  by  any  means  I  might  attain  to  the 
*'  resurrection  of  the  dead,  [or  iriv  fgarafu^u/  fwv  rfxpcor,  the  resur- 
"  rection  from  among  the  dead]."  Now  upon  the  supposition  of  the 
resurrection  of  thnt  body's  being  the  object  with  tho  apostle,  hi?  lan- 

B    o 


srs  OF  TKE 

guagc  is  cither  improper,  or  his  great  laber  and  care  in  vain,  because 
he  v/as  certain  to  attain  to  it,  labor  for  it  or  not.  But  to  rise  into  the 
jierfcction  of  life  in  Christ  Jesus;  to  enter  into  that  circle  of  life  in 
tiie  Spirit  of  Christ  whicli  would  leave  behind  all  the  dead  and  every 
thing  pertaining  to  death;  thus  to  attain  to  the  rcsuirection  from 
-.iniung  the  dead,  was  quite  another  matter  :  this  being  his  object,  his 
language  is  correct,  and  his  labor  and  care  exceedingly  proper. 

^And  what  farther  proves  that  he  had  no  respect  to  the  resurrection 
of  the  animal  body,  is,  that  he  speaks  of  the  resurrection  as  attaina- 
ahle  at  least  to  a  good  degree,  in  the  present  tense,  and  tlierefore 
takes  an  occasion  to  state,  that  he  had  not  attained  to  it ;  which  had 
been  utterly  unnecessary  on  the  supposition  of  his  speaking  of  tihe 
resurrection  of  the  animal  Ijody,  which  they  all  knew  had  not  taken 
place.  "  If  by  any  means  I  niight  attain  to  the  resurrection  of  the 
*'  llicdead.  Not  as  tl.ough  I  had  already  attained,  or  were  already 
"  perfect ;  but  I  follow  after,  if  that  I  may  apprehend  that  for  which 
"also  I  am  apprehended  of  Christ  Jesus.  Brethren,  I  count  not 
"  myself  to  have  apprehended :  but  this  one  thing  I  do,  forgetting 
"  those  things  which  are  behind,  and  reaching  forth  to  those  things 
<•  wliich  are  before,  I  press  towaid  the  mark,  for  the  priise  of  the 
"  high  calling  of  God  in  Christ  Jesus."  These  words  show  farther' 
"wliat  is  the  resurrection  of  which  he  speaks,  that  for  which,  he  waS' 
apprehended  of  ('hrist  Jesus,  which  can  be  nothh^g  short  of  a  finished 
resurrection,  perfection  or  tinal  redemption.  And  this  is  evidently 
the  object  which  he  was  laboring  to  obtain  and  in  the  attainment  oi" 
which  he  was  making  some  progress,  and  which  he  expressed  by  the 
different  nairiCS  of  the  resurrection  from  the  dead  ;  perfection,  that 
for  which  he  had  been  apprehended  of  Christ  Jesus,  and  tl.e  pri2.e 
of  the  high  calling  of  God  in  Christ  Jesus:  and  yet  in  ail  this  the 
animal  body  hath  no  part,  as  already  shown. 

Should  it  still  be  alledged  that,  although  the  resurrection  ofwlijcli 
t'he  apostle  here  speaks,  is  granted  (which  cannot  be  dcriied  with  any 
plausibility,)  to  be  that  which  hath  no  respect  to  the  natural  body, 
yet  that  is  not  to  exclude  the  resurrection  of  that  body  at  an  after 
pel  iodV  This  allegalion  is  efrcctually  refuted,  if  wc'considcr,  First ; 
that  the  resurrection  of  which  the  apostle  here  speaks  is,  as-alrcao!y 
stated,  the  perfection  of  that  for  wliich  he  was  apprehended  of 
Chririt ;  there  is  therefore  no  further  use  for  the  natural  body,  the 
-work  being  jjcrfected  without  it;  and  therefore  secondly;  that  the. 
resnrrection  is  a  gradual,  cr  pi'Ogressive  work,  the  same  as  regene- 
ration, and  not  instantaneous.  For  the  apostle  was  evidently  in  the 
resurrecticn,  ard  might  be  said  with  prfpricty,  accordirg  to  the 
work  of  that  dny,  to  he  risen  with  Christ  fiom  the  dead,  when  he  for- 
scok  JMS  opposition  io  Christ,  and  betook  himself  to  the  work  of 
pi  caching  the  gcspcl,  and  to  the  labor  and  travel  of  which  he  here 
s])eaks,  and  yet  he  fianklj'  acknowledges  he  hath  not  yet  attained  \o 
tliC  thing,  or  in  other  words,  is  not  yet  perfect.  "But  one  things 
"  l^^ays  he,)  I  do;  forgetting  those  things  which  are  behind,  and' 
"•  reachiiV^  forth  to  tliosc  things  which  ar<i  before,  T  presiS  toward  the 


RESURRECTION.  579 

"■  Tnark,  for  the  prize  of  the  hif^li  callin;^  of  God  in  Christ  Jesus." 
He  had  therefore  heard  the  hiojh  calling-  of  God  in  Christ  Jesus, 
obeyed  it,  and  set  out  to  obtain  the  prize  to  which  it  directed — he  had 
awaked  and  risen  from  the  dead,  and  Christ  had  given  lam  .light,  and 
he  was  now  in  full  pursuit  of  the  prize,  perfect  deliverance,  or  full 
rtdeniption — the  fuhiess  of  the  resurrection  to  life  in  Christ  Jesus. 
His  aim  therefore  to  attain  to  the  resurrection  while  he  was  actually 
in  it,  being  alive  in  Christ-,  proves  the  resurrection  to  be  progressive, 
and  the  fulness  of  it  being-  the  grand  object  at  which  the  apostle 
i^imed,  cannot  fail  to  obviate  every  argument  fur  the  necessity  of  an 
after  resvn-reclion  of  the  body. 

Fartiier  to  refute  the  allegation  of  a  future  resurrection  of  the  ani- 
mal body,  without  repealing  wi^at  hath  been  already  stated  of  the  incon- 
sistency of  the  apostle's  anxiety  and  care  on  that  supposition,  I  observe, 
Thirdly  ;  That  I  have  already  cunsider-ed  the  most  foi-cible  and  plau- 
sible scriptures  to  favor  that  plan,  known  to  me,  (if  any  are  more 
favoi-able,  I  am  willing  to  ha^•c  them  piKxluced,)  and  have  not  found 
the  fact  established.  Not  to  an'jcipate  therefore  in  this  place  what  is 
more  properly  to  be  contained  in  the  next  general  head,  I  drop  the 
subject  here,  after  just  observing,  that  it  may  be  kept  in  remembrancG 
in  the  sequel,  That  what  has  been  stated  shows,  th-at  whenever  the 
term  resurrection  is  found  in  the  scriptures,  as  belonging  to  the 
christian,  none  else  is  to  l)e  understood  but  the  resurrection  to  life  in 
Christ,  as  will  bx;  farther  illustrated  in  the  following  pages. 


cn.\PTER  V. 

The  reisurrection  !he  scrnie  as  I'cgcner^on  ;  cf:d  a  ftrog-j-c&sive  'ivork. 

THIRDLY.  I  now  come  to  show.  That  the  true  resurrection 
promised  in  Christ  is  the  passing  from  the  first  Adam  into  the  se- 
cond. It  hath  been  intimated,  that  the  resurrection  of  God's  peo- 
ple, and  the  regeneration  are  the  same.  That  poir.t  will  be  proved 
in  the  discussion  of  this  head,  wh'ch  is  in  the  substance  the  same 
position.  Not  denying  that  regeneration,  may  with  propriety  be  used 
in  a  moi'e  extensive  sense  than  that  which  is  common  to  the  term 
r«surrection,  as  comprehending  the  final  restitution.  It  will  be 
granted  on  all  hands,  that  regeneration  is  the  work  of  passing,  or  be- 
ing transplanted,  from  the  first  Adam  to  the  second,  or  in  other 
words,  of  becoming  the  sons  of  God  in  Christ,  and  so  partaking  spi- 
ritual life  in  him.  And  that  this  is  the  amount  of  the  resurrection, 
•the  scriptures  are  plain  enough.  "  For  as  in  Adam  all  die,  even  so 
"  in  Christ  shall  all  be  made  alive" — "  And  are  the  children  of  God, 
*'  being  the  children  of  the  resurrection."     But  more  particularly. 

1st.  Resurrection  is  used  by  the  sacred  writers  instead  of  regene- 
ration; or  in  other  words,  they  are  said  to  be  risen  Avith  Christ,  who, 
■ '  is  evident,  had  experienced  nothing  farther  than  being  regenerated 


SS©  OF  THE 

into  Christ.  Thus  the  apostle,  [Col.  3.  1,  3.]  "  If  yc  then  he  riica 
"  -with  Christ,  seek  those  things  which  are  above,  where  Christ  sit' 
"•  tcth  on  the  right  hand  of  God — For  ye  are  dead,  and  ycdr  life  is  hid 
"•'  v/iih  Christ  in  God."  Their  lacing  risen  with  Christ  is,  too  evi- 
dently to  need  proof,  the  same  as  being  reg-enerated  into  Christ,  or  as. 
it  is  stated  a  little  after,  having  put  off  tlie  old  nian  with  his  deeds, 
aid  having  put  on  the  new. 

See  alsathe  words  of  Christ,  reccrdcd  by  Luke,  as  quoted  above. 
''■  And  are  the  children  of  God  being  the  children  of  the  resurrec- 
"  tion."  To  be  the  children  of  God  by  regeneration,  or  being  the 
children  of  the  regeneration,  would  be  quite  intelligil^le  language, 
very  naturally  conveying  the  idea  of  those  who  are  »born  again,  or 
regenerated  into  Christ ;  because  it  is  by  regeneration,  or  being  born 
again  that  men  become  the  children  of  Crod.  But  here  the  term 
rf.97irret-//o?t  is  used  to  express  that  by  which  men  become  the  chif- 
dren  of  Gcd,  v/nich  pro'ves  that  the  resurrection  is  the  same  with  rc- 
gencration — at  least  thus  far.      ■    • 

2d.  To  be  risen  with  Christ ;  cr  to  be  alive  with  him  from  the  dead, 
which  is  the  same,  is  the  proper  predicate  of  re^-enerate  men;  and 
it  is  perfectly  correct  to  apply  it  to  them  while  yet  in  the  body,  hav- 
ing never  laid  it  down,  nwch  less  having  reassumed  it.  This  is  evi-t 
dent  from  the  al?ove  quotation,  taken  from  the  epistle  to  the  Colos- 
sians  ;  to  which  may  be  added  the  language  of  the  same  apostle  to 
the  Romans,  whom  he  addresses  "  As  those  who  are  alii'c^frpm  tha 
"  dead/'  advising  them  to  consider  themselves  of  that  character  and 
to  act  becomingly  to  their  privilege. 

It  hath  been  already  objected,  and  the  objection  obviated,  to  this 
amount,  tnatthere  are  two -resurrections  pertaining  to  the  saints,  and 
that  all  these  statements  in  the  sacred  writings,  which  represent  the  re- 
surrection as  being  tantamoni^(^%vith  regeneration,  relate  to  the  first, 
>rl';ich  is  indeed  the  same  as  regeneration,  Ivit  that  the  second,  cr 
last,  is  the  resurrection  of  the  material  body:  I  say  this  objection 
lljiVdi  been  alreaily  obviated.  It  may  however  be  argued,  that  the  re- 
«nrrection  of  the  body  is  that  in  which  alone  we  can  ever  resemble 
Christ,  and  his  resurrection  be  a  proper  pledge  and  example  of  ours, 
inasiiVuch  as  he  conunittcd  no  sin,  and  therefore  was  not  a  sinner,  an4 
cotisgquently  could  not  dit;  to  sin  and  live  to  CJcd  as  aproper  and  cor- 
rect eriample  of  men  Avho  thus  die  and  rise  in  the- regeneration. 

That  Jesus  Christ  ever  committed  sin^  or  that  he  was  a  sinner,  is 
not  pretended  :  but  that  he  stood  in  tho  iract  whefe  sinners  stood  ; 
tuck  on  him  the  satne  flesh  and  blood,  so  that  it  is  said  he,  the  Word, 
became  flesh ;  thjat  he  also  assumrd  the  very  nature  of  those  who 
were  sinners,  as  it  is  WTitten  that  Both  he  who  sanctifi-eth  and  they 
who  are  sanctified  are  all  of  one,  when  the  Lord  prepared  him  a 
body,  and  laid  on  him  the  iniquity  of  us  all,  so  that  it  is  said  he  made 
him  to  be  sin  for  us  ;  and  that  he  was  by  that  nature  exposed  to  temp- 
tation, being  tempied  in  all  points  like  as  we  arc  ;  as  well  as  that  he 
was  nuide  like  unto  liis  brt  thren  in  all  things,  are  ch.aiacters  and  fads 
in  his  history  find  life,  too  profriincnt  ever  to  be  concealed.     And  that 


RESURRECTION.  381 

one  thing  in  which  it  became  him  to  be  made  like  his  bretlircii^  and 
to  be  their  proper  example,  was  that  of  liis  lising,  or  living  to  Cod  a 
Vite  of  holiness,  while  he  daily  died  to  all  sin,  in  the  midst  of  the  most 
subtle  temptations,  is  taught  at  length  by  the  apostle  to  the  Hebrews 
and  also  to  the  Romans  in  the  context  of  the  last  quotation  from  that 
epistle.  In  that  chapter  the  apostle  shows,  and  correctly  illustrates 
these  points  ;  That  the  death  which  Jesus  Christ  died  was  dying  to 
sin  ;  and  that  tlic  life  which  he  lived,  or  the  resurrection  in  which  he 
rose,  so  that  death  could  have  no  more  dominion  over  him,  was  living 
to  God  a  life  of  holiness ;  That  for  us  to  die  to  sin,  is  that  wherein 
we  are  planted  together  with  Christ  in  the  likeness  of  his  death,  be- 
ing the  effect  of  his  death  to  us  and  its  equivalent  in  us ;  and  that 
for  us  to  live  in  newness  of  life,  or  to  be  alive  to  God  in  holiness,  is 
that  wherein  we  shall  be  in  the  likeness  of  his  resurrection,  which  is 
the  effect  of  his  resurrection  to  us  and  its  equivaier.t  in  us.  By  a 
proper  attention  therefore  to  that  chapter,  the  argument  in  behalf  of 
fi  second  resurrection,  that  of  the  animal  body,  drawn  from  the  like- 
ness of  our  resurrection  to  that  of  Jesus  Christy  will  be  sufficiently 
obviated.  It  will  also  be  understood  more  clearly,  that  whatever 
death  Jesus  Christ  died  was  either  comprehended  in  that  of  his  uying 
to  sin,  or  inHicted  on  him  by  the  enemy  because  he  would  die  to  sin, 
cr  else  served  as  a  sign  or  representation  of  his  so  dying  ;  as  .he  na- 
tural creation  which  he  assumed,  is  in  many  respects  a  figure  of  the 
spiritual;  and  that  whatever  other  life,  or  resurrection,  he  experi- 
enced, was  only  a  sign  or  figure,  to  represent  the  true  resurrection 
and  life  in  the  Spirit,  to  those  who  were  in  the  state  of  nature,  to  lead 
nnd  confirm  their  minds  in  the  truth  of  future  and  spiritual  things, 
until  they  should  travel  into  an  understanding  of  them  in  their  true 
Qi'der,  a«  before  taught.  Thus  the  first  Adam,  whose  fashion  Christ 
assumed,  to  be  conversant  with  his  offspring  and  for  the  suffering  of 
death,  is  the  figure  of  him  who  was  to  come. 

These  things  will  be  made  more  apparent,  while  we  consider  part 
of  that  chapter  in  discussing  the  leading  point  now  in  hand,  That  the 
true  resurrection  promised  in  Christ,  is  the  passing  fi-om  the  first 
Adam  to  the  second — the  dying  to  sin  and  living  to  God — beino- 
born  again,  born  of  (iod,  born  of  the  Spirit,  or  regenerated  in  Christ, 
nnd  becomi'uj  the  ch.ildren  of  God  in  him :  for  many  phrases  of  this 
kind  are  used  by  the  sacred  writers  to  express  one  and  the  same  thing. 

Now  that  this  regeneration,  or  passing  from  death  in  Adam  to  life  m 
Christ,  is  the  amount  of  the  resurrection  promised  in  Christ,  hath 
been  ali-eady  shown,  being  a  necessary  inference  from  statements 
previously  made.  But  as  the  subject  is  important,  and  somewhat 
intricate  to  the  natural  mind,  Ave  shall  prosecute  it  to  some  length. 
And  it  is  enforced  with  great  perspicuity  by  the  apostle  in  the  sixth 
chapter  of  his  epistle  to  the  Romans.  That  those  believers  at  Rome, 
to  whom  he  wrote  were  yet  !iving  in  the  natural  body,  having  never 
put  it  ofi",  and  thei'efore  could  not  possibly  have  reassumed  it — that 
lie  addressed  them  in  the  character  of  those  who  were  born  again, 
-ind  that  he  considered  them  risen  with  Christ,  being  dead  and  alive 


332  OF  THE 

agtiin,  are  facts  not  to  be  controverted.  "  How  shall  we  that  arc 
"  cU^ad  [have  died]  to  sin  live  any  longer  therein  ?  Know  ye  not  that 
"  so  ir.any  of  us  as  were  baptized  into  Jesus  Christ  were  baptized 
"  into  his  death?"  Thus  the  life  of  the  christian  commences  with 
death,  even  the  death  of  Christ ;  this  is  the  beginning  of  their  spiritual 
race  or  warfare,  they  are  baptized  by  the  Spirit,  of  Christ  into  his 
death  ;  as  it  is  said  in  anotlier  place,  [1  Cor.  12.  13.]  "For  by  one 
"  Spirit  are  we  ali'baptized  into  one  body." 

It  wovild  be  an  unnecessary  labor,  as  well  as  improper,  to  enter  into 
disputations  on  the  subject  of  water  baptism,  so  m^uch  controverted 
and  so  highly  esteemed  by  professors,  and  which  at  best  cannot  be 
considered  with  any  plausibility,  as  any  thing  more  than  a  sign,  or 
shadow:  it  cannot  intioducc  or  baptize  souls  into  the  death  of  Christ. 
The  baptism  of  which  the  apostle  here  speaks  is  that  of  the  Spirit ; 
that  one  l^aptir-m  whicli  obtains  in  the  church  ■which  is  the  body  cf 
Christ ;  for  as  many  as  were  baptized  therewith,  were  baptized  into 
his  death  :  this  could  not  be  said  of  any  other  than  the  baptism  of  the 
Spirit.  And  it  is  evident  the  apostles  made  no  account  of  the  sign, 
or  water  baptism,  in  the  matter  of  salvation,  neither  do  they  ever  speak 
of  it  as  any  part  of  real  Christianity ;  but  always  that  of  the  Spirit, 
into  Ciirist  and  into  his  death.  There  is  one  body  and  one  Spirit, 
one  Lord,  one  faith,  one  baptism;  for  by  one  Spirit  are  we  (who  are 
in  Christ)  all  baptized  into  one  body.  Now  all  they  who  are  baptiz- 
ed in  water  are  not  baptized  into  one  body,  but  those  baptized  into 
Christ  or  into  his  death  are.  This  is  the  baptism  v.h.ich  accompani- 
eth  salvation,  but  not  the  baptism  of  water.  As  saith  the  apostle 
Peter,  when  speakin.g  of  the  ark,  "  Wherein  few,  that  is,  eight 
*'  souls,  v/ere  saved  by  water.  The  antitype  to  which,  baptism,  dotli 
*'  now  save  us  (not  the  putting  away  of  the  filth  of  the  llesh,  but 
*'  the  answer  of  a  p;ood  conscience  towards  God)  through  the  resur- 
*' rection  of  Jesus  Christ :"  [1  Pet.  3.  20,  2].]  not  water  but  the- 
Spirit. 

John  baptized  with  water,  but  Christ  with  the  Spirit;  and  he  sent 
his  disciples  and  commissioned  them  to  do  his  work  and  to  receive 
his  glory,  "  As  the  Father  hath  sent  me,  even  so  send  I  you."  "  He 
"  that  bclicveth  on  me,  the  works  that  I  do  shall  he  do  also."  "  And 
^'  the  glory  which  thou  gavcst  me  I  have  given  them."  [Jno.  14.  12, 
and  17.  22.  and  20.  21.]  And  this  is  in  the  Spirit  and  trutli,  the  bap- 
tism with  which  Chri&t  commanded  and  commissioned  his  apostles 
to  baptize  all  nations,  saying,  "  Go  ye,  therefore,  and  teach  [or  dis- 
'•  ciple]  all  the  nations,  baptizing  them  [ft?  to  o!o/ia]  into  the  name 
"  of  the  Father,  and  of  the  Son,  and  of  the  Floly  Sjnrit,"  (not  into 
or  with  water,  but  initiating  them  into  the  doctrin^e,  life  and  death  of 
Christ  in  whom  the  Father  and  the  Spirit  dwelt.)  "  Teaching  them 
•■'  to  observe  all  things,  whatsoever  I  have  commanded  you."  [Matt. 
28.  19,  20.]  Or  as  another  evangelist  hath  it;  "  Go  ye  ir.to  all  the 
"  world,  and  preach  the  gospel  to  every  creature.  He  that  believeth 
"  and  is  baptized  shall  be  saved  ;  but  he  that  beiicveth  not,  (such  can- 
*•  -net  be  baptized  v.ith  the   baptism  of  Christ,)  shall  be  damned." 


RESURRECTION.  S8'5 

[Mai-k.  16.  15,  16.]  Accordingly  saith  the  apostle;  "Not  that  v,'c 
"  are  sufficient  of  ourselves  to  think  any  thing-  as  of  ourselves;  but 
"  our  sufficiency  is  of  God  ;  who  also  hath  made  us  able  ininistcrs  of 
"  the  new  testament;  not  of  the  letter,  but  of  the  Spirit."  [2  Cor.  .'. 
5,  6.]  This  istiie  true  christian  baptism  whereby  men  .are  baptized 
into  Christ  or  into  his  death ;  while  many  are  runnint^-  in  his  name, 
Saijing,  I  am  Christ,  (but  not  doing  his  \vorl;s,  nor  walking  in  his 
Spirit,)  baptizing  the  people  with  water,  aiid  curdng  them  •with  de- 
ception, persuading  them  that  this  is  the  true  christian  baptism,  and 
that  they  are  herein  following  Christ,  while  they  experience  nothing 
of  his  death  or  his  resurrection.  But  all  true  christians  are  baptized 
into  Christ  and  into  his  death  and  raised  with  him.  "  Tliereforc  we 
"  are  buried  with  him  by  baptism  into  death  ;  that  like  as  Christ  was 
"  raised  up  from  the  dead  by  the  glory  of  the  i'^ithcr,  even  so  v.  e  al.'-:o 
"  should  walk  in  newness  of  life.  For  if  we  have  been  ])lanted  to- 
"  gethcr  in  the  likeness  of  his  deatli,  we  shall  be  also  in  the  likeness 
"  of  his  resurrection."  What  was  that  likeness  of  his  death  to  which 
the  apostle  referred  them  ?  Tiie  same  death  in  them  which  had 
been  in  him,  as  the  after  context  shows.  Not  disputing  the  probabi- 
lity that  he  had  a  reference  to  baptism  in  water  as  a  figure,  as  he 
sometimes  spake  of  circumcisslon  for  the  same  purpose.  But  as 
there  was  the  likeness  of  his  death,  so  also  there  must  be  an  equiva- 
lent likeness  of  his  resurrection,  and  they  be  planted  together  with 
him  in  both.  This  could  not  be  the  case  with  any  outward  baptism, 
For  that  cannot  continue  with  them  until  the  perfecting  of  the  saints 
in  the  resurrection:  neither  is  there  any  such  sign  appointed. 

What  then  iis  that  likeness  of  his  resurrection,  in  which  believers 
ere  planted  together  vv'ith  him  ?  The  sam.e  resurrection  in  them,  the 
likeness  of  that  which  was  in  him,  and  which  ti;cy  began  to  receive 
in  the  same  baptism,  Ijy  whicli  they  were  (and  now  are,  as  manv  as 
receive  him,)  baptized  into  his  death.  For  the  baptism  of  the  Spirit 
abideth  the  same,  even  to  the  completion  of  the  work  of  redempticn, 
in  those  who  receive  it,  and  keep  it.  Accordingly  the  ancstic  pro- 
ceeds ;  "  Rowing  this,  that  our  old  man  is  crucified  with  him,  that 
"  the  body  of  sin  might  be  destroyed,  that  wc  stiould  not  serve  sin. 
"  (Here  ia  the  crucifixion  with  Christ  and  death  to  sin.)  For  he  that 
"  is  dead  (or  hath  died,  not  in  sin,  neither  who  hath  laid  cfl'  the  ba- 
*'  dy,  but  to  sin,  as  Christ  also  died,)  is  freed  [or  justified]  from  sin. 
"  (Here  is  the  beginning  of  life.)  Now,  if  we  be  dead  v,  ith  Christ, 
''  we  believe  that  we  shall  also  live  with  him.  Knowing  that  Christ 
"  being  j  aised  from  the  dead,  dieth  no  more  ;  death  hath  no  more 
"  dominion  over  him  :"  And  buch  is  the  blessedness  of  his  people, 
as  he  said,  [Jno.  1 1.  25,  26,]  '<  He  that  believcth  in  me,  though  he 
"'  were  dead,  yet  shall  he  live:  and  whosoever  liveth,  and  believeth 
''  in  me,  shall  never  die." 

And  what  was  the  death  which  Jesus  died?  To  sin.  And  what 
was  the  life  which  he  lived  ?  A  life  to  God — a  life  cf  holy  obedience. 
"  For  in  that  he  died,  he  died  unto  sin  once  ;  but  in  that  h»  liveth, 
"  he  liveth  unto  God."     Now  what  are  the  effects  toward  its,  of  the 


384  OF  THE 

dcnth  and  life  of  Jesus  Christ  ?  The  same  death  and  life  in  (is,,  r.s 
many  as  live  woithy  of"  their  privilege.  "  Likewise  reckon  ye  also 
"  yourselves  to  be  dead  indeed  unto  sin,  but  alive  unto  Gcd  ihioueli 
"  Jesus  Christ  our  Lord.  Loi  not  sin  thri't-forc  reign  in  your  mortal 
''  body,  that  ye  should  obey  it  in  the  lusts  thp  tof.  Neither  yield  yc 
"  your  members  ns  instruments  of  unrighteousness  unto  sin  :  but 
''  yield  yourselves  lintp  God,  as  ihote  that  are  alive  from  the  dead, 
"  aiid  your  members  as  instruments  of  lighteousness  unto  God.  For 
"  sin  shall  not  have  cV)minion  over  you  :  for  ye  arc  not  under  the 
"  law  but  under  grace."  Thus  by  a  proper  attention  to  the  apostle, 
his  not  difficult  to  see,  what  is  the  true  resurrection  in  Christ,  to 
■which  these  attain  wlio  are  in  him  and  for  Avhich  they  strive.  Free- 
dom from  sin,  and  frcm  th.c  law,  with  power  to  serve  Clod  in  right- 
^•oiisness  and  holiness.  All  which  are  the  proper  fruits  and  efl'ects 
of  the  work  of  regeneration,  or  coming  cut  of  the  first  Adaiu  into 
the  second.  And  this  is  the  resurrection  promised  in  Christ;  as 
will  yet  more  poir.tedly  appear  from  an  investigation  of  the  subject 
as  stutixl  in  the  fifteenth  chapter  to  the    Corinthians,  first  epistie. 

In  this  part  of  the  epistle  the  subject  is  treated  in  an  orderly  and 
maste/ly  manner.  The  subject  is  introduced  with  a  statement  of  the 
apostle's  preaching,  when  he  first  introduced  the  gospel  among  that 
people,  and  the  fact  which  he  testified  as  a  fundatnental  truth,  in  the 
reception,  confirmation  «nd  establishment  of  the  gospel,  that  fact 
without  the  faith  of  Avhich  the  gospel  could  not  subsist  in  the  world' — 
this  fact  is  the  resurrection  of  Christ,  as  subseq'.ient  to  his  death. 
"  For  I  delivered  unto  you  first  of  all,  that  which  I  also  received, 
"  how  that  Christ  died  for  our  sins,  according  to  the  scriptures  ;  and 
"  that  he  was  buried,  and  that  he  rose  again  the  third  day,  according 
"  to  the  scriptures ;  and  that  he  was  seen  of  Cephas,  then  of  the 
«  twelve,  (and  others  afterwards) — Whether  I  or  they,  so  wc  preach, 
"  and  so  ye  believed."  These  facts  were  and  still  are  received  and 
acknowledged  by  all  true  believers. 

Fie  next  proceeds  to  show  the  inconsistency  of  their  having  re- 
ceived the  gospel  on  these  principles,  and  yet  some  among  them., 
who  were  accounted  believers,  denying  the  resurrection  of  the  dead, 
and  10  prove  that  either  the  dead  must  rise  and  live  in  a  future  and 
superior  state,  or  the  testimony  of  the  resurrection  of  Christ  be 
proved  false.  On  this  part  of  the  argumentation,  tv.'o  things  arc 
to  be  obser\ed.  First.  That  the  arguments  arc  all  proffered 
to  those  who  believe  the  gospel,  and  in  it  the  resurrection  of 
Christ,  as  they  ai'e  all  built  on  the  credibility  of  that  fiict,  and 
no  appeal  is  made  to  any  principles  or  data,  acknowledged  by 
unbelievers,  so  that  tiiey  could  have  no  direct  influence  on  such  : 
and  this  is  the  method  of  all  the  apostolic  writings;  they  were  writ- 
ten to  believers,  and  not  to  unbelievers.  Secondly  ;  The  next  ob- 
servation is,  that  none  of  tlic  apostle's  arguments  in  this  discourse, 
minister  any  support  to  the  notion  of  the  resurrection  of  the  animal 
body,  being  all  such  as  can  l^e  answerwl  without  any  appeal  to  that  as 
a  fact,  or  having  it  necessarily  involved  with  the  subject,  but  aim  ta 


RESURRECTION.  335 

p^'ovc  a  future  stale  of  CKistencc,  or  a  life  to  come,  in  Chribt  after 
tho  present  hath  come  to  a  close  ;  aa,  "  If  in  this  life  only  we  have 
"  hope  in  Christ,  we  are  of  all  men  most  miserable;"  and  "  Asia 
"  Adam  all  die,  even  so  in  Christ  shall  all  be  made  alive  ;"  that  is 
believers  as  I  have  before  sJiown  that  he  wrote  to  them  exclusively. 
But  these  thinp,-s  will  be  more  evident  by  a  view  of  his  ar;.rumentatioi-;. 

»'  Now  if  Christ  be  preached  that  he  rose  from  the  dead,  hew  say 
<<  some  amon^-  you,  that,  there  is  no  resurrection  of  the  d^ad  ?  But 
•"  if  there  be  nro  resurrection  of  the  dead,  theii  is  Christ  not  risen  : 
"  and  if  Christ  be  not  risen,  then  is  our  preaching  vain,  and  your 
<<  faith  is  also  vain.  Yea,  and  we  are  found  false  witnesses  of  God  : 
"  because  we  have  testified  of  God  that  he  raised  up  Christ;  whom 
"  he  raised  not  up,  if  so  be  that  the  dead  rise  i>ot.  For  if  t!ie  dead 
*'  rise  not  then  is  not  Cia-ist  raised  ;  and  if  Christ  be  not  raised,  your 
*'  faith  is  vain  ;  ye  are  yet  in  your  sins.  Then  they  also  mIio  are 
"  fallen  asleep  in  Christ  arc  perished.  If  in  this  life  only  we  hava 
"  hope  in  Christ,  we  arc  of  all  men  most  miserable."  It  would  he 
imposing-  on  the  good  sense  of  the  judicious  reader,  to  take  up  each 
of  these  arguments  and  show,  how  ineffective  they  would  ail  be  to- 
wards an  unbeliever.  For  what  efficacy  can  vai  inference  have  with 
one  who  hath  no  faith  in  the  premises  • 

The  aposlle,  by  a  well  constructed  plan,  adapted  to  tliose  v.-ho  be- 
lieved the  fit  St  principles,  enforces  t;ie  subject,  by  showing  how  it 
comes  to  pass,  that  the  dead  are  raised,  and  inherit  new  life.  '"  But 
*'  now  is  Christ  risen  from  the  dead,  and  iiecorae  the  first  frniis  of 
*<  them  that  slept.  For  since  by  man  came  death,  by  man  came  also 
*'  the  resurrection  of  the  dead.  For  as  in  Adam  all  die,  even  so  in 
*'  Christ  shall  all  be  made  alive.  But  every  man  in  his  own  order: 
■"  Christ  the  first  fruiis  :  aflerv/ards  they  that  are  Christ's  at  his  com- 
"  ing."  A  little  after,  he  resumes  the  subject,  with  arguments  some- 
v/hat diverse  from  the  former;  to  wit,  the  unreasonableness  and  im- 
probality  that  he  and  other  christiar.s,  sliould  suifer  such  things  as 
ihey  did,  were  the  resun-ection  of  the  dead  and  future  state  of  retri- 
bution, not  true.  Of  this  class  of  arguments,  it  may  be  remarked, 
that  although  directed  immediately  to  belicvei^s,  as  being  founded  on 
the  hope  of  eternal  life,  ministered  ar.d  nourished  in  the  gospel, 
•which  hope  nuist  fail  without  tlie  resurrection,  they  are  not  very  m- 
properly,  though  somewhat  indirectly  calculated  to  beget  fai-.hin  the 
natural  man ;  because  it  will  be  justly  considered  an  unreasonable 
thing,  and  very  improbable,  that-chrisilans,  who  are  naturaliy  men  of 
like  passions  Avith  others,  would  endure  such  privations,  and  undergo 
such  sufferings,  which  are  real  and  distressing,  in  the  hope  of  a  life 
to  come,  uuless  supported  by  good  evidence.  "  Else  what  shall  they 
"  do,  who  are  baptized  i*jr  the  dead,  if  the  dead  rise  not  at  all  ?  "Why 
"  are  they  then  baptized  for  tlie  dead  ?  And  why  stand  we  in  jeo- 
"  pardy  every  hour  ?  I  protest  by  your  rejoicing  which  I  have  in 
"  Christ  Jesus  our  Lord,  I  die  daily.  If  after  the  manner  of  men, 
«  I  have  feught  with  beasts  at  Epliesus,  what  advantageth  it  me,  if 

e  3 


286  OF  THE 

»  Uic  dead  rise  not  ?  let  us  eat  and  drink,  for  to-niorrow  v.'C  die.  Be 
"  net  deceived  ;  evil  communications  corrupt  gocd  manners." 

Yhe  violent  attachment  of  christian  professors  to  the  notion  of  the 
resurrection  of  the  natural  body,  will  be  a  sufficient  apology  for  my 
imposing-  on  the  good  sense  of  the;  judicious  reader,  so  far  as  to  ob- 
serve, that  there  is  nothing  in  any  of  these  arguments,  of  the  former 
or  latteir  class,  to  confirm  or  support  that  doctrine,  because  every  ar- 
gument in  favor  of  the  resurrection  of  the  dead,  can  be  amply  satis- 
iied  by  the  spirit's  inheriting  eternal  life.  For  example;  "  If  in 
"  this  life  only  Vr'e  have  hope  in  Christ,  we  are  of  all  men  most  mise- 
"  rable."  But  says  the  Sadducee,  or  disputer  against  the  resurrec- 
tion of  the  body  ;  (if  that  were  the  point  in  debate  ;)  I  do  not  mean 
that  we  shall  not  exist  after  death,  neither  do  I  mean  that  we  siiall 
not  have  an  eternal  life  in  futurity;  I  only  mean  that  these  same  bo- 
dies will  not  rise  again,  to  be  the  h.abitation  of  our  spirits  in  that  eter- 
nal state.  And  this  argument  the  apostle  hath  said  nothing  to  rebut: 
and  so  of  the  rest.  And  it  cannot  be  concealed  that  he  was  too  pro- 
found a  reasoner  (one  side  of"  the  consideration  that  he  spake  in  the 
gift  of  the  Hoiy  Spirit,)  to  leave  so  material  an  argunieiit  in  such  a 
iVee  discussion  of  so  fundamental  a  subject,  unanswered. 

The  same  is  true  of  the  other  class  of  arguments  ;  as  "  Vv  hy  stand 
''  we  in  jeopardy  every  hour  ?"  and  "  If  after  the  manner  of  men  I 
*•  have  Ibught  with  beasts  at  Ephesus,  what  advantagcth  it  me,  if  the 
"  dead  rise  not?  let  us  eat  and  drink,  for  to-morrow  we  die."  Let 
us  take  pleasure  and  ease  v.'hile  we  can  get  it;  for  to-morrow,  or  very 
shortly  at  least,  we  die  and  there  is  no  more  of  us ;  but  especially 
■we  are  exposed  to  a  short  life,  while  v/e  maintain  the  faith  of  Christ, 
by  which  vre  are  continually  kept  under  the  lash  of  persecution. 
Why  therefore  need  we  be  thus  exposed  to  danger?  And  what  pro- 
fit will  my  sulTerings  at  Ephesus  be  to  me,  wiiich  I  endured  for 
Oirir^t,  if  the  dead  rise  not  ?  Are  not  ail  these  things  in  vain  to  mc 
and  to  us  all  ?  Nay,  says  the  Sadducee,  For  your  spirit  shall  live,  or 
ye  shall  live  in  the  spirit,  and  inherit  a  full  compensation  for  all  thicse 
sufferings  and  abuses,  in  that  eternal  life  which  shall  be  your  final 
portion,  when  for  ever  done  with  this  earthly  body  :  this  argument, 
as  before  observed,  the  apostle  hath  said  nothiiTg  to  rebut ;  which 
could  not  have  passed  H'itliout  notice,  had  the  resurrection  of  the 
body  been  the  point  in  dispute.  It  is  therefore  logically  true,  that 
all  which  the  apostle  hath  proved,  and  therefore  all  he  intended  to 
prove,  was,  that  the  spirits  of  ixicn  exist  hereafter,  or  that  men  exist 
in  the  spirit,  inheriting  spiritual  bodies. 

"While  on  this  particular,  it  will  not  be  foreign  from  the  main  sub- 
ject in  consideration,  to  introduce  the  words  of  Jesus  to  the  Saddu- 
cecs,  as  being  collateral  with  those  of  the  apostle.  "  Now  that  the 
»  dead  are  raised,  even  Moses  showed  at  thft  bush,  when  he  called 
"  Che  Lord,  the  God  of  Abraham,  and  the  God  of  Isaac,  and  the  God 
"  of  Jacob.  For  he  is  not  a  God  of  the  dead,  but  of  the  living;  for 
"  all  live  unto  him."  Now  these  three  men  v-ere  long  since  dead, 
and  yet  they  were  alive,  for  God  was  their  Gcd,  and  he  is  net  a  God 


RESURRECTION.  587 

of  the  dead  but  of  the  living.  They  were  also  the  saiP.e  men,  Abra- 
ham, Isaac  and  Jacob  ;  and  yet  had  not  on  their  earthly  bodies  ;  for 
the  time  had  not  yet  commenced  for  them  to  rise,  even  if  sucli  an 
event  had  been  expected. 

Again ;  The  words  of  Jesus  show,  that  these  three  men  wore 
either  then  in  the  resurrection,  or  in  a  situation  capable  of  it.  If  the 
first;  they  were  risen,  and  the  material  body  had  no  participation  in 
it.  If  the  second ;  the  situation,  in  which  they  then  v.crc,  pi-oved 
them  capable  of  coming  forth,  among  those  who  had  done  good,  to 
the  resurrection  of  life,  without  any  relation  to  the  eld  dust.  But, 
say  the  Sadducecs,  we  are  convinced,  by  this  reasoning  from  the 
words  of  Moses,  (for  they  were  at  least  put  to  silence.  Matt.  22.  23.) 
that  the  dead  shall  live  again ;  but  these  bodicjs  are  not  to  rise  and 
live  again  ;  I^Ioses  hath  said  nothing  of  that,  and  thou  hast  brought 
us  no  proof  of  it  from  his  words,  but  rather  of  the  contrary,  for  lie 
maketh  them  alive  withovit  their  former  bodies.  Tins  argument, 
there  is  nothing  in  tiie  \vords  of  Jesus  to  obviate.  If  therefore  tlie 
^•csurrecticn  of  tlie  same  body  was  the  point  in  question,  or  at  ail 
ecessary  to  the  existence  of  the  true  resurrection,  Christ,  the  Vvls- 
dom  of  God,  hath  left  the  grand  poi.it,  in  this  fundamental  doctrine, 
without  any  proof,  or  even  an  assertion,  as  his  great  apcstle  did  aftcv 
him  ;  to  wiiosc  discourse  we  now  return. 

The  apostle  ]>avir'g  stated  the  fact,  together  Avith  such  argumenta- 
tion as  iie  judged  it  expedient  to  use  on  the  occasion,  proceedeth  in 
the  next  place,  to  shcv/  more  fully  what  the  resurrection  is,  and  the 
manner  of  its  coming  forth.  lie  in  the  hrst  place  compares  it  to  a 
crop  of  grain,  which  is  soAvn  in  tlie  seed  or  bare  grain,  but  is  brought 
forth  another  body,  which  God  giveth  it,  and  then  applies  it  to  what 
it  really  is,  a  spiritual  body,  which  is  first  sown  in  the  first  Adam, 
and  is  perfected  in  the  second.  "  Rut  some  man  will  say.  How  are 
"the  dead  raised  up;  and  with  what  body  do  they  come  ?  Thou 
"  fool,  that  which  thou  soAvest,  is  not  quickened  except  it  die  :  and 
*'  that  which  thou  sowest,  thou  sowest  not  that  body  that  shall  be  ; 
"  but  bare  grain;  it  may  chance  of  wheat,  or  of  some  other  grain. 
"•  But  God  giveth  it  a  body,  as  it  hath  pleased  him,  and  to  every  seed 
*'  his  own  body."  These  words  pointedly  and  unequivocally  declare, 
that  the  resurrection  bcdy,  or  that  body  v/hich  is  the  subject  of  the 
resurrection,  is  not  that  body  which  is  sown,  or  the  first  body,  as  af- 
terwards called. 

But  as  this  is  a  part  of  scripture,  so  frequently  contradicted  by  ma- 
ny professors,  with  peremtory  and  bold  assertions,  that  the  apostle 
here  tcacheth  exprcisly,  that  it  is  the  same  body,  the  candid  reader 
will  bear  with  me,  v.'hiie  I  impose  so  far  on  his  patience  as  to  make  a 
few  remarks,  for  the  sake  of  elucidation.  I  grant  that  these  remarks 
are,  some  of  them,  so  m.inute,  and  at  the  same  time  so  evident  on  the 
simple  reading  of  the  text,  were  it  not  for  the  influence  of  educa- 
tion and  prepossession,  that  they  would  almost  need  an  apology,  to 
preserve  the  author  of  them  from  the  suspicion  of  being  non  com- 
pos mentis,  or  of  an  officious  foudiies<s  for  writing.     However,  frcrft 


5S«  OF  THE 

the  foregoing  considerations  it  may  be  necessary  to  remark,  First ; 
That  the  body  which  is  sown,  is  not  quickened  except  it  die.  That 
is  after  the  sowing  ;  for  let  the  grain  die,  or  undergo  any  change, 
■which  can  with  any  propriety  be  called  dying,  and  it  is  useless  to  sow 
it,  becraise  it  will  not  grow  or  produce  a  crop.  This  therefore  can- 
not apply  to  the  case  of  the  natural  body,  or  cold  lump  of  flesh  and 
bones,  which  is  deposited  in  the  grave,  being  previously  dead,  (for  the 
body  without  the  spirit  is  dead,)  and  therefore  cannot  die  again  :  that 
Vv'hich  is  absolutely  dead,  cannot  become  more  dead.  But  what  is 
here  affirmed  of  the  grain  when  sown,  is  truly  applicable  to  the 
r.atural  body,  or  to  the  physical  man,  as  originated  in  the  first  Adam  ;. 
for  as  the  bare  grain  cannot  be  quickened,  or  bring  forth  its  propep 
crop,  unless  it  be  put  into  the  grourid,  or  covered  with  maiiurei, 
v.'hich  is  its  proper  soil  for  prolification,  so  neither  can  the  natural 
man  ever  come  forth  in  the  resurrection,  or  be  raised  to  a  new  and 
glorif:cd  state,  unless  he  be  planted  v/ith  Christ  in  the  gospel,  which 
is  the  proper  ar,d  only  soil,  in  which  the  spiritual  body  can  be  pro- 
duced. For  as  the  bare  p;rain,  planted  in  the  soil  of  the  earth.,  dieth; 
that  is  giveth  away  its  spii-it,  or  that  part  of  which  its  vegetable  Ufa 
and  usefulness  consist,  to  enable  the  earth  to  produce  a  new  and 
more  valuable  crop  after  its  proper  kind,  a  body  proper  to  that  sort 
of  grain,  (for  as  the  body  without  the  spirit  is  dead,  so  the  grain  with- 
out its  vegetable  spirit  is  dead  also,)  so  the  natural  man,  or  child  of 
tlic  first  Adan),  when  planted  in  the  gospel  of  Christ,  dietli  with 
Christ,  being  planted  together  with  him  in  the  likeness  of  his  death  ; 
he  !)'Jcometh  dead  to  that  to  which  he  once  lived,  and  giveth  out  his 
spirit  which  constitutes  his  life,  so  far  at  least  that  without  it  he  can 
have  none,  and  converts  it  away  from  his  former  life  in  the  first  Adam» 
And  devotes  it  to  Christ  in  the  gospel,  to  enable  the  gospel,  to  bring- 
forth  a  new  and  more  glorious  bcdy,  or  man,  in  Christ  the  beginning 
of  the  new  creation  of  God— a  body  peculiar  to  that  rank  or  order  of 
beings.  "Therefore  if  any  man  be  in  Christ,  he  is  a  new  creature^ 
"  old  things  are  passed  away  :  behold,  all  things  are  becom-e  new." 
'■t  No\V,  if  we  be  dead  with  Christ,  we  belisve  that  we  shall  also  live 
«  with  him."  [2  Cor.  5.  17.  Ro.  6.  8.]    ■     ■ 

Biit  as  the  earth  can  produce  no  crop  of  grain,  unless  the  seed  be 
first  deposited  in  it,  so  the  gospel  cannot  prodiice  a  new  body,  or  regen- 
erated man,  in  the  order  of  Christ,  without  a  natural  man  in  the  order 
of  the  first  Adam  to  be  regenerated.  And  as  in  the  production  of 
a  crop  o-f  grain,  there  are  always  two  productions,  (not  to  say  a  con- 
tinued succession  ;  for  in  all  crops  of  grain  in  its  proper  order,  the 
»:rcp  exceeds  the  seed  in  quantity  only,  being  a  continued  succession 
oF  the  same  khid,  but  inferior  or  snperior  in  quality,  accordirg  to  the 
influence  of  adventitious  causes,)  so  in  the  resurrection  of  men  to 
eternal  life  in  C!hrist,  there  are  two  productions  or  births,  the  first 
'M'iginating  in  the  first  Adam,  and  (to  trace  the  subject  from  the  be- 
ginnitnT)  taking  its  origin  from  the  act  of  generation  ;  and  the  second 
liigina'ing  in  (.'hrist,  I)eing  begotten  l.\v  the  word  preached  and  re- 
'  civcd  by  frtith  and  oLjCdiencc ;  which  is  llic  same  ss   to  he   planteti 


RESURRECTION.  389 

in  the  g;espcl.  But  each  of  these  births  is  produced  in  its  proper 
order  ;  and  a  man  in  the  Spirit,  work,  or  union  in  the  one  hath  no 
participation  in  the  other.  Accordin(!;ly  the  children  cf  tliis  world, 
or  of  the  first  Adam,  marry,  and  are  given  in  nianiage  ;  but  those 
in  the  rcsui-rection,  which  is  Christ,  or  those  accounted  worthy  to 
obtain  the  resurrection,  neither  marry  nor  are  given  in  marriage.  So 
of  the  first  Adam  it  is  said.  They  (the  man  and  his  wife)  siiall  be 
one  fiesh  ;  and  again,  They  are  therefore  r.o  more  twain  but  one 
flesh.  But  of  Christ  it  is  said,  He  that  is  joined  to  the  Lord  is  one 
Spirit. 

But  again.  "  Thou  sowest  not  that  bodf  that  shall  be."  When  a 
man  begets  a  son,  in  the  order  of  the  first  Adam,  he  doth  not  plant 
that  body  which  shall  be  raised  glorious  in  Christ,  being  a  subject  of 
the  resurrection,  but  bare  animal  seed.  But  as  every  kind  of  ani- 
mal, in  proiification,  commvmicates  to  its  issue,  the  rudiments," or 
constituent  first  principles  of  its  species,  so  man  also,  who  is  an  ani- 
mal, though  of  the  superior  order  on  account  of  the  supei-ior  rational 
spirit,  communicates  to  his  physical  offspring,  in  the  process  of  pro- 
iification, the  rudiments  of  his  species.  So  that  man  is  begotten  en- 
tire man  in  embryo ;  is  born  and  grows  up  entire  man  in  the  first 
body  ;  out  of  that  first  body  or  seed,  which  was  produced  by  the  first 
Adam,  cometh  forth  in  the  work  of  regeneration,  or  the  resurrec- 
tion, by  the  power  of  Christ  in  the  gospel,  that  spirit  of  v/hich  is  form- 
ed the  ncAv  body,  or  the  ncv  man  v.ith  such  body  as  itihath  pleased 
God  to  give  him.  Hence  it  will  follow,  that  the  regenerated,  or  re- 
surrected man,  is  the  same  as  before,  as  td  identity  of  person,  or  the 
mos":  essential  constituent  parts ;  but  is  a  new  man  as  being  regene- 
rated into  a  new  and  superior  ordei-,  having  laid  aside  the  first  order 
pertaining  to  the  first  Adam  with  the  natural  body,  before  the  work 
is  completely  finished,  and  put  on  the  spiritual  which  is  cf  Christ. 
All  such  put  off  the  old  man  with  his  deeds,  and  put  on  the  new, 
who  is  renewed  in  knowledge  afier  the  image  of  him  who  created 
liim. 

"  But  God  givcth  it  a  body,  as  it  hath  pleased  him,  and  to  every 
"  seed  his  own  body."  On  the  authority  of  this  last  clause  of  the 
verse,  I  suppose  it  hath  been,  that  some,  not  to  say  many^  have  as- 
serted with  great  confidence,  that  the  apostle  here  teacheth  that  the 
same  body  which  Avas  sown,  is  that  which  also  cometh  forth  in  the 
crop,  and  consequently  that  the  same  material  body  which  is  interred, 
ia  that  which  is  raised  to  eternal  life  in  the  resurrection,  notwithstand- 
ing his  express  declaration  to  the  contrary.  "  Thou  sowest  not  that 
'-'  body  which  shall  be."  But  if  by  saying,  "  And  to  every  seed  his 
*"  own  body,"  he  meant  that  every  seed  receives  the  same  body  which 
was  sown,  here  is  a  pointed  contradiction,  his  testimony  hath  in  this 
instance  invalidated  itself — he  hath  taught  nothing.  But  it  is  plain 
enough  to  be  understood,  that  7o  cvej-y  seed  //is  own  body,  meaneth, 
^/"o  every  seed  a  body  fieciiUar  to  that  kind  of  seed,  which  is  pro])e!']y 
its  own  body  ;  and  then  the  contradiction  is  avoided,  and  no  violence 
is  done  to  the  language.     The  candid  among  the  learned  can  help  to 


o9Q  OF  THE 

CGiifirm  this  stutcmcnt,  by  noticing  that  the  Greek  phrase  llicie  used, 
is  very  justly  rendered  in  English,  a  Jirojicr  body,  or  u  body  peculiar 
to  ii,  and  coutciios  rjothing-  in  it  to  require  any  translation,  or  accepta- 
tion, wiiich  v.'ould  at  ail  coiilradict  or  weaken  what  is  before  asserted, 
Triat  it  is  not  the  same  Ixsdy.  The  learned  Philip  Doddridge  saAV 
the  propriety  of  this  criticism  ;  and,  in  his  critical  notes  on  the  text, 
hath  acknowledged,  that  there  appears  to  be  a  reference  in  the  apos- 
tle's ^v■ords,  to  the  bodies  peculiar  to  the  different  kinds  of  grain  ; 
but  for  the  want  of  better  testimony  to  support  his  favorite  plan,  or 
'  not  having  a  right  understanding  of  the  subject,  he  hath  pressed  this 
text  into  his  sch.eme,  tlie  glaring  contradiction  above  stated,  notwith- 
standing. 

Tliere  are  varicus  kind.5  of  bodies  on  the  earth,  and  every  species 
of  animals  hath  its  peculi?aities  of  body  ;  so  also  may  there  be  divers 
decrees  of  glory  among  the  subjects  of  Ihe  restu'rection ;  bui  every 
individual  subject  must  have  a  spiritual  body  agreeing  in  nature  and 
lineage  w  ith  aii  tne  rest.  "  Ail  flesh  is  not  the  same  flesh :  but  there 
"  is  one  kind  of  flesh  of  men,  another  flesh  of  beasts,  another  of 
"  fishes,  and  another  of  birds.  There  arc  also  celestial  bodies,  and 
"  bodies  terrestrial ;  but  the  glory  of  the  celestial  is  one,  and  the 
"  glory  of  the  terrestrial  is  another.  There  is  one  glory  of  the  sun, 
"  and  aiiother  glory  of  the  moon,  and  another  glory  of  the  stars :  for 
"  cna  star  differeth  from  another  in  glory.  So  also  is  the  resurrec- 
"  tion  of  the  deacl.  It  is  sown  in  corruption,  it  is  raised  in  incorrup- 
"  tion."  \Vhat  is  sown  ?  Not  the  same  body  which  is  raised  as 
some  adventurously  and  preposterously  assert,  through  prepossession 
tmd  prejudicial  editcation,  or  an  unacquaintance  with  the  subject  in 
the  true  spirit  of  it,  and  perhaps  also,  for  the  want  of  considering  the 
plain  connection  of  the  different  members  of  the  sentence — Thou 
sowest  not  that  body  tl>at  shall  be.  But  it  is  sown.  "What  is  it  ? 
The  resurrection ;  or  that  crop  which  ccmeth  forth  after  the  sowing 
of  the  first  seed,  or  its  being  planted  and  dying  ;  "  So  also  is  the  re- 
"  surrection  of  the  dead  ;  it  is  sown  in  corruption."  In  that  corrupt 
nature  found  in  that  corru;''  work,  which  hath  always  been  shown  to 
be  unclean  since  the  days  of  Moses,  and  ail  whose  fruits  are  in  cor-  ^ 
ruplion  and  death,  until  finally  dissolved  :  As  in  Adam  all  die.  Or, 
in  plain  terms,  it  is  sown  in  the  flesh,  which  is  corriiptto7i  as  thcngh 
in  the  abstract;  or  as  though  there  were  nothing  pertaining  to  the 
flesh  but  corruption  absolutely.  Accordingly,  "  He  that  soweth  to 
'*  the  flesh  sluai  of  the  flesh  reap  corruption  ;"  but  the  crop,  or  fruit 
of  the  flesh  is  flesh  again,  for  "  That  which  is  of  the  flesh  is  flesh." 
The  fruit  therefore  wliich  those  reap  who  sow  to  the  flesh  is  flesh, 
or  it  is  corruption  as  though  in  the  abstract,  for  corruption  is  so  com- 
bined with  the  flesh  that  wherever  the  fie?a  is,  there  is  corruption, 
and  whatever  is  done  by  the  instigation  of  the  flesh  is  done  in  con-up- 
tion  :  ''  It  is  sown  in  corruption,  I:  is  raised  in  incorruption  ;"  In  the 
■incorrupiii)le  Spirit  and  likeness  of  Christ,  and  by  the  power  of  his 
word,  which  is  incorruptible  seed,  and  liveth  and  abideth  forever. 
"  It  is  30v:n  in  dishonor;"  in  that  work  which  for  the  very  dishonor 


RESURRECTION.  391 

oi"  it,  even  wheu  sanctioned  by  the  broad  seal  of  la'^v  aathoiitv,  all 
men  who  have  the  smallest  sense  of  shame  aie  constrained  to 
conceal :  for  men  are  r.ot  want  to  conceal  hor.crable  deeds ;  "  I 
"  v,'as  shapen  in  iiticiuity  and  in  sin  did  my  mother  conceive  mc." 
[Psm.  51.  5.]  "  It  is  raised  in  glovy;"  fashioned  in  the  glorious 
likeness  of  Christ.  "  It  is  sown  in  weakness;"  of  which  all  are 
partakers  in  the  first  Adam,  more  or  less,  from  their  concep- 
tion to  the  grave.  "  It  is  raised  in  power."  "It  is  sown  a  nainial 
"  body,"  (according  to  the  fiist  Adam)  "  it  is  raised  a  spiritual  body. 
(According  to  the  order  of  the  last  Adam.)  "There  is  a  natui-al 
"  body,  (which  is  the  first  Adam  and  according  to  him,)  ar.d  there 
"  is  a  spiritual  body,  (which  is  the  last  Adam  and  according  to  him,) 
"  And  so  it  is  written.  The  first  man  Adam  was  made  a  livirig  soul, 
"  the  last  Adam  a  cpiickening  spirit."  These  last  words  are  ui?e- 
quivocally  to  the  point ;  and  conclusively  put  the  matier  beyond 
doubt,  with  every  judicious  inquirer,  that  the  sum  of  the  resurrec- 
tion is  regeneration,  or  becoming  iicw  creatures  in  Christ,  that  is 
coming  out  of  the  first  Adam  bito  the  last,  in  spiritual  union  and  re- 
lation ;  which  was  the  point  to  be  proved. 

Bat  the  apostle  proceeds  to  a  father  illustt-ation  "of  the  subject. 
"  Ilowbcit,  that  v/as  not  fii'st  w-hich  is  spiritual,  but  that  which  is  na- 
"  tnral  ;  and  afterwards  that  which  is  spiriluah"  Tlie  spiritual  body 
therefore  is  not  the  same  which  was  once  natural,  else  it  had  beea 
first,  yea,  both  first  and  last,  (a  title  which  belongs  to  none  in  aii  the 
church,  Christ  excepted,)  but  h.e  .saith  it  was  not  first.  Our  exist- 
ence in  Christ,  or  our  spiritual  body,  is  not  our  first  existence,  but  that 
in  Adam,  which  is  natural,  and  afterwards  that  in  Christ  which  is 
spiritual.  Accordingly  it  is  added,  that,  "  The  first  man  is  of  the 
"  earth,  earthy  ;  the  second  man  is  the  Lord  from  heaven.  As  is 
"  ihe  earthy,  such  are  they  also  that  are  earthy  ;  (Adam's  sons  are 
"  like  himself;)  and  as  is  the  heavenly,  such  are  they  also  that  are 
"  heavenly.  (The  people  of  Christ  are  spiritual  and  walk  in  the 
"  same  way  with  him.)  And  as  we  have  borne  the  image  of  the  car- 
"  thy  we  shall  also  bear  the  image  of  the  heavenly."  These  words 
are  satisfactorily  to  the  point,  that  this  is  the  meaning  of  the  natuMl 
body  which  is  first,  and  of  the  spiritual  which  is  last,  to  wit,  t!-at  the 
first  pertaineth  to  the  first  Adam,  according  to  his  order,  and  the  last 
to  the  second  Adam,  who  is  Christ,  according  to  his  order,  and  con- 
sequently, that  to  come  out  of  the  first  Adam  into  the  second,  is  the 
true  resurrection  promised  in  Christ,  for  in  this  point  the  apostle's 
arguments  all  concentrate.  I  have  before  shown  tliatthe  regenera- 
tion, or  resurrection,  is  not  an  instantaneous  work,  but  progressive. 
Accordingly  the  apostle  speaketh  of  it,  as  being  yet  to  come,  al- 
though he  and  other  faithful  believers  had  actually  begun  to  partake 
of  it,  and  were  alive  in  Christ  according  to  the  work  of  that  day, 
being  alive  from.  Vne  dead. 

But  to  put  the  matter  still  farther  cut  of  doubt,  if  possible,  tliat  the 
material  body  hath  neither  part  nor  lot  in  the  rcsurrectior.,  he  hath 
added.  "  Now  this  I  say*  breth.r-^a,  that  flesh  and  biood  cannot  iahc- 


392  OF  THE 

s 

"  rit  t'nc  lvin;j,(loin  oF  God;  neither  cloth  corruption  inherit  incorri-.i)- 
"  tion."  lie  hath  left  no  room  nor  possibility  ibr  the  entrance  ol'  fiesh 
and  blood,  on  the  principle  of  any  alteration  or  rennenient  wl;ich 
they  nvifjht  possibly  r.ndergo,  but  accounts  them  corruption,-  ss  it 
were,  in  the  abstract.  Neither,  as  bcibre  stated,  is  there  any  princi- 
ple in  nattne,  or  any  doctrine  of  revelation  to  prove,  that  llcsh  and 
blood,  or  any  other  material  svibstance^  can  be  converted  into  spirit, 
or  the  material  body  become  a  spiiitual  body,  although  there  is  au- 
thority cnongh  in  revelation,  and  not  contrary  to  natural  reason,  that 
that  spirit,  which  inliabits  the  material  body  during  the  physical  life, 
will  be  glorilicd  in  the  likeness  of  Christ ;  this  is  the  true  resurrec- 
tion. According  to  this  plan,  the  people  of  God  resemble  their  fore- 
runner, and  are  the  true  follovv^ers  of  Clirist,  who  was  born  into  the 
v.'brld,  of  a  woman,  as  the,  children  also  are  ;  and  so  t-cok  on  hiin  the 
same  flesh  and  blood  with  them,  that  through  death  (bv  dying  to 
sin  and  so  setting  them  an  example  to  follow  his  steps,}  he  might 
destroy  him  that  had  the  power  of  death,  that  is,  the  devil,  and  deli- 
ver those  who  through  fear  of  death  were  all  their  life  time  subject 
to  bondage.  For  he  was  not  only  born  into  the  world  of  a  woman, 
as  other  men  are,  but  was  also  born  out  of  the  world  to  God,  by  the 
Spirit  of  regeneration,  that  he  might  therein  be  a  forerunner  to  his 
people.  Or  he  was  born  from  the  dead,  and  is  the  first  fruits  of 
them  that  slept ;  "  The  first  born  from  the  dead  ;  that  he  might  in 
"  all  tilings  have  the  pre-eminence  ;"  that  he  might  in  all  thiisgs  be 
a  leader  and  be  acknowledged  and  honored  as  the  head  over  all,  and 
that  his  people  might  follow  him  through,  receiving  of  his  fulness, 
grace  answering  to  grace.  "  Christ  the  first  fruits  ;  afterwards  they 
"  that  arc  Christ's  at  his  coming." 

Itisindetd  true,  that  in  the  strictness  of  language;  Jesus  Christ, 
the  son  of  God,  never  did  either  die,  or  fall  asleep;  neither  was  he 
ever  dead  in  sin,  or  alive  to  sin  ;  his  spirit,  or  soul,  was  always  too 
deeply  iirimersed  in  the  knowledge  of  God,  and  too  devoutly  submis- 
sive to  his  will,  to  admit  of  any  such  things.  But  th.at  he  stood  in 
the  place  of  sinners,  partook  of  the  same  ficsh  and  blocd,  as  they 
exist  ill  the  order  cf  nature,  fallen  as  it  is,  when  C«cd  pre]5ared  him 
a  body,  avid  laid  on  him  the  iniquity  of  us  all ;  that  in  this  state  of 
existence  he  experieftced  all  that  intimate  physical  union  bctrreen 
soul  and  body,  which  is  common  to  other  men,  and  was  thereby  ex- 
posed to  sufier  all  the  temptations  and  allurements  cf  t!:p  fleshly,  or 
natural  appetites,  so  as  to  be  tempted  in  all  points  like  as  we  arc; 
that  he  suffered  the  ordinary  dissolution  of  that  physical  union,  in 
the  most  painful  and  iiinominious  marjuer,  being  numbered  with  tlic 
transgressors,  and  making  liis  grawc  with  the  wicked  and  with  the 
rich  in  his  death,  and  so  passed  into  Hades,  the  receptacle  or  state  of 
the  dead,  or  departed  spirits,  and  was  thus  counted  of  these  who 
slept ;  and  that  he  thence  ascended  ard  became  the  first  fruits  of 
them  that  slept  and  the  first  begotten  from  the  dead,  are  facts  too 
well  established  to  be  forgotten.  These  statements  compreheijd 
the  only  principles,  on  v/hich  it  was  po::;«ibl<>  for  Jesus  Christ  the  Son 


RESURRECTION.  395 

of  God  to  4Ke  to  sin,  bein."?;  perpetually  beset  with  temptations  of  the 
tievil  thro«p;h  the  Hesh,  and  as  perpetually  and  succes'jfully  resisting 
and  overcoming-,  until  he  arose  to  God  in  newness  of  life,  having 
completely  vanquished  the  tempter,  disappointing  him  on  every 
hand,  and  having  subjugated  and  completely  niortiHed  every  source 
and  principle  of  teniptation,  having  abolished  the  enmity  in  himself, 
vmtil  the  enemy  had  no  more  room  to  Avork.  These  statements  also 
contain  the  only  principles  en  which  the  Son  of  God  can  be  said  to 
have  been  dead,  or  numbered  witl/  the  dead,  or  those  who  slept ;  but 
so  far  was  he  from  being  dead,  or  asleep,  as  had  been  the  case  with 
many  others,  that  he  was  Tn  the  mean  time  actively  employed, 
preaching  to  the  spirits  in  prison,  who  had  been  disobcdiciit  in  the 
days  of  Noah|S.nd  had  been  dismissed  to  hades  [the  st.lte  or  recepta^ 
cle  of  the  dead,l  in  bondr.ge  for  their  disobedience. 

That  the  spirits  of  men,  dislodged  from  the  Lvody,  are  variously 
situated  according  to  their  proper  state  and  character  at  their  exit, 
is  no  doub  a  reasonable  and  equitable  truth  :  but  their  situation  was 
in  general  termed  a  sleep,  particularly  as  it  respected  tlie  righteous 
under  the  law,  as  sigirltying  that  state  in  which  they  were  neither  pro- 
perly saved  nor  irrecoverably  lost — neither  properly  aiive  to  God, 
nor  finally  dead  in  sin  ;  neither  of  Avhich  they  could  be  until  the  sal- 
vation of  God  appeared,  and  they  either  accepted  or  rejected  it. 
For  the  law  making  nothing  perfect,  and  opening  no  possible  way 
of  salvation  from  all  sin,  because  it  was  impossible  that  the  blood  of 
bulls  and  of  goats,  and  the  ashes  of  an  hf-ifcr  a  year  old,  or  all  tiieir 
meats  and  drinks  and  divers  washings  and  carnal  ordinances,  should 
take  aM'ay  sin  ;  so  neither  could  it  sanction  a  final  and  confirmed 
state  of  condemnation.  As  fiiiished  salvation  can  be  obtained  by  the 
gospel  only,  so  absolute  and  complete  condemnation  is  the  lot  of 
those  only  who  reject  it.  "  And  this  is  liie  condemnation,  that  light 
*'  is  come  into  the  world,  and  men  loved  darkness  rather  than  light, 
*'  because  their  deeds  were  evil."  [Jno.  3.  1 9.1 

The  same  term  of  sleep  was  continued  by  Jesus  and  his  apostles 
in  the  gospel  dispensation,  with  special  application  to  believers  in 
Christ,  who  laid  down  the  tabernacle  in  tiic  faith,  and  waited  for  the 
day  of  final  and  full  rcdem'piion  at  his  secoiid  appearing.  Agreea- 
bly to  this  acceptation  of  the  term  sleep,  the  apostle  speaketh  cou- 
cerning  the  deceased,  denominating  them,  Thofte  ivho  are  cslcep.^ 
and  again  saying.  Those  nvho  alccp  in  Je&tis  nvill  God  bring  ivith  him. 
And  of  the  same  characters  he  saith  in  the  same  discourse.  IVi" 
dead  in  Christ  shall  ri&cjir^t.  So  said  Jesus  Christ;  "Our  friend 
Lazarus  sleepeth  ;"  and  afterwards  said  plainly,  "  Lazarus  is  dead.'^ 

That  there  were  divers  degrees  in  the  faith,  light,  pov,er  and  travel 
among  the  believers  from  the  beginr^ng,  is  not  only  rational  but 
scriptural  ;  consequently  some  were  farther  advanced  in  the  spiritual 
life  than  others,  and  therefore  could  not  be  expected  to  fail  so  deeply 
on  sleep,  as  those  who  were  less  acquainted  with  God  and  m.ore  lest 
in  ihe  earth.  Besides,  the  apostles  looked  for  a  day,  and  spoke  of  it, 
m  which  erfl  believers  should  be  entirely  awake,  and  arise   to  that 

£)    3 


394  OF  THE 

eternal  life  in  which  they  should  receive  their  full  reward.  So  saith 
Paul ;  '•  Henceforth  there  is  kid  up  for  me  a  crown  of  rightcous- 
*<  ness,  which  the  Lord,  the  I'ighteous  judge,  shall  give  to  me  in  that 
'■'  day :  and  not  to  me  only,  but  to  all  them  alao  that  love  his  afi/ieai-' 
'■^:ing"  [I  Tim.  3.  8.]  Until  that  day  should  appear  many  would 
sleep,  but  in  that  day,  none  can  fail  of  being  waked  up. 

In  relation  to  this  day  speaketh  the  apostle,  beaiing  forward  in  his 
discourse  on  the  resurrection.  [1  Cor,  15.  31.]  *'  Behold,  I  shew 
"  you  a  mystery ;  We  shall  not  all  sleep,  but  we  shall  all  be  chang- 
"  ed."  And  a  little  after  he  showeth  what  that  change  is;  "For 
"  this  corruptible  must  put  on  incowruption,  and  this  mortal  must  put 
"  on  immortality."  That  all  ir.en  in  this  imbodied  state  are  mortal 
and  corruptible,  being  subject  to  the  dissoluton  of  the  physical  con- 
stitution, or  the  separation  of  the  spirit  from  the  body,  is  granted  bf 
all,  and  confirmed  by  perpetual  experience.  But  according  to  the 
faith  of  the  gospel,  all  true  believers  expect  to  grov/  up  into  Christ 
in  all  things  until  they  all  come  in  the  unity  of  the  faith  and  of  the 
knowledge  of  the  Son  of  God,  to  a  perfect  man,  to  the  measure  of 
the  stature  of  the  fulness  of  Christ ;  or  in  other  words  they  expect 
(and  not  in  vain,)  to  arise  with  Christ  and  in  him,  to  that  eternal  life 
which  is  incorruptible,  undefiled,  and  that  fadeth  not  away.  And 
this  ctornal  life  is  begun,  and  can  make  its  advances,  in  those  who 
are  in  the  body,  as  assuredly  as  in  those  who  are  out ;  as  said  Jesus  ; 
•'  He  that  believeth  in  me,  though  he  were  dead,  yet  shall  he  live  ; 
'■'•  and  v/hosoever  liveth,  and  believeth  in  me,  shall  never  die."  And 
again;  "  If  any  man  keep  my  sayings,  He  shall  never  see  death." 
^Jno.  11.  25,  26.  and  8.  51.]  This  w'ork  therefore  of  growing  up 
into  Christ  in  all  things,  or  of  rising  in  him  to  a  new,  spiritual  and 
eternal  life  in  immortality  and  incorruptibility,  m.ay  be  begun  while 
living  in  the  earthly  house  of  this  tabernacle,  and  proceed  with 
uniiiterrupted  success,  from  one  degree  to  aiwther,  until  perfected. 

But  especially  in  the  day  of  Christ's  second  app^eariiigy  (the  true 
testimony  of  which  is  new  gone  forth,  and  the  last  trum|5^t  begun  t» 
sound,)  in  the  progress  of  which  all  are  to  com6  forth,  those  who  be- 
come proj^erly  awake  to  righteousness'  and  the  knowledge  of  God, 
and  travel  into  the  true  life  and  spiritual  work  of  Christ,  far  enough 
to  go  through  the  dissolution  of  the  physical  constitution,  or  death, 
in  common  language,  without  interruption,  or  the  suffering  of  loss, 
shall  not  sleep,  but  go  right  onward  in  their  spiritual  travel,  standing 
as  liv  ing  members  of  the  living  body,  and  in  union  with  the  head,  and 
so  pass  through  the  change  from  Adam  to  Christ,  or  of  putting  on 
ihcorruption  a;r;d  immortality,  as  well  as  those  W-ho  had  slept  before 
they  were  perfectly  acquainted  with  the  finishing  work  of  Christ,  and 
I'.ad  to  be  awaked  l)y  the  last  trumpet,  for  the  perfecting  of  the  work 
in  them.  This  was  a  mystery,  a  subject  beyond  their  rracli  and  out 
of  their  sight  in  that  day,  in  the  degree  of  travel  which  obtained 
with  them,  until  opened  to  them  by  the  Spirit  of  revelation.  But  to 
suppose  that  all  not  sleeping  meaneth,  that  some  would  be  alive  in 
the  i:ai.iaal  body,  when  the  lai;t  trumpet  should  sound,  and  call  all  to" 


RESURRECTION.  395 

judgment  in  a  moment,  and  that  these  should  proceed  to  the  judg- 
ment without  the  formality  of  dying  and  rising  again,  is,  on  that  plan, 
were  that  the  truth,  no  mystery  at  all,  but  a  natural  consequence, 
naturally  deduced,  by  natural  or  common  sense,  from  plain  premises, 
perceptible  and  intelligible  to  the  natural  senses.  But  some  may 
insist,  that  the  mystery  consisted  in  the  sudden  and  great  change 
which  they  should  pass  through  in  the  whole  constitution,  fitting  the 
bodies  as  well  as  the  spirits  for  being  inhabitants  of  heaven.  But 
the  context  and  connection  will  not  warrant  such  an  explanation  ;  for 
he  had  just  before  asserted,  "  That  flesh  and  blood  (^by  which  we  are 
"  inevitably  to  understand,  tliat  substance  of  which  the  anirnal  body 
*'  consists,)  cannot  inherit  the  kingdom  of  God ;  neither  doth  corrup- 
♦*  tion  inherit  incorruption."  In  this  sentence  flesh  and  blood,  or  the 
animal  l)ody,  is  put  on  a  par  with  corruption,  as  though  they  arc  botli 
one,  or  at  least,  that  wherever  the  first  can  be,  the  last  may  also  be 
expected,  accordingly  they  are  both  equally  excluded  from  the  king- 
dom of  God,  without  appeal. 

To  maintain  therefore  that  the  saying,  "  We  sliall  not  all  sleep, 
"  but  we  shall  all  be  changed,"  means  that  all  men  shall  not  put  oft" 
this  earthly  tabernacle,  but  that  some  shall  experience  a  change  equal 
to  putting  it  off"  and  on  again,  and  so  having  it  glorified  in  heaven, 
while  they  remain  constitutionally  or  pliysically  the  sa>re  beings 
which  they  were  before,  consisting  of  the  same  body  as  well  as  spi- 
rit, is  utterly  unwarrantable.  For,  that  we  may  take  a  compendious 
view  of  some  of  the  reasons  which  might  be  extracted  from  what  is 
already  written.^  In  the  first  place  ;  Such  a  construction  of  that  sen- 
tence destroys  the  apprehension  of  what  is  there  taught  being  a  mys- 
tery as  before  stated.  Secondly,  It  contradicts  the  doctrine  so  fuliy 
taught  in  the  former  part  of  the  discourse,  that  the  resurrection 
promised  in  Christ,  is  the  passing  of  the  creature  fiom  the  first  Adam 
to  the  second.  To  which  add  thirdly,  That  M'hen  the  first  Adam 
sinned,  he  was  nominated  dust,  and  sentenced  to  the  dust  as  his  pro- 
per place,  since  which  time  to  the  present,  there  hath  never  appear- 
ed any  satisfactory,  or  convincing  proof,  that  he  should  ever  be  re- 
covered, much  less  be  released  from  suffering  the  dissolution  :  "  It  is 
"  appeinted  to  men  once  to  die."  That  that  denunciation  was  specially 
against  the  animal  body  is  evident,  for  the  spirit  is  not  dust,  and  is 
not  consigned  to  it,  but  remaineth  susceptible  of  a  renovation  and  re- 
surrection in  Christ  the  second  man.  But  to  return  to  the  argument; 

It  is  unwarrantable  in  matters  of  the  last  importance,  to  build  on  the 
figurative  language  of  prophecy,  without  more  satisfactory  testimo- 
ny ;  especially  wliere  the  language  bears  a  proper  and  consistent 
meaning  without  teaching  such  things  as  are  sought  for  from  it. 
Therefore  add  fourthly  ;  That  this  sentence  beais  a  very  proj^er  ac- 
ceptation without  meaning  simply  or  mainly  the  death  of  the  body. 
For  although  the  term  -slcefi^  when  used  metaphorically  in  the  scrip- 
tures, frequently  means  the  death  of  the  body,  yet  not  universally  ; 
as  in  these  words,  [Eph.  5.  14.]  "  Awake  thou  that  slecpest,  and 
'^  arise  from  the  dead,  and  Christ  shall  give  thee  light ;"  it  is  evident 


396  OF  THE 

that  the  sleeping  liath  no  respect  to  tiic  death  of  the  body,  but  to  the 
insensibility  and  inattention  of  the  mind  to  spiritual  affairs- — to  being- 
asleep,  or  dead,  in  trespasses  and  in  sins.  At  the  same  time,  it  is  not 
a  reasonable  supposition,  that  the  apostle  had  respect  merely  to  bcin^ 
asleep  in  sin,  when  he  said.  We  shall  not  all  sleep ;  for  in  that  scnsq 
it  would  not  be  in  all  respects  true,  as  that  is  the  natural  state  of  all; 
and  also,  as  he  saith,  Ji'r  shall  not  all  sleep,  he  hath  evidently  a  par- 
ticular respect  to  believers,  and  to  that  state  into  Avhich  these  pass  at 
the  dissolution  of  the  natural  life,  vrho  liave  not  become  sufficiently 
alive  to  Gcd  and  erjperienced  in  the  regeneration  to  travel  directly 
onward  with  those  wlro  were  in  the  holy  city  before  th&m.  And  as 
the  work  of  Christ  was  justly  expected  to  be  a  deeper  and  n.ore  tho- 
rough work,  in  the  sounding  of  the  last  trumpet,  or  in  his  second 
appearing,  than  at  any  time  before,  all  should  not  sleep,  but  all  should 
then  be  changed. 

In  dcfer:ce  af  the  resurrection  of  the  earthly  body  and  its  transla- 
tion into  t'-.e  kingdom  of  heaven,  by  an  instantaneous  and  mechani- 
cal exertion  of  drvine  power,  great  stress  probably  will  be  laid  by 
some,  on  these  Mords,  "  In  a  mcmient,  in  th.e  twinkling  of  an  eye,  at 
''  the  last  trump :  for  the  trumpet  shall  sound,  and  the  dead  shall  be 
"  raised  incorruptible,  and  we  shall  be  clianged."  It  cannot  be  de- 
nied with  ar.y  plausibility  that  the  change  which  those  experience  who 
do  not  sleep  is  the  same  which  those  also  experience  who  have  been 
dead,  or  asleep,  (for  the  two  words  mean  the  same  characters,)  or  in 
other  words,  they  undergo  such  a  change  as  to  make  them  equal,  and 
set  them  in  the  same  situation  w^ith  those  who  had  been  dead.  "We 
"  shall  not  all  sleep,  iMit  we  shall  all  l>e  changed — the  dead  shall  he 
"  raised  incrrruptible,  and  we  shall  be  changed.  For  this  corrupti- 
"  ble  must  put  on  incorruption,  and  this  mortal  must  put  on  immor- 
"  tality  ;"  consequently  must  put  off  the  rontrary,  for  in  that  day  the 
work  is  to  be  finished  and  perfect.  The  dead  shall  be  raised  incor- 
ruptilne — aii^  c  in  the  Spirit  of  Christ,  in  whom  there  is  110  corruption 
— free  from  the  flesh  and  all  its  inherent  and  attendant  corruption — 
to  be  for  ever  with  Christ  and  like  him,  now  no  more  to  return  to  cor- 
ru])tion. 

The  apf^EtTe  hath  not,  in  this  place,  shov.n,  whence  the  dead  arise, 
as  to  locality,  or  whence  they  shall  come,  who  have  been  asleep,  but 
in  another  description  of  the  same  period  and  of  the  same  events, 
fi  Thess.  4.  1.'5,  to  17.]  he  jjatii  shown  whence  they  come,  that  when 
Christ  Cometh,  thc^r  come  with  him.  "  But  I  would  not  have  you 
"  ignorant,  brethren,  concerning  those  who  are  asleep,  that  ye  sorrow 
"  not,  even  as  others  who  have  no  hope.  For  if  we  believe  that  Je- 
"  sv.s  died,  and  rose  agc^n,  e^  en  so  them  also  who  sleep  iu.fesus  will  God 
'<  bring  with  him.  For  this  we  say  to  you  by  the  ^W)l■d  of  the  Lord, 
"  That  we  who  are  alive,  and  remain  until  the  coming  of  the  Lord, 
"  si'.ali  not  prevent  fgo  before"]  those  who  are  asleep.  For  the  Lord 
"  himself  shall  descend  from  Heavcji  with  a  shout,  with  the  voice  of 
"  the  pirhangcl  ai;d  with  the  (runsp  of  God  ;  and  the  dc^t!  in  Christ 
*'.*hall  rise  fa'st.     TJ;en  [^fTifircr^  aUenvards,]  we  who  are  alive  antl 


RESURRECTION.  397 

."  fcmain,  shall  be  caught  up  together  with  them  in  the  clouds  to 
"  meet  the  Lord  in  the  air:  and  so  shall  we  ever  be  with  the  Lord." 
This  statement  doth  not  well  accord  with  the  common  notion,  that 
Christ  must  first  come  and  raise  the  saints  out  of  the  earth  before 
they  can  be  with  him  in  the  execution  of  judgment,  but  it  accords 
with  the  Spirit  of  inspiration,  and  all  sentiments  and  notions  must 
yield  to  tliat.  Those  then  who  had  slept  in  Jesus,  or  the  dead  iu 
Christ,  are  raised  to  life  in  Christ,  before  those  who  are  alive  and  re- 
main are  called  forth  into  the  sainc  work  and  by  the  so;;ndir.g  of  tl.e 
same  trumpet,  and  sit  with  him  and  act  for  him  in  the  prosecution  of 
his  work,  toward  those  who  arc  alive  and  remain,  as  well  as  with  those 
who  slept  in  sin.  As  it  is  also  vvrittcn  in  another  place,  "  Do  yc  not 
"  kno^'  that  the  saints  shall  judge  the  world;"  [1  Cor.  6.  2.]  for 
"  The  dead  in  Christ  shall  rise  first,  and  afterwards  we  that  are  aiive 
"  and  remain  shall  be  caught  up  together  with  them  to  meet  llic  Lord 
"  in  the  air."  But  "  Those  who  sleep  in  Jesus  A'iU  God  bring  with 
"  him ;"  which  showeth  hov/  they  are  raised  ;  in  the  spirit  as  Christ 
als5  was,  and  thus  they  are  like  him  :  as  he  was  put  to  death  in  the 
flesh  and  quickened  in  the  Spirit,  so  are  they.  These  things  also 
show,  that  thei'c  is  a  progressive  work  in  the  resurrection,  for  the 
deal?  in  Christ  shall  rise  first.  Neither  is  there  any  thing  in  this 
whole  description,  at  all  inconsistent  with  the  statement  made  above, 
That  t!ie  true  resurrection  in  Christ,  is  the  passing  out  of  the  first 
Adam  into  the  second.  The  shcu.it,  the  voice  of  the  archangel  and 
the  trump  of  God,  are  bold  prophetic  figures,  aptly  expressing  ihic 
vigorous  and  zealous  propagation  of  the  gospel,  calling  the  human 
fRmily  out  of  the  flesh  into  the  Spirit — out  of  the  first  Adam  into 
Christ— out  of  death  into  etevKal  and  incorruptible  life.  The  first  Adam 
is  corrupt  and  mortal,  without  any  promise  of  ever  being  belter ; 
consequently,  all  those  who  staftd  united  with  him  in  his  peculiar  or- 
/ler,  in  any  part,  spirit  or  matter,  arc  proportionably  corrupt  and  mor- 
tal. But  Christ  Jesus,  the  second  Adam,  is  life  and  immortality  as  in 
the  abstract ;  those  therefore  Vi'ho  are  perfectly  renewed  into  Christ 
jn  all  things,  have  put  on  incorruption  ar.d  immortiility  ;  "  For  as  in 
Adam  all  die,  even  so  in  Christ  shall  all  be  made  alive." 

"With,  respect  to  the  peculiar  phraseology,  "  In  a  moment,  in  the 
.'/  tv.-hik!ing  of  an  eye,  at  the  last  trump  ;"  nothing  special  or  defini- 
tive can  be  inferred  frOfm  it,  as  to  the  length  of  the  time  in  which  the 
work  will  be  accomplishing.  For  although  the  peculiarity  of  the 
apostle's  genius,  the  Spirit  of  the  day  and  dispensation,  being  full  of 
the  elevated  strain,  or  style  of  prophecy,  and  the  peculiar  gift  of  re- 
velation made  to  him,  justify  such  bold  figures  in  his  writings,  (For 
although  the  indolent,  earthly  and  contracted  mind,  may  announce 
that  mysterious^  symbolical  ar.d  abstruse  method  of  writing,  unfair, 
even  in  an  apostle,  it  rcmaineth  true  that  according  to  the  wisdom 
ffiveti  to  him  he  hath  written  in  all  his  epistles,  speaiiing  in  Ihsm  of 
these  things;  in  which  are  some  tilings  hard  to  be  understood,  which 
thty  tiiat  are  unlearned  and  unstable,  hut  not  the  wise  towards  God, 
ihe  faithful  and  self-denying,  wi*cst,  as  they  do  also  the  other  scrij)- 


398  OF  THE 

lures,  to  their  own  destruction.)  nothing  can  be  known  definitively  hy 
such  language  in  a  gift  of  prophecy,  how  long,  until  the  same  Spirit 
who  gave  it,  open  it  up  in  the  fulfilment  of  the  work,  or  by  other 
suitable  explication  from  himself.  We  read  of  a  moment,  an  hour, 
lialf  an  hour,  a  day,  three  days  and  an  half,  and  a  thousand  years,  but 
all  are  mysterious  and  symbolical  expressions,  unknown,  as  to  the 
certainty  of  the  time  designed  thereby,  until  unfolded  by  the  same 
Spirit.  And  although  it  be  granted  as  a  reasonable  thought,  that  a 
moment  or  the  twinkling  of  an  eye,  means  a  much  shorter  time  than  a 
day  or  ayear;  and  not  saying  how  suddenly  the  work  maybe  understood 
io  commence  in  its  introduction,  or  with  each  individual  in  its  pro- 
gress, these  things  cannot  prove  any  thing  definitively,  as  to  the  space 
of  time  during  which  the  last  and  finishing  work  of  Christ,  the  work 
of  the  resurrection  and  the  judgment,  will  progress  and  continue. 

I  know  of  no  principle  in  all  which  hath  been  said,  in  the  nature  of 
the  work  itself,  or  in  the  various  scripture  accounts  of  it,  to  contra- 
dict its  being  introduced  suddenly;  every  work  howeve:^  durable  must 
have  a  beginning  ;  but  that  is  not  to  contradict  its  after  increase  ; 
and  to  suppose  that  the  words  In  a  moment,  in  the  twinkling  of  an 
eye,  are  a  literal  proof  tliat  the  resurrection  and  consequent  change 
are  to  be  accomplished  literally  in  that  period  of  time,  is  probably 
more  than  any  man  will  believe  on  a  deliberate  view  of  the  subject. 
Besides,  such  an  acceptation  of  those  woi^ds  would  set  this  verse  at 
variance  with  itself;  for,  in  perfect  agreement  with  the  other  scrip- 
ture which  we  lately  considered,  it  giveth  the  dead  in  Christ  the  fore- 
ivay  in  the  resurrection.  It  would  also  set  this  text  at  variance  with 
almost,  if  not  entirely,  every  other  text  on  that  subject,  which  it 
would  be  too  great  a  digression  from  the  subject  in  hand  to  show  at 
length  in  this  place.  One  passage  hoM'ever,  I  think  it  expedient  to 
notice  here,  which  the  aforesaid  acceptation  would  contradict.  I 
notice  it  here,  because  it  is  in  this  chapter,  on  which  I  am  now  treat- 
ing, and  was  omitted  in  treating  of  the  sentences  immediately  con- 
hected  with  it,Avith  the  peculiarimprcssionof  introducing  it  here.  The 
Mords  are  in  connection  ■\*ith  some  which  have  been  freely  used  al- 
ready ;  "  For  as  in  Adam  all  die,  even  so  in  Christ  shall  all  be  made 
"  alive.  But  every  man  in  his  own  order;  Christ  the  first  fruits; 
"  afterward  they  that  are  Christ's  at  his  coming.  Then  cometh  the 
"  end,  when  he  shall  have  delivered  up  the  kingdom  to  God,  even 
"  the  Father ;  when  he  shall  have  put  down  all  rule  and  all  authority 
"  and  power.  For  he  must  reign  till  he  hath  put  all  enemies  under 
"  his  feet.  The  last  enemy  that  shall  he  destroyed  is  death."  Here 
is  evidently  a  succession  of  events  described  by  the  same  language 
as  one  part  of  the  successive  appearances  of  Christ  to  his  disciples  ; 
"  After  that  [^crtnfa]  he  was  seen  of  James;  then  [f'^a]  of  all  the 
"apostles;"  So  here,  "Christ  the  first  fruits;  afterward  [f  ;<?'■?»], 
"  they  that  are  Christ's  at  his  coming.  Then  [ftr-a,  after,  not,  rerf, 
"  at  that  time,]  cometh  the  end,  when  he  shall  have  delivered  up  the 
"  kingdom  to  God,  even  the  Father,  when  he  shall  have  put  down  all 
"  rule  and  all  authority  and  povrer.  For  he  must  reign,  (to  wit,  after  he 


RESURRECTION.  399 

'♦  hath  come,)  till  he  hath  put  all  enemies  under  his  feet.  The  last 
"  enemy  that  shall  be  destroyed  is  death.  And  when  all  things  shall 
"  be  subdued  unto  him,  then  shall  the  Son  also  himself  be  subject  to 
«  him  that  did  put  all  things  under  him,  that  God  may  be  all  in  all." 
How  long  his  reign  will  be,  before  he  hath  conquered  all  his  enemies 
and  fitted  out  the  kingdom  to  deliver  it  up  to  the  Father,  is  yet  to 
karn,  but  we  have  sufficient  reason  to  believe  it  will  be  longer  than 
a  moment  or  the  twinkling  of  an  eye.  It  is  once  stated,  though  still 
in  the  latii^uage  and  style  of  prophecy,  that  it  will  be  a  thousand  years 
or.-Jtnore.  But  all  this  will  not  contradict  the  expectation,  that  the 
vvQ^k  will  f>e  short  and  speedy  in  deciding  the  case  with  individuals 
as  th{\y  coinsie  forward  in  their  own  order — a  short  work,  cut  short  in 
rightcoiisnass,  giving  every  one  an  offer,  a  fair  trial,  and  when  he  hath 
made  his  choice  dealing  with  him  accordingly.     But  to  return  ; 

"  So  when  this  corruptible  shall  have  put  on  incorruption,  and  this 
"  mortal  shall  have  put  on  imnvortality,  then  shall  be  brought  to  pass 
'•  the  saying  that  is  written,  D^ath  is  swallowed  up  in  victory."  It 
hath  been  sufficiently  proved,  that  this  great  and  happy  change  is  ef- 
fected by  the  gospel  in  the  work  of  regeneration,  or  coming  out  of 
the  first  Adam  where  is  mortality  and  death,  into  Christ  who  is  im- 
mortality and  life.  Accordingly  it  is  written  in  another  place ; 
•'  Whatsoever  is  born  of  God  overcometh  the  world  :  and  this  is  the 
"  victory  that  overcometh  the  world  even  our  faith."  [I  Jno.  5.  4.] 

Not  foreign  from  this  point  are  the  words  of  Christ  to  the  Jews, 
rjno.  5.  25,  Scc.J  "  The  hour  is  coming,  and  now  is,  when  the  dead 
"  shall  hear  the  voice  of  the  Son  of  God  :  and  they  that  hear  shall 
"  live."  According  to  these  words  the  time  of  raising  the  dead  had 
then  comp,  and  also  the  time  of  executing  judgment,  as  the  follow- 
ing words  show  :  but  these  things  only  in  part,  as  a  prelude  and  ex- 
ample of  that  which  was  to  come  ;  for  the  time  was  coming  as  well 
as  then  present.  "  For  as  the  Father  hath  life  in  himself,  so  hath  he 
"  given  to  the  Son  to  have  life  in  himself,  and  hath  given  him  autho- 
*'  rity  also  to  execute  judgment,  because  he  is  the  Son  of  man." 
Thus  wherever  the  gospel  is  there  is  the  judgment.  "  Now  is  the 
"  judgment  of  this  world,  now  shall  the  prince  of  this  world  be  cast 
"  out.  And  I,  if  I  be  lifted  up  from  the  earth,  will  draw  all  men 
"  unto  me."  [Jno.  12.  31,  32.]  And  again  ;  "  For  the  time  is  come 
"  that  judgment  must  begin  at  the  house  of  God."  [1  Pet.  4.  17.] 
But,  "  Marvel  not  at  this  ;  (which  is  now  doing,  which  is  only  the 
''beginning,)  for  the  hour  is  coming,  in  the  which  (the  work  by  the 
*'  same  word  of  power  shall  be  so  extensive  that)  all  that  are  in  their 
"  graves  shall  hear  his  voice,  and  shall  come  forth,  they  that  have 
*'  done  good  to  the  resurrection  of  life,  and  they  that  have  done  evil 
"  to  the  resurrection  of  damnation."  Each  to  be  judged  and  receive 
his  reward  according  to  his  doings.  But  observe.  They  shall  come 
forth  TO  the  resurrection,  so  that  each  one  as  he  cometh  forth  hath 
a  fair  and  decisive  choice  to  make,  into  which  resvu'rection  eventually 
to  enter  ;  according  to  what  is  again  written  ;  "  And  I  saw  another 
'<  angel  fly  in  the  midst  of  heaven,  having  the  everlasting  gospel  {o 


400  OF  THE 

«<  preach  to  them  tliat  dwell  on  the  earth,  and  to  every  nation,  and 
*' kindred,  pukI  tongue,  and  people,  saying  with  a  loud  voice,  Fear 
"  God,  and  give  glory  to  him  ;  for  the  hour  of  his  judgment  is  eonie  : 
"  and  worsliip  him  that  made  heaven  and  earth,  and  the  sea,  and  the 
"fountains  of  waters."  [Rev.  14.  6,  7.]  Here  the  gospel  is 
expressly  announced  as  going  forth  with  the  judgniesn  ;  accordingly 
every  one  who  is  waked  up  and  caUed  forth  hath  an  equitable  oppor- 
tunity to  make  choice,  whether  he  will  fear  God  and  give  glory  to 
him  or  not.  Herein  is  the  work  of  the  first  ri.surrection  ;  aikJ  bless- 
ed is  he  whosoever  is  prevailed  upon  to  enter  into  it.  It  ruiy  ba^eb- 
jected,  as  it  hath  been  done  already,  that  this  text  is  prophetic  "'and 
metaphorical.  But  the  reply  is  natural  and  easy;  That  as  tijis'is, 
prophetic  and  metaphorical.,  so  is  that  which  is  alledged  in  dKt'cnce 
cf  the  suddenness  of  the  change  by  a  mechanical  agency. 

"\^'hen  the  apes  ,.e  had  proved  out  the  truth  of  the  resurrection, 
shown  the  manner  of  it,  and  such  other  things  as  he  saw  proper  to 
state  in  conjunction  with  it,  lie  breaks  out  inao  an  exultation.  "  O 
<'  death!  whore  is  thy  sting?  O  grave  I"  (Hades,  the  receptacle  of 
departed  spirits,  net  the  tomb  into  which  the  body  is  laid)  "  where 
"  is  thy  victory."  (Thou  takest  the  spirits  of  all  men,  but  being  in 
Christ  who  is  our  life,  and  with  whom  our  life  is  hid  securely  in  God, 
we  arise  to  a  better  and  more  gloiious  life  which  is  cternaj  and  free 
from  corruption.")  "  The  sting  of  death  is  siy  ;  ar.d  the  strength  of 
"  sin  is  the  law.  But  thanks  be  to  God,  who  giveth  us  the  a  ictory 
"  through  our  Lord  Jesus  Christ,"  Avho  was  born  of  a  woman,  born 
under  the  law,  that  he  might  redeem  them  that  were  under  the  law, 
that  we  might  receive  the  adoption  of  sons — who  hath  also  borne  our 
sins  on  liis  own  body  on  the  tree,  and  opened  the  new  and  living  way 
through  the  veil,  that  is  to  say,  his  ilesli,  that  he  might  lead  us  out 
of  ail  sin  and  tl'.e  wages  of  it,  into  the  nev.-  and  spiritual  life  in  him- 
self— The  last  enemy  that  shall  be  destroyed  is  death.  When  sin  is 
all  removed  and  death  is  destroyed,  then  the  resurrection  and  the 
life  sjjall  reign  triumphantly,  and  remain  forever. 

Odier  scriptures  might  be  introduced  to  illustrate  the  same  pqjnt ; 
that  the  resurrection  promised  in  Christ  is  the  same  work  of  the  re- 
generation, or  passing  from  the  first  Adam  into  Christ  who  is  the 
Lord  from  heaven,  a  quickening  Spirit,  in  whom  all  his  people  arc 
made  alive,  and  become  spiritual.  That  which  is  of  the  llesh  is 
flesh  ;  or  it  is  corruption  ;  for  that  which  a  man  sowelh  shall  he  also 
reap  ;  but  he  that  soweth  to  the  flesh  shall  of  the  flesh  reap  cor- 
luption,  or  flesh  :  the  body  of  fiesh  therefore  cannot  produce  a  spi- 
ritual body.  But  that  which  is  of  the  Spiru  is  spirit:  they  therefore 
who  are  born  of  tiic  Spiiii,  or  are  regenerated  into  Christ  who  is 
a  quickening  Spirit,  are  spiritual  and  inherit  spiritual  bodies,  of  in- 
torruption  and  iurmortaliiy.  Siiould  any  feel  dissatisfied  -with  the 
application  which  is  mad(^  of  Paul's  discourse  on  the  resurrection 
and  tiiink  they  could  apj)Iy  it  more  correctly;  they  may  consider 
t!iat  if  the  day  is  coUAe,  they  who  are  in  the  work,  may  begin  to  un- 
derstand ;  for  the  r.'ise  ahall  understand  ;  but  tlicy  v,ho  are  not   in 


RESURRECTION.  '     401 

th'5  work,  in  tfic  true  spirit,  cannot ;  for  ncr.e  cf  the  ivkkcd  shall 
viideratcnd.  Bui  if  the,  day  and  time  of  the  resurrection  be  r,oL 
come;  no  man  can  understand  the  things  which  are  written  of  it ; 
for  it  never  was  tlie  intention  of  prophetic  language  that  it  shovdd  be 
understood  until  the  time  of  the  fulfilment,  and  by  those  who  possess 
tlie  same  Spirit  of  God  by  whom  it  was  given  and  by  wliose  opei'a- 
tions  the  work  is  accomplished.  ^'  Knowing  lliis  fust,  that  no  pro- 
*'  phecy  of  the  scripture  is  of  any  private  interpretation.  For  the  pro- 
*'  phecy  came  not  in  old  time  by  the  will  of  man  ;  but  holy  men  of  God 
*'  spake  as  they  were  moved  by  the  Iloly  Ghost."  Without  t!-.e 
teachings,  therefore,  of  the  same  Spirit,  no  man  can  understand  tiie 
jicriptiTre  prophecy  ;  and  just  where  that  Spirit  applieth  it,  tlie  appli- 
cation is  correct,  and  can  be  seen  to  agree  with  the  prophecy :  for 
the  Spirit  is  truth.  Should  any  intjuire  ;  On  this  view,  how  comrth 
it  to  pass  that  any  can  venture  to  maiic  so  bold  an  application  as  the 
above,  of  that  prophecy  written  by  Paul,  on  the  resurrection  I  I  an- 
swer ;  Because  the  day  is  come  ;  the  resurrection  hath  b^g-un  ;  raany 
hath  risen  with  Christ  and  v.-alk  with  him  in  white  ;  To  tiioje  v,ho 
look  f'>r  him  and  are  willinf;  to  receive  him,  he  hath  appeared  tlic 
secoiKJ  time  v/ithout  sin  unto  salvation.  To  them  tha;  fear  God,  the 
Sun  of  righteousness  hath  arisen  with  healing  in  his  L^^-ams,  aiid  is 
shining  as  clear  as  the  noon-day  sun.  This  Sun  of  righteousness 
showeth  us  what  is  the  mystery- — that  we  shall  not  all  slee]i ;  and  iu 
what  manner  the  spiritual  body,  which  was  not  first  is  obtained  in 
Christ;  and  what  is  tlic  nature  of  that  resurrection  to  which  the 
?ipostle  strove,  that  if  by  any  means  he  might  attain. 


CHAPTER  VI. 

Of  the  last  judgment  i  bij   rjay    of  ylppEHDix  to   the  forcvohig- 

chapters. 

THE  resurrection  and  judgment  are  so  intimately  conncctedy 
that  a  fuU  discussion  of  the  first  is  not  to  be  expected  without  includ- 
ing many  things  pertaining  to  the  last.  Accordingly,  in  the  preced- 
ing discourse,  to  interfere  with  the  judgment  was  unavoidable.  But  it 
being  inconsistent  with  the  purpose  of  that  discourse,  to  say  as  much 
on  some  parts  of  scripture  which  naturally  come  into  view,  in  tlis- 
cussing  those  subjects,  as  would  give  satisfaction,  without  digressing 
too  far  from  the  leading  pi'oposals,  I  have  concluded  to  -^dA  a  few 
pages  by  way  of  appendix,  descanting  on  the  resurrection  or  judg- 
ment as  either  may  interfere,  but  intending  to  touch  mostly  on  the 
latter.  And  no  scripture  appears  better  adapted  to  introduce  the 
subject  than  that  on  which  so  much  hath  been  already  v.'ritten,  "  In 
"  a  moment,  in  the  twinkling  of  an  eye,  at  the  last  trump ;  for  tho 
"  the  trumpet  shall  sound,  and  the  dead  shall  be  raised  incorruptible 
«  and  vve  shall  be  changed."  (1  Cor.  15.  52. ") 


.iu2  OF  TIIL 

In  this  text  are  to  be  noticed  ;  First,  The  transaction  to  take  plficr; 
The  trlniipct  shall  sound — the  last  trumpet.  SecoiKlly,  The  effects 
to  follow ;  The  dead  to  be  raised  incorruptible  ;  or  the  sleeping 
J. waked  ;  and  the  living  to  be  changed.  Thirdly,  The  time  and  space 
in  Avhich  these  matievs  are  to  be  efiectcd ;  In  a  iiionient,  in  the 
twhjkling  of  an  eye.     And, 

First.  Of  the  transaction  to  take  place — t!:e  sounding  of  the  last 
trumpet. 

This  is  the  only  place  in  scripture,  where  the  phrase,  last  trumpet; 
is  used  in  relation  to  this  scene.  And  I  know  no  reason  beyond  con- 
jecture, or  the  combinatiou  of  human  conceptions  transferred  from 
one  to  another,  to  fix  any  impression  on  the  minds  of  professed  chris- 
tians, why  this  last  trumpet  should  be  any  other  than  the  seventh, 
snoken  of  in  the  Apocalypse.  It  is  evident  from  the  manner  in 
which  the  sacred  penmen  have  written,  that  they  did  not  jud^e  it  ne- 
cessary, to  describe  minutely  every  circumstance  attending  that 
scene,  on  every  occasion  when  they  spake  of  it,  neither  always  to 
describe  it  in  the  same  words :  or  in  other  words  ;  It  did  not  appear 
necessary,  to  the  Spirit  of  God,  to  show  them  all  things  minutely  and 
at  ail  times. 

In  the  tcKt  now  befqre  us   there  is  no  mention  of  whose  trumpet 
it  is,  or  by  whom  sounded.     But  other  scriptures  descriptive  of  the 
same  scene,  aiTord  infor;rration  on  that  particular.     In  the  epistle  to 
the  Thessaionians  it  is  announced  by  these  terms;  "  For  the  Lord 
<■'  himself  shall  descend  from  heaven  with  a  s/ioutfl^xi^fvafxatt.;  ex- 
«  prcssinp:  the  exhortation  or  command  given  by  sailors,]  v/ith  the 
«  voice  of  the  archangrl  and  uith   the  triimfi  of  God.'*     In  the  de- 
?icripticn  of  the  same   scene  by  Jesus  himself,  (Matt.  24.  31.)  it  is 
said  ;  "  And  he  shall  send  his  avf^sls  roit/i  the  scur.d  of  a  great  trum- 
jict."     Thus  by  a  comparison  of  those   scriptures,  which  speak  of 
Christ's  coming  attended  by  the  sound  of  a  trumpet,  it  appears  that 
the  trump  of  God,  or  of  Christ,  is  that  which  the  angels  sound.  And 
that  these  angels  are  messengers  of  God  to  the  people,  and  that  the 
message  which  they  bring  is  the  gospel  of  Christ  for  the  salvation  of 
all  v.hosoever  v.'ill  hear  and  obey  it,  (for  tliat  is  no  gospel  which  doth 
jiot  contain  the  privilege  and  poAVcr  of  salvation,)  v,i;]  appear  by  corr:- 
paring  t^ie  above  with  another  scripture  descriptive  of  the  same  tre- 
mendous scene — the  commencement  of  the  last  judgment.  (Re\-. 
14.  G,  7.)  "  And  I  saw  another  angel  fiy  in  the  midst  of  heaven,  hav- 
'-'  ing  the  everlasting  gospel  to  preach  to  them  that  dwell   en  the 
''  earth,  and   to  every  nation,  and  kindred  and  tongue,  and  people, 
•'  Saving  with  a  loud  voice.  Fear  God,  and  give  glory  to  him  ;  for 
"'  the  hour  of  his  judgment  is  come ;  and  Avorship  hini  *hat  made 
>■'  heaven,  and  earth,  wid  the  sea,  and  the  fountains  of  waters."     In 
ibis  dcscriplicu  the  vision  is  of  one  angel.     Thus   an  angel  with  a 
message,  angels  with  the  sound  of  r.  great  trumpet,  the  voice  of  the 
archangel  and  the  trumpof  God,  as  well  as  the  Lord  with  a  shout, 
ji.re  all  introduced  to  communicate  the  same  infoirnalion.     On  which 
we  may  unhesitatingly  observe,  that  no  man  can  prcdvtce  the  smallcsv 


JUDGMENT.  403 

authorily,  thai  any  one  of  them,  or  any  other  prophecy  of  tliat  day, 
is  a  literal  description  of  the  appearances  and  transactions  to  wliich 
they  rch\te.  But  as  they  are  all  apt  liijures  to  represent  the  publi- 
cation of  the  gospel,  as  before  hinted,  and  whereas  the  scene  of  the 
last  quotation  was  last  shown,  in  late  days,  consequently  nearest  the 
time  of  the  accompiisinncnt,  and  to  one  to  whoni  future  events  were 
shown  in  a  singular  manner,  and  as  this  testimony  is  expressly,  that 
this  loud  voice,  shout,  or  trumpet,  winch  ever  it  be  called,  is  the 
everlasting  gospel,  (and  can  we  expect  the  tidings  of  the  last  day  to 
be  any  thing  less  favorable  than  God  liath  said  ?)  may  we  not  v.ith 
confidence  and  safety  conclude,  from  these  premises  and  in  perfect 
consistency  with  an  acquaintance  v/ich  the  work  in  the  present  da)', 
that  all  these  symbolical  representations  uniformly  point  to  the  Spirit 
of  Christ  in  his  church,  and  going  fcjvth  to  the  people  on  the  earth, 
in  his  angels  or  ministers  ?  And  as  in  the  first  dispensation  of  Christ 
the  judgment  went  with  the  gospel,  as  before  shovt'n,  it  is  not  unrea- 
sonable that  the  last  judgment  of  the  world — the  final  casting  out  of 
the  prince  of  this  world,  should  usher  in  with  the  everlasting  gospel. 
At  least,  such  is  the  statement  of  the  scriptures ;  and  I  must  be  al- 
lowed to  believe  them  until  I  find  more  competent  authority.  And 
in  addition  to  the  truth  of  God,  that  judge  of  all  tl-.c  earth,  who  will 
do  all  things  rigb.t,  and  who  inriteth  mankind  to  reason  witi\  him  en 
fair  and  equitable  principles,  I  can  appeal  to  the  common  sense  of 
every  man  ;  to  the  nn')iassed  feelings  of  eveiy  heart;  to  the  recepta- 
cle of  light  and  evidence,  and  th>e  comparer  of  evidences  in  every 
man,  whether  it  be  not  more  equitable  than  any  thing  which  can  be 
proposed  to  the  contrary,  to  give  every  one  a  fair  trial  by  ushering- 
In  the  gospel. as  a  concomitant  of  the  judgment,  allowing  to  every 
one  the  pirvilegc  of  confessing  all  his  sins,  laying  down  his  robcllio::, 
and  bearing  his  cross  in  obedience  and  self-denial ;  and  whether  any 
thing  could  be  imagined  more  unequal,  than  to  arraign  a  man  and 
condemn  him  finally  and  irrecoverably,  for  having  not  done  his  duty, 
in  a  situation  in  which  hecouid  neither  know  nor  have  any  power  to 
do  it,  or  for  doing  that  which  h.c  had  no  power  to  avoid,  or  knowledge 
of  its  being  evil  ;  and  h^is inability  all  this  time  invincible  in  his  situ- 
ation. And  it  is  abundantly  evident,  that  by  far  the  majority,  thou- 
sands and  millions  of  those  v/ho  are  and  who  have  been,  knew  not 
Uie  will  of  God,  and  had  no  possible  way  to  know  it,  and  .therefor(i 
could  not  pos~)ibiy  do  it :  and  at  the  same  time,  none  can  enter  into  the 
kingdom  of  heaven  except  those  who  do  the  v/ill  of  God,  "  Not 
•'  every  one  that  saith  unto  me,  I^ord,  Lord,  shall  enter  into  the  king- 
*"'  dom  of  hcaveii ;  but  he  that  doeth  the  will  of  my  Father  who  is 
•'  heaven."  "  But  he  who  knew  not  (his  Lord's  will'),  and  did  com- 
*  mit  things  worthy  of  stripes,  shall  be  beaten  with  few  stripes ;" 
Yet  he  is  beaten,  and  therefore  not  clear. 

Now  let  us  inquire,,  what  there  is,  in  any  or  all  the  representations 
of  the  last  day,  or  judgment,  by  which  they  can  be  proved  to  be  at 
all  different  from  the  sounding  of  the  seventh  trumpet  in  the  Apoca- 
lypse.    Nothing  can  be  argued  fronvthe  suddenness  and  quick  ac- 


404  OF  THE 

complishmcnt  in  any  of  those  representations  ;  for  although  in  this 
no  nien'don  is  made  of  a  naoraent  or  an  hour,  the  -work  is  described 
as  being  as  instantaneous  and  momentary  as  language  can  point  it 
out ;  even  as  quick  as  the  trumpet  gave  the  blast.  "  And  the  sev- 
••'  enth  ar.gei  soxmded  ;  and  there  vi-ere  great  voices  in  heaven,  Say- 
"  ing,  7"he  kingdoms  of  this  world  are  become  the  kingdom  of  our 
"  Lord,  and  of  his  Christ;  and  he  shall  reign  for  ever  and  ever.'* 
(Rev.  U.  15.)  Neither  can  any  thing  be  shown  in  the  so\mding  of 
this  seventh  trumpet,  by  which  it  can  be  proved  to  fall  short  of  the 
genera!  and  last  judgment;  for  no  language  could  more  forcibly 
paint  that  important  day,  in  respect  to  the  things  '.vhich  were  shown 
to  take  place  in  ti.c  time  of  it ;  as  the  setting  up  of  that  kingdom  of 
God  in  which  he  is  to  reign  for  ever  and  ever;  and  added  vo  this. 
The  wrath  of  God  on  the  nations,  the  dead  raised,  his  servants  re- 
warded and  his  enemies  destroyed.  "  And  the  four  and  twenty  El- 
♦'  ders,  who  sat  before  God,  on  their  seats,  fell  upon  their  faces,  and 
'«•  worshipped  God,  saying,  We  give  thee  thanks,  O  Lord  God  Al- 
"  mighty,  who  art,  and  wast,  and  art  to  come;  because  thou  hast 
"  taken  to  thee  thy  great  power  ard  hast  reigned.  And  the  nations 
"  were  angry,  and  thy  wi-ath  is  come,  and  the  time  of  the  dead,  that 
'<  they  should  be  judged,  and  that  thou  shouldest  give  reward  to  thy 
"  servants  the  prophets,  and  to  the  saints,  and  tliem  that  fear  thy 
"  name,  small  and  great ;  and  shouldest  destroy  them  that  destroy 
'<  tl'.e  earth." 

At  the  same  time,  there  is  notliiag  in  the  sounding  of  this  seventh 
angel,  to  contradict  its  being  tiie  ushering  in  of  the  everlasting  gos- 
pel, to  make  final  settlement  with  all  people,  and  to  reward  them  ac- 
cording to  their  works;  and  ift  the  mean  time,  to  give  every  one  a 
fair  trial  of  access  to  God  in  his  holy  temple,  to  obtain  forgiveness  on 
the  same  principle  with  others :  with  God  is  no  respect  of  persons. 
"  And  the  temple  of  God  was  opened  in  heaven,  and  there  was  seen 
''  in  his  temple  the  ark  of  his  testament ;  and  there  were  lightnings, 
"  and  voices,  and  thiinderings,  and  an  earthquake,  and  great  hail." 

According  to  the  general  representations  given  of  God,  by  pro- 
fessed christians,  he  is  the  most  unjiist  of  all  judges,  who  will  take  a 
man  to  an  account,  and  condemn  him  irrecoverably,  for  not  having- 
donc  his  dutv,  when  he  had  neither  knowledge  nor  power  to  do  it. 
Wheieas  it  is  always  honorable  in  a  judge,  or  potentate,  to  publish 
an  universal  amnesty  to  those  who  have  been  in  rebellion,  although 
with  the  fullest  knowledge  of  it,  on  the  condhion  of  confessing  their 
wrongs  and  becoming  obedient  subjects;  and  it  is  justly  esteemed 
cruel  to  do  otherwise. 

On  the  contrary  ;  Seme  seeing  in  a  measure,  the  unreasonableness 
of  the  prevalent  notions  concerning  the  judgment  of  God,  and  at  the 
same  timo  ignorant  of  the  terms  of  yiardon  and  acceptance,  or  un- 
willing to  submit  when  informed,  have  fallen  into  the  opposite  ex- 
treme ;  and  believe,  or  affect  to  believe,  that  men  v.'11i  all  be  accept- 
ed of  God  in  d(;ing  w'lat  they  conclude  is  right,  each  <'rie  fir  f)ne, 
and  thur>  annul  the  will  of  God  and  his  judgnicnt  altogcil.cr,  svjbject- 


JUDGMENT.  405 

ing  him  to  the  judgment  of  every  man,  and  requiring  him  to  sanction 
wliatever  course  of  life  each  man  saith  in  his  mind  is  right.  This 
scncnie  sefveth  for  a  temporary  plaster  on  the  conscience;  but  that 
onl^  partial,  because  none  of  that  faith  are  able  to  lead  such  a  lift-, 
as  to  have  the  unreserved  appi'obation  of  their  ov,-n  consciences  in  a!i 
things.  I  speak  especially  of  those  v.-ho  acknov.isdg?.  tire  truth  aud 
necessity  of  Christianity.  This  scheme  therefore  must  fall  to  the 
ground,  and  make  way  for  the  doctrine  of  Christ,  That  nothing  can 
include  tlie  title,  to  eternal  life,  short  of  knowing  the  will  of  God  ana 
doing  it,  as  stated  above. 

Another  matter  maketh  it  appear  reasonable,  not  to  say  xinavcir- 
ble,  that  the  judgment  should  be  in  union  Aiith  the  gospel  or  ux! 
ed  in  it,  and  consequently  tliat  the  everlasting  gospel  should  'jsiiC"  ;  :, 
together  with  the  last  judgment,  which  is,  that  the  g-ospel  cannot  rr'.  •'- 
its  proper  and  full  effect  without  it.     The  cfTect,  or  eiKl,  if  the  gc;  .  i 
is  a  full  acquittal,  or  remission  of  sins,  with  acceptance  with  ^An.    , 
justification  and  peace.     But  as  no  man  can  be  justly  condemned  ■..•■- 
til  he  is  tried,  so  neither  can  any  be  justified,  or  acquitted  ;  anc  r.  t 
man  can  be  tried  before  the  time  of  trial,  or  day  of  judgment.    T'ji.; 
showeth  the  inconsistency  and  the  fiimsy  foundation  of  those  p.. •- 
fessors,  vvho  beast,  or  even  hope,  tliat  they  are  justified  of  God,  \.ird 
yet  expect  to  come  to  the  judgment  and  have  their  character  exa- 
mined and  their  una!  condition  fixed,  according  to  an  order  of  Juol- 
i«ent  yet  unknov.-n. 

But  the  sounding  of  the  sevcntli  angel  is  ackrxwiedged  to  have 
been  going  on  a  considerable  time  already;  consequently,  it  wiii  net 
be  denied,  that  the  gospel  is  preached  during  tliat  time.  So  jikewi  jc 
it  vvill  have  to  be  granted,  that  the  gospel  is  p;^eached  during  the 
lin;e  of  which  Christ  f3pakc,  saying,  "  Ai.d  he  shall  send  his  ar;!.  els 
"  with  a  great  sound  of  a  trumpet,  and  they  shall  gather  together 
"  his  elect,  from  the  four  winds,  from  cne  end  cf  Msyen  to  ti:e 
"  other."  "  J3ut  of  that  day  and  hour  knov/eth  no  man^(before  its 
"  commencement,)  no,  not  tlie  aJigefs  of  heaven,  but  my  Father 
"  only."  (Thiis  is  acknowledged  to  be  lite  day  and  hour  of  jud?- 
ment.)  «'  But  as  the  days  of  Noah,  so  sliall  also  th.e  coming  of  tfjs 
"  Son  of  man  be.  (or,  And  as  it  was  in  the  days  of  Noah,  so  shall  it 
"  be  also  in  the  days  of  the  Son  of  man."  (Luk.  IT.  26,)  "  For  as 
"  in  the  days  that  were  before  the  flood,  tlicy  were  eating  ^nd  driiik- 
"  ing,  marrying  and  giving  in  marriage,  until  the  day  that  Noah  en- 
"  terqd  into  tlie  ark,  and  knew  not  until  the  Hood  came  and  took  them 
"  all  away  ;  so  shall  also  the  coming  of  the  Son  of  man  be."  (24. 
31,36,  to  39.)  Now  in  the  days  of  Noah  he  was  a  preacher  of  right- 
eousness to  the  people  ;  so  in  the  coming  or  days  of  the  Son  of  man, 
the  gospel  shall  be  preached  until  the  work  is  finished,  and  the  an- 
gels, or  ministers  of  Christ,  have  gathered  in  the  elect,  the  faithful 
and  obedient,  from  under  the  whole  heaven,  and  he  hath  fitted,  cut 
the  kingdom  ready  to  be  delivered  up  to  the  Fath,cr. 

Observe ;  It  is  not  said,  as  in  the  day  that  Noah  entered  into  the 
ark,  so  shall  the  coining,  or  days,  cf  the'  Son  of  man  be  ;  but  it  is 


40G  OF  THE 

expressly  slated,  as  in  llie  days  that  were  Ijcfore  the  fioe-d ;  and  tliis 
continued  uniil  the  day  ol"  cnterinfj  \n,  when  he  had  fulfiiltd  to  them 
his  commission,  and  the  people  being  disobedient  were  swept  away ; 
so  shall  it  be  in  the  day  of  the  Son  of  man ;  those  who  xre  obedient 
to  the  everlasting,  or  finishing-  gcspel,  sJiall  be  kept  safe  in  the  ark, 
as  Noah  and  his  family  v.'erc,  while  the  disobedient  and  impenitent 
shall  be  swept  av/ay. 

Hov/ever  energetic  the  language  which  describeth  the  day  of 
judgment,  there  is  no  description  of  it  at  all  incompatible  with 
preaching  the  gcspel  successfully  in  the  time  of  it.  For  although 
in  the  process  oif  the  time,  the  judgment  is  certain  ;  and  it  will  ajso 
come  as  a  snare  on  all  the  earth,  and  there  can  be  no  escape  ;  M'hen 
the  nature  of  the  language  used  in  the  scripture,  relating  to  that  day, 
is  considei  ed,  it  cannot  be  proved,  that  the  process  will  be  too  swift 
for  the  successful  preaching  of  the  gospel.  Thus  v.-hen  it  is  said, 
*'  That  the  day  of  the  Lord  so  comcth  as  a  thief  in  the  nigbt.  For 
"  when  they  shall  say  peace  and  safety,  then  sudden  destruction  com- 
"  cth  upon  them,  as  travail  upon  a  woman  with  child  ;  and  they  shall 
"  not  escape."  (I  Thess.  5.  2,  3.)  This  is  very  forcible  language; 
but  any  one  of  moderate  understanding  rnay  see,  that  it  doth  not  de- 
scribe a  momentary,  or  instantaneous  accomplishment.  For  how- 
ever suddenly  and  surprisingly  the  travail  of  a  woman  with  child 
may,  in  some  cases,  commence,  it  is  not  suddenly  over;  and  the  wo- 
man hath  the  encouraging  prospect  of  being  delivered  from  the  dis- 
tress after  the  birth,  and  of  being  more  hapj^y  than  before  h.er  tra^-ail 
came  on.  -i"  A  woman  v/hen  she  is  in  travail  hath  sorrow  because 
"  her  Jioitr  is  come  :  birt  as  soon  as  she  is  delivered  of  the  child,  she 
'=  remefnbereth  no  more  the  anguish,  for  joy  that  a  man  is  born  into 
''■'  the  wdi'Id."  fJnc.  16.  2 i.) 

So  also  vvj^n  the  judgment  of  the  last  day  commences  and  brings 
dcstructiotjlWl^he  v.ickcd,  it  is  not  without  the  gospel  announcing  par- 
don and  life  to  the  penitent,  but  to  the  im.penitent,  inevitable,  and 
n~icst  agg!  avated  destruction.  For  while  to  the  one  it  is  the  savor  of 
Hfe,  unto  life,  to  the  other  it  is  the  savor  of  death  ur.to  death.  Be- 
sides ;  as  travail  is  the  certain  lot  of  a  woman  with  child,  in  the  or- 
dinary nature  of  things,  so  judgment  is  sure  to  overtake  all,  and  des- 
truction the  finally  impenitent,  and  that  speedily.  "  Because  scn- 
'•  tence  aganist  an  evil  work  is  not  executed  speedily,  therefore  vhc 
"  heart  of  the  sons  of  men  is  fully  set  in  them  to  do  evil."  But  "  He 
"  that  being  often  reproved  hardeneth  his  neck,  shall  suddenly  be 
*'  destroyed,  and  that  without  remedy."  "  And  shall  not  God 
'' avenge  his  ovrn  elect,  who  cry  day  and  niglit  to  him,  t]iough  h« 
"  bear  long  with  tliem  ?  I  tell  you,  that  he  will  avenge  them  speedily. 
"  Nevertheless,  when  the  Son  of  man  comcth  shall  he  find  faith  on 
«  the  earth  V  (  Eccl.  8.  11.  Prov.  29.  1.  Luke  18.  7,  8.)  The 
elect  therefore  arc  tiien  to'l:)C  searched  out  and  proved,  before  they 
ai-e  avenged,  and  before  th.c  v.icked  are  dcsti'oyed  with  a  swift  des- 
truction. 


JUDGMENT.  40r 

It  is  peculiarly  common  to  tlie  Spirit  of  pvcpLccy,  to  paint  in 
strong-  colours,  and  to  express  -^ith  great  cnes-gy,  insouruch  that  mat- 
ters of  long  continuance  appear  to  bs  accompiishi-d  in  an  instant,  or 
itearly  so.  Thus  of  the  fall  of  Babylon  ;  "  And  a  mighty  ang-cl  took 
«  a  stone  like  a  great  milst-jne,  and  cast  it  into  the  sea,  saying,  ThH« 
"  with  violence  shall  that  great  city  Babylon  be  thrown  down,  and 
"  shall  be  found  no  more  at  all."  And  again  ;  "  For  in  one  hour 
"  so  great  riches  is  come  to  nought."  And  again  ;  "  For  in  one 
«  hour  is  she  made  desolate."  [Kev.  18.  17,  19,21.]  And  yet  this 
fall  of  Babylon  is  acknowledged  to  fill  up  many  years,  not  to  say 
ages.  In  like  manner  the  sounding  of  the  seventh  trumpet  hath 
been  confessedly  going  on  for  many  years,  and  it  is  yet  a  secret  v/iih 
God,  how  long  it  is  to  sound.  And  the  fail  of  Babylon  evidently 
commences  with  the  sounding  of  the  seventh,  or  last  trumpet ;  fov 
immediately  therewith,  "  The  kingdoms  of  this  world  are  become 
"  the  kingdom  of  our  Lord  and  of  his  Christ  ;  and  lie  sliall  I'cign 
«  for  ever  and  ever."  But  the  fall  of  Babylon,  or  of  the  beast,  or  of 
the  man  of  sin,  (for  I  suppose  few,  if  any,  cf  the  informed,  will  dis- 
pute these  being  all  one,  in  the  real  spirit  and  substance  of  the  mat- 
ter,) is  not  until  the  last  appearing  of  Christ,  or  day  of  final  judg- 
ment. Neither  will  it  any  less  agree  v/i;ii  the  swmding  of  the  se- 
venth trumpet ;  for  that  judgment  is  plainly  taught  as  con:n\cncing 
■with  the  sounding  of  that  trumpet,  as  already  stated.  But  that  the 
fall,  or  destruction,  of  this  beast,  is  not  to  take  place  until  the  com- 
mencement of  the  day  of  final  judgment,  is  plainly  enough  taught 
by  the  apostle  Paul  in  his  second  epistle  to  the  Thcssalor.ians;  whcie 
he  speaketh  In  such  explicit  terms,  that  I  know  r,ot  if  any  dispute 
its  being  the  last  judgment  of  which  he  is  treating,  and  in  a  fcw^ 
sentences  introdnceth  the  man  of  sin,  or  beast,  in  sucli  plain  terms 
that  they  have  been  long  acknowledged  to  apply  to  the  same  beast, 
or  spiritual  Babylon  ;  and  after  shov/ing  tl.at  that  day  of  tLe  Lord, 
of  which  he  had  been  speaking,  would  not  come  except  there 
should  be  a  falling  away  first,  and  that  wicked,  or  man  of  sin,  slicuid 
be  revealed  ;  he  then  announceth  in  unequivocal  terms,  that  the 
Lord  will  consume  him  with  the  spirit  of  hisn^.outh,  and  destroy  him* 
with  the  brighti^ess  of  his  appearing.  "  Seeing  it  is  a  righteous 
"  thing  with  God  to  recompense  tribulation  to  them  that  trouble 
"  you,  and  to  you  who  are  troubled,  rest  with  us,  Avhcn  the  Lord 
"  Jcsv\s  shall  be  revealed  from  heaven  with  his  mighty  angels,  in  fiam- 
"  ing  fire,  (He  maketh  his  ministers  BamcJ^  of  fire,  and  by  his  gos- 
•'  pel  shall  judgment  be  executed  in  the  v.  crJd,}  taking  vengcan»3 
♦'  on  them  that  i^now  not  God,  and  ti-.at  obey  not  the  gospel  of  our 
'•  Lord  Jesus  Christ ;  who  sliall  be  punished  with  everlasting  des- 
"  truction  from  the  presence  of  the  Lord  and  from  tlic  glory  of  his 
•'  power  ;  v/hcn  he  shall  come  (in  the  progress  of  that  day,)  to  be 
'^  glorified  in  his  saints,  and  to  'oe  admired  in  all  ll;cm  that  believe 
"  (because  our  testimony  among  you  v.-as  believed)  in  that  day." 
(Thus  there  will  be  a  real  priviiege  of  believing  in  tltctt  clay^  tliat 
liciiig  the  time  to  gatb.erin  the  elect,  or  to  gain  mc.i  to  the  true  and 


403  01'  THE 

perfect  faith  ;  For  when  the  Son  of  man  cometh  sliall  he  find  faith 
on  the  earth  r)  "  Now  wc  beseech  you,  brethren,  liy  [conccrnuig"' 
"the  coming  of  our  Lord  Jesns  Christ,  and  our  gathering  toge- 
"  thcr  to  him,  that  ye  be  not  soon  shaken  in  mind,  or  be  tiouljied, 
"  neither  by  spirit,  nor  by  word,  nor  by  letter,  as  from  us,  as  iliat  the 
''  day  of  Christ  is  at  hand.  Let  no  man  deceive  yon  Ijy  any  means  : 
"  for  (that,  day  shail  not  come)  CNxept  there  come  a  tailing  awav  first, 
"  and  that  man  of  sin  be  revealed,  the  sok  of  perdition  ;  who  oppo- 
'•  seth  and  cxaltcth  hirascif  above  all  that  is  cailed  God,  or  that  is 
'•  worshipped  ;  so  that  he  as  God,  si-tteth  in  the  temple  of  God,show- 
"  ing  himself  that  he  is  God — And  then  shall  that  wicked  be  reveal- 
*'  ed,  whom  the  Lord  shall,  consume  with  the  spirit  of  his  month,  and 
"  shall  destroy  with  the  brightness  of  his  coming."  Thus  cleaily 
doth  the  apostle  show,  that  the  destruction  of  the  beast  is  ccnjohied 
with  the  iiit  appearing  of  Christ  to  judgment ;  for  the  brightness 
of  his  appearing  cannot  be  seen,  or  have  its  etfects,  in  the  destruc- 
tion of  the  son  of  perdition,  until  his  appearing  hath  commenced. 
Besides  ;  Ills  consuming  him  with  the  spirit  of  his  mouth  is  an  apt 
expression  to  designate  the  preaching  of  the  gospel  to  tlic  world — 
the  sha'-p  two-edged  sword  v/hich  goeth  out  of  his  mouth  ;;  '•  For 
«  the  word  of  God  is  quick  and  powerful  [living  and  efficacious,! 
"  and  sriarper  than  any  two-edged  sword,  piercing  c\en  to  the  divid- 
"  ing  asunder,  of  soul  and  spirit,  and  of  the  joints  and  marrow,  and. 
"  is  a  discerner  of  the  thoughts  and  intents  of  the  heart."  [Heb. 
4.  12.]  And  as  to  his  being  revealed  in  flaming  fire,  it  is  no  unapt 
phraseology  to  indicate  the  fiaming  Spirit  of  Christ  in  his  ministers 
and  people,  in  whom  he  will  be  glorified  and  admired.  "For  our 
"  God  is  a  consuming  fire,"  and  he  dwclleth  in  his  people.  "  For 
"  all  tlie  earth  shall  be  devoured  with  the  fire  of  my  jealousy,  saith 
"  the  Lord,  whose  fire  is  in  Zion,  and  his  furnace  in  Jerusalem." 
[Zeph.  3.  8.  Isa.  31.  9.]  For  observe,  That  in  his  sahits  he  Com- 
eth (that  is,  in  his  people  or  Zion  where  he  dwelleth,  and  liath  pro- 
mised to  dv.ell  for  evei-,)  as  the  apostle  .Tude  also  h.ath  it ;  "  Be- 
"  hold  the  Lord  conielh  in  myriads  (Greek)  of  his  saints."  But  to 
pursue  the  subject ; 

From  tiie  above  statements  it  appeareth  that,  the  seventh  trumpet 
in  the  Apocalypse,  is  the  same  as  the  last  trumpet  spoken  of  by  Paul, 
and  that  it  commcnceth  conjointly  with  the  downfall  of  Babylon,  the 
setting  up  of  the  kingdom  of  Christ,  or  Millennial  reign,  and  with 
ihe  last  judgment  of  the  tpiick  and  the  dead.  And  to  these  things 
agree  the  words  of  the  apostle  Paul  in  another  epistle,  (2  Tim.  4.  1.) 
speaking  of  the  appearing  of  Christ,  "  Who  shall  judge  the  quick 
"  and  tiie  dead  at  his  appearing  and  his  kingdor.i."  Ami  if  any 
scripture  testimonies  inevitably  contradict  the  expectation  of  the 
gosjjel's  being  successfully  preached  to  them  th.at  dwell  on  the  earth, 
in  t!',e  day  and  hour  of  judgment,  or  if  any  are  incompatible  with  the 
execution  of  ample  vengeance  on  the  finally  impenitent,  the  preach- 
luix  of  ih.c  gospel  notwithstanding,  I  sh.ould  l:c  glad  to  stc  them. 
When  men  hear  the  testimony,  th.at  the  day  of  Gcd's  judgment  hath 


JUDGMENT.  409 

commenced,  let  them  beware  that  they  be  not  found  among  the  scof- 
fers, who  walk  after  theh*  own  lusts  and  say,  Where  is  the  promise  of 
hid  coming  ?  and  who  speak  evil  of  the  things  v/hich  they  know  not. 
Although  the  proposed  liinits  of  this  appendix  are  too  contraciect 
to  admit  of  considering  minutely,  many  of  the  numerous  scriptures 
which  relate  to  this  important  period,  one  or  two  more  seem  neces- 
sarily to  present  themselves.  The  prophet  Daniel  hath  spoken  very 
pointedly  of  th&  same  period,  and  the  same  work  in  his  vision  of  the 
last  beast,  his  destruction,  and  the  kingdom  of  God,  at  of  the  saints, 
succeeding  everlastingly,  f?'- 21  to  27.]  *' I  beheld,  and  the  sam^- 
♦'  horn  made  war  with  the  saints,"  and  prevailed  against  them  ;  until 
*  t'le  Ancient  of  days  came,  and  judgment  was  given  to  the  saints 
*'  of  the  Most  Jiigh  and  the  time  came  that  the  saints  possessed' the 
•'kingdom.  Thus  he  said.  The  fourth  beast  shall'  be  the  fourth 
♦'  kingdom  upon  earth,  \yhich  shall  be  diverse  fiom  all  kingdoms, 
"  and  shall  devour  the  whole  earth,  and  shall  tread  it  down,  and 
"  break  it  in  pieces.  And  the  ten  horns  out  of  this  kingdom  are 
"  ten  kings  that  shall  arise  :  and  another  shall  rise  after  them  ;  and 
♦*  he  shall  be  diverse  from  the  first,  and  he  shall  subdue  three  kings. 
"  And  he  shall  speak  great  words  against  the  Most  High,  and  shall 
"  wear  out  the  saints  of  the  Most  High,  a!nd  think  to  change  times 
"  and  laws  :  and  they  shall  be  given  into  his  hands  until  a  time  and 
"times  and  the  dividing  of  time.  But  the  judgment  shall  sit,  and 
**  they  shall  take  away  his  dominion,  to  consume  and  to  destroy  it 
«  unto  the  end.  And  the  kingdom  and  dominion,  and  the  greatness; 
"  of  the  kingdom  under  the  whole  heaven,  shall  be  given  to  the  peo- 
«  pie  of  the  saints  of  the  Most  High  whose  kingdom  is  an  everlast 
"  ing  kingdom,  and  all  dominions  shall  serve  and  obey  him."  Here 
is  a  very  remarkable  description  of  the  beast  ih  the  Apocalypse  ;  and 
also  of  his  judgment,  agreeing  with  the  sounding  of  the  seventh 
trumpet;  as  also  the  kingdom  to  last  for  ever,  as  in  the  seventh 
trumpet,  "  And  he  shall  reign  for  ever  and  ever."  It  is  also  obser- 
vable that  the  work  is  progressive,  for  the  dominion  of  the  beast  is 
not  destroyed  at  once,  But  the  judgment  shall  sit,  and  they  sh^l  take 
away  his  dominion,  to  consume  and  to  destroy  it  to  the  end.  Once 
more  ;  This  kingdom  and  dominion  and  the  judgment  were  all  given 
to  the  saints,  and  the  kingdom  is  the  Lord's,  with  all  things  whicli 
pertain  to  it.  Thus  it  is  perfectly  correspondent  with  the  rcprscnta- 
tion  in  the  Apocalypse,  which  was  shown  to  John  ih  vision,  and  is 
"  called  the  first  resurrection.  "  And  1  saw  an  angel  come  down, 
"  from  heaven,  having  the  key  of  the  bottomless  pit,  and  a  great 
"  chain  in  his  hand.  And  he  laid  hold  on  the  Dragon,  that  old  ser- 
"  pent,  which  is  the  devil,  and  Satan,  and  bound  him  a  thousand  years, 
"  and  cast  him  into  the  bottomless  pit,  and  shut  him  up,  and  set  a  seal 
"  upon  him,  that  he  should  deceive  the  nations  no  more,  till  the  thou- 
"  sand  years  should  be  fulfilled :  and  after  that  he  must  be  loosed  a 
«  little  season.  And  I  saw  thrones, .and  they  sat  upon  them:  and 
"judgment  was  given  to  them:  and  I  saw  the  souls  of  them  that 
"  were  beheaded  for  the  vrltncns  of  Jesus,  and  for  the  word   of  God, 


410  OF  THE 

"  and  who  had  not  worshipped  the  beast,  ricither  his  inia^e,  neither 
"  had  received  his  mark  upon  their  foreheads,  or  in  their  hands  ;  and 
"  they  lived  and  reigned  with  Christ  a  thousand  years.  But  the 
"  rest  of  the  dead  Hved  not  again  until  the  thousand  years  were  fin- 
"  ished.  This  is  the  first  resurrection.  Blessed  and  holy  is  he  who 
"  hath  part  in  the  first  resurrection  ;  on  such  the  second  death  hath 
"  no  power ;  but  they  shall  be  priests  of  God  and  of  Christ,  and 
"  shall  reign  Avith  him  a  thousand  yeare."  [Rev.  20.  1  to  6.'] 

In  this  vision  Christ  and  his  saints  arc  represented  as  reigning  a 
.  thousand  years.  But  that  phraseology  in  prophecy  is  by  no  means 
inconsistent  wkh  the  continuance  of  the  kingdom  for  ever.  And  as 
other  prophecies,  concerning;  the  same  work  and  kingdom,  (for  th© 
kingdom  of  God  is  one,  there  cannot  therefore  be  an  universal  and 
icvcrlasting  kingdom  for  each  .  distinct  representation  in  prophecy) 
assert  that  it  shall  be  everlasting,  it  is  entirely  safe  to  conclude  the 
same  in  this  place,  inasmuch  as  this  velateth  to  tlie  coming  of  Christ 
to  judgment :  and  we  read  of  his  .second  coming,  but  not  of  his 
third  ;  and  therefore  have  but  one  coming  to  expect  after  the  apos- 
tolic dispensation  ;  of  which  more  hereafter.  Accordingly  saith 
Daniel,  [7.  18.]  "But  the  saints  of  the  Most  High  shall  take  the 
"  kingdom,  and  possess  the  kingdom  for  ever,  even  for  ever  and 
"  ever."  No  diflTiculty  needeth  arise  from  satan's  being  loosed  a 
little  season,  at  the  accomplishment  of  the  thousand  years  ;  for  al- 
though some  remarkable  events  may  be  expected  then  to  take  place, 
not  only  with  the  wicked,  but  even  towards  the  holy  city,  or  church, 
there  is  nothing  said  which  in  the  least  resembleth  disinheriting 
them-,  even  for  a  time,  or  even  iiUerruptiug  their  reign  ;  for  when 
Gog  and  Magog  compass  the  camp  of  the  saints  and  of  the  beloved 
city,  fire  cometh  down  from  God  out  of  heaven  and  consumeth 
them,  and  the  saints  appear  to  sufTer  no  loss  nor  interruption.  But 
it  is  time  to  say  something, 

Secondly  ;  Of  the  effect  to  follow  on  the  sounding  of  the  last: 
trumpet ;  The  dead  shall  be  raised  incorruptible  ;  or  the  sleeping 
awaked ;  and  the  living  be  changed. 

Having  shown  in  the  preceding  discourse,  what  the  true  resurrec- 
tion promised  in  Christ  is  ;  that  it  is  a  spiritual  work,  effected  in  the 
spirit  by  the  gospel ;  and  having  just  done  showing,  that  the  gospel 
is  pteach'ed  in  the  soiuiding  of  the  seventh,  or  last  trumpet,  or  in  the 
day  of  judgment ;  1  need  only  take  time  in  this  place,  to  show  why 
this  is  cafe^l  the  first  resurrection,  which  cometh  in  the  last  day,  and 
\vl\at  is  immediately  implied  in  that  saying.  And  it  is  so  caiicd  is 
Fiiniplieity  and  plainness  because  it  is  the  first  which  is  finished  and 
completed.  These  are  the  first  inheritors  of  the  kingdom  and  glory 
of  Chri'it  when  he  settcth  up  his  everlasting  kingdom  ;  or  in  othei- 
Avords,  they  arc  the  true  and  real  inheritors  -distinctly  from  the 
wicked,  'and  have  nov/  got  into  the.  possession,  at  least  in  its  com- 
luencement.     "  The  dead  in  Christ  shall  rise  first." 

The  apostles  in  tlieir  day  had  receiyed  the  first  fruits  of  the  Spi- 
rit, and  were  a  land  of  ,Jirst  fruits  to  God ;  yet  the  first  fruits  to  God 


JUDGMENT.  411 

and  to  the  Lamb,  who  had  come  to  be  fully  ripe  and  perfect,  were 
seen  as  having  come  long  afterwards,  with  the  Lamb  on  JVIount  Zion, 
coatemporary  with  the  fall  of  Babylon.  So  likewise,  although  the 
apostles  v/ere  risen  with  Christ,  and  traveled  in  the  work  of  the  re- 
generation, according  to  the  dispensation  and  gift  of  the  day  in  which 
they  had  lived,  the  fulness  of  the  work  was  to  come  in  another  day, 
which  they  also  foresaAV  and  testified,  though  not  always  by  the  same 
terms.  And  this  first  resurrection  in  its  perfection,  was  that  which 
the  apostle  so  earnestly  sought,  "  That  if  by  any  means  he  might 
''  attain  to  the  resurrection  from  among,  or  from  the  dead,  as  before 
"  sho\vn."  Nothing  therefore  appears  in  the  account  of  this  which 
is  called  tlie  first  resurrection  to  prevent  any  one  of  all  those  who 
have  believed  in  Christ  and  been  obedient  from  the  beginning,  from 
bemg  amongst  those  who  partake  of  if,  the  account  seems  actually 
to  favor  the  impression  that  they  are  all  there,  and  eventually  all 
mankind  except  the  wicked  who  exclude  themselves  by  rejecting  the 
gospel  offer.  "  And  I  saw  thrones,  and  they  sat  upon  them,  and 
»*  judgment  was  given  to  them:  and  I  saw  the  souls  of  them  that 
"  Vf'ere  beheaded  for  the  witness  of  Jesus,  and  for  the  word  of  God, 
"  and  who  had  not  worshipped  the  beast,  neither  his  image,  neither 
"  had  received  his  mark  upon  tlieir  foreheads,  or  in  their  hands ; 
•'  and  they  lived  and  reigned  with  Christ  a  thousand  years.  But  the 
"  rest  of  the  dead  lived  not  again  until  the  thousand  years  were 
"  finished.  This  is  the  first  resurrection.  Blessed  and  holy  is  he 
»'  who  hath  part  in  the  first  resurrection ;  on  such  the  second  death 
»'  hath  no  power  ;  but  they  shall  be  priests  of  God  and  of  Christ,  and 
"  shall  reign  with  him  a  thousand  years."  It  is  here  worthy  to  be 
noticed,  that  there  is  no  mention  of  a  second  resurrcclicn,  and  that 
whatever  may  be  said  in  proof  of  its  existence,  there  is  nothing  said 
of  any  blessedness  or  holiness  as  the  portion  of  those  who  partake  of 
it.  We  raay  observe  farther;  That  the  resurrection  and  the  judg- 
ment are  intimately  connected,  as  before  stat?ed ;  those  who  lived 
again,  and  participated  in  the  first  resurrection,  are  the  same,  and  at 
the  same  period,  who  sat  on  the  thrones  and  had  judgment  given  to 
them.  Once  more  ;  From  what  hath  been  shown,  it  will  naturally 
be  understood,  as  formerly  stated,  that  the  resui-rcction  is  a  progress-. 
ive  work ;  to  such  a  degree  that  those  who  believed  in  Christ  in  the 
apostles'  days  or  after,  and  kept  their  faith  in  obedience,  entered  into 
that  resurrection  which  is  finished  in  the  second  appearing  of  Christ, 
then  called  the  first  resurrection;  and  that  with  what  they  had  gain- 
ed and  faithfully  kept,  they  are  ready  to  enter  into  tlie  increased  and 
finishing  work  of  the  resurrection  to  eternal  life  in  Christ,  in  his  se- 
cond appearing,  "  Who  are  kept  by  the  power  of  God  through  faith 
"  unto  salvation,  ready  to  be  revealed  in  the  last  time."  "  That  the 
"  trial  of  your  faith,  being  more  precious  than  that  of  gold  that 
"  perisheth,  though  it  be  tried  by  fire,  might  be  found  to  praise, 
<'  and  honor,  and  glorv,  at  tl^e  appearing  of  Jesus  Christ."  fl  Pet. 

r.  5,  7.1 


412  OF  THE 

The  multitude  of  symbolical  representations  exhibited  in  the  Apo-r 
calypse,  and  the  strong  allegories  used  in  this  particular  vision,  seenj 
to  have  led  some  to  conclude  that  this  is  not  properly  a  resurrection, 
which  is  here  called  the  first,  but  that  tlie  phraseology  is  wholly 
symbolical.  But  Avithout  endeavoring  to  crowd  the  understanding 
of  any  man  beyond  measure,  I  would  make  free  to  remark,  that,  To 
count  all  the  phraseology  in  this  narratiA'e,  so  symbolical,  as  to  ex- 
clude its  be^g  intelligibly  applicable  to  tlie  real  substance,  seems  to 
be^an  error:  good  symbols  have  an  aptness  to  represent  the  things 
signified.  And  whatever  may  be  the  rules  ainong  the  learned,  to 
disapprove  of  metaphorical  and  appropriate  forms  of  lang\iage  being 
mixed,  it  is  certain  these  rules  have  not  always  been  ligidly  observ- 
ed. And  it  is  evident  that  piophecies  are  sometimes  so  far  mixed, 
that  the  fulfilment  Cometh  out  so  exactly  according  to  the  letter  of 
the  prophecy,  that  it  may  be  called  at  least  nearly  literal,  while  part 
of  the  same  is  metaphorical.  But  especially;  Some  parts  of  the 
symbolical  repre;sentations  in  tlie  ApocRlypse,  appear  evidently  to 
have  literal  explanations.  The  vision  of  the  Lamb  on  Mount  Sion 
with  the  hundred  ar4  forty-four  thousand,  though  highly  symbolical, 
is  immediately  explained  in  language  as  free  from  metaphoi-  as  most 
of  the  prophecies,  which  are  accounted  the  most  literal ;  so  tree  as 
to  be  in  no  wise  embarrassing  to  honest  minds  under  the  gospel. 
rRcY.  14.  1,'to  5.]  So  in  this  place,  the  vision  is  quite  symbolical ; 
but  the  explanation,  "  This  is  the  first  resurrection — Blessed  and 
"  holy  J3  he  who  hath  part  in  the  first  resurrection  ;  on  tnch  the  se- 
"  cond  death  hath  no  power,"  is  sufficiently  plain,  when  once  men 
corrie  to  know  what  the  resurrection  is.  And  thus  it  will  he  found 
in  the  issue  with  many  prophecies. 

'  The  notion  of  a  literal  resurrection  of  the  animal  body,  so  strongr 
ly  prepossessed,  scenis  to  lay  a  foundation  for  difficulty  respecting 
the'fiist  resurrection.  But  whatever  remarks  are  necessary  to  be 
added  here  may  come  in  place  after  a  quotation  from  a  late  learned 
author.  (See  Dr.  Tim.  Dwight  on  Isa.  21.  11,  12.  Pag.  40,  41.) 
This  author,  among  other  remark*  on  the  fii-st  resurrection,  hath  tlie 
following.  *'  But,  should  we  construe  this  part  of  the  passage,  lite- 
"  rally,  cur  difficulties,  instead  of  being  lessened,  will  be  increased. 
"  It  is  said,  that  the  souls  of  the  martyrs  lived  again;  and  that  the 
'•  rest  nf  the  dead  lived  not.  This,  laterally  construed,  teaches  us 
<'  irresistibly,  that  the  souls  of  the  martyrs,  antecedently  to  the  Mil- 
"  lennium,  were  dead,  as  well  as  their  bodies;  and  implies,  that  the 
"  rest  of  the  souls  of  mankind  were  also  dead.  ^  *  *  Unfortunately. 
"  however,  this  construction  makes  St.  John' contradict  himself:  for 
"  in  the  6th  chapter  and  9th  verse,  he  informs  us,  that  he'  saw  these 
"  very  souls  living,  clad  in  white  robes,  and  employed  in  prayer  to 
"  God.  ■    '    • 

'-'Nor  are  we  yet  at  the  end  of  our  difficulties.  St.  John  says,  M.'"* 
*'  Tix^ir/g'  again  of  tiiese  inartijrs  is  the  ^fint  ret7:rrection  :  r  fffi^rr 
"  o'ldjastf,  [anastasis,]  the  Jtnt  fvtvre  exif^taice.  TliC  uord,  oi'ajo- 
"  ctf, /signifies,  not  tx.rcsiirrcctio^}},h\x\.z.  future  existence:  as  is  un- 


JUDGMENT.  413 

f^l'answerably  evident  from  our  Savior's  use  of  it  in  }ns  reply  to  the 
"  Sadducees,  concerning  the  situation  of  the  woman  who  had  seven 
"  husbands:  (Matt.  22.  28,  £cc.)  Here  he  adduces  the  declaration 
"  of  God,  (Exo.  3.  6.)  "  I  am  the  God  of  Abraham.,  the.  God  of  Isaac, 
"  and  the  God  of  Jacob.,  as  unanswerable  proof  of  the  ctfaj-ttatf ;  not 
"  a  resurrect  tori,  but  a  future  existence.  »'  Gody"  he  says,  "  i&-  not 
"  the  God  of  the  dead,  but  of  the  living."  As,  therefore,  God  de- 
"  Glared  at  that  time,  that  he  M'as  the  God  of  Al)rahum,  Isaac,  and 
"  Jacob  ;  it  was  certain,  that  these  men  were  living  beings,  when  this 
"  declaration  was  made.  The  declaration  was  therefore  a  complete 
"  proof  of  the  ava^a-ni^,  oir  future  existence  ;  but  it  .was  no  proof  vX 
"  all  of  the  resurrection;  becavise  Abrahanj,  and  Isaac,  and  Jacob, 
"  were  not  then  raised.  According  to  this  very  intei-pretation,  it  is 
"  here  said,  that  the  kouIs  of  these  niaityrs  lived,  and  r^gvied,  v.-ilh 
^'  CJtrist  a  thousand  years  ;  and  that  M/s  is  the  first  M^aa'.^yOV  iiv- 
"  ing  again.  Were  this  intended  literally  it  could  not  be  true  ; 
"  because  St.  John,  as  has  been  mentioned,  saw  the  ^ouls  of  martyrs 
"  having  the  same  future  life,  many  ages  before  ;  and  because  our 
"  Savior  asserts  the  same  thing,  under  the  sanie  Greek  name;  con- 
''  cerning  i^braham,  Isaac,  and  Jacob;  and  applies  it  generally  to 
"  mankind.  Besides,  Moses  had  this  life  on  the  mount  of  transfigura- 
"  tion  ;  and  7nany  of  the  saints  arose,  aher  our  Savior's  resurrection, 
"  a7id  ivcre  seen  of  many :  they  Averc  therefore  living  beings. 

"  But  what  puts  this  matter  out  of  all  doubt  is  this:  the  scriptures 
^'  positively  assert,  that  Christ  will  never  agaui  appear  in  this  w  orld 
"  until  the  judgment.  Thus  says  St.  Paul : — "  Christ  ivaa  once  of- 
^'  fered  to  bear  the  sins  of  r:any  ;  and  unto  them,  that  look  for  him, 
'f  shall  he  ap/iear,  THE  SECOjVD  TIME,  unto  salvation)'  Thus, 
"  also,  in  many  other  places.  This  declaration, repeated  in  a  vaiiety 
'»  of  forms,  places  it  beyond  a  debate,  that  Christ  will  never  appear 
"  again  personally,  in  this  world,  until  becomes  to  the  final  judg- 
"  ment.  As,  therefore,  the  appearance  and  reign  of  Chiist,  here,  arc 
"  symljolical ;  it  follows  irresistibly,  that  that  of  the  martyrs  is  sym- 
'.'  bolical  also."  I  do  not  intend  to  inqujre  minutely  into  the  correct- 
ness of  every  idea  in  this  qu^otation.  but  only  to  make  some  use  of 
its  leading  features. 

'J'he  burden  of  difficulty-in  the  vay  of  understanding  this  account 
of  the  first  resurrection,  appeals  io  be  the  same  prevalent  notion  of 
the  literal  resurrection  of  animal  bodies,  and  the  want  of  the  under- 
standing that  the  true  resurrection  pei  tains  only  to  the  soul — That 
a  future  existence  is  the  cardinal  point  to  be  confirmed  in  proof  of 
the  general  resurrection ;  and  that  to  make  that  future  existence  an 
happy  existence  in  Christ,  is  the  sum  of  the  resurrection  of  the 
saints;  while  to  have  that  future  existence  rendered  completely  mi- 
serable, by  remaining  under  sin,  in  the  nature  of  the  first  Adam,  in 
whom  all  die,  and  receiving  its  full  Avages,  is"  the  sum  of  the  resur- 
rection of  damnation,  and  to  which  the  wicked  eventual  come  forth. 
From  this  view  of  the  subject,  there  is  no  difficulty  in  allowing  this 
iirst  to  be  a  real  rcsuirection.     Neither  is  there  any  argument,  that 


414  OF  THE 

the  «ouls  of  these  martyrs,  or  of  the  rest  of  the  dead,  were  literally 
dead,  from  its  being  said,  The  rest  of  the  dead  lived  riot  attain  until 
the  thousand  years  were  Jinished,  but  only,  that  they  had  not  come 
forth  to  their  final  reward.  This  view  of  the  subject  also  escapes 
the  charge  of  a  contradiction  in  John's  two  accounts,  as  having  seen 
these  same  souls  alive  long  before,  notwithstanding  the  acknow  ledg- 
ment  of  a  real  resurrection.  For  it  is  evident  from  the  account 
which  he  there  giveth,  that  these  souls  had  not  then  come  forth  to 
their  reward,  or  in  other  words,  to  the  uninterrupted  fruition  of  an 
happy  future  existence,  or  the  first  resurrection.  "  And  when  he 
"  had  opened  the  fifth  seal,  I  saw  under  the  altar  the  souls  of  them 
"  that  were  slain  for  the  word  of  God,  and  for  the  testimony  which 
•'  they  held :  and  they  cried  M'ith  a  loud  voice,  saying.  How  long,  O 
"  Lord,  holy  and  true,  dost  thou  not  judge  and  avenge  our  blood  on 
"  the  men  that  dwell  on  the  earth  ?  And  white  robes  were  given  to 
"  every  one  of  them;  and  it  was  said  unto  them,  that  they  should 
"  rest  yet  for  a  little  season,  until  their  fellow  servants  also,  and  their 
"  brethren,  v/ho  should  be  killed  as  they  were,  should  be  fulfilled." 
[Rev.  6.  9,  to  11.]  These  therefore,  although  they  had  not  conic 
into  the  fulness  of  the  resurrection  of  life,  or  first  resurrection,  v.ere 
kept  in  safety  and  in  readiness  to  enter  in,  as  soon  as  they  should 
open,  having  kept  in  faillifuhicss  that  measure  of  life  and  salvation 
which  they  had  already  founds  according  to  their  day  and  privilege. 
And,  as  before  observed,  the  account  is  quite  favorable,  that  they 
have  now  come,  and  are  partakers  of  the  blessedness  of  the  first  re- 
surrection. 

But  the  above  author  has  made  a  bold  stand  towards  proving  the 
point,  on  which  I  am  here  insisting,  wl.en  he  asserts  that  the  Greek 
word,  o.vj.^a.si.g,  signifies,  not  a  resurrection,  but  a  future  existeyice. 
This  is  materially  true  as  it  is  used  in  the  new  testament,  and  parti- 
cularly with  respect  to  the  final  event  of  those  who  hear  the  gospel ; 
which  he  has  also  learnedly  proved,  by  the  language  of  Christ  to  the 
Sadducees,  relating  to  Abraham,  Isaac,  and  Jacob.  Now  a  future 
existence  is  the  let.  of  all,  both  righteous  and  wicked  ;  of  the  first 
happy  in  Christ,  and  of  the  last  miserable,  being  separated  from 
Christ  and  from  all  good  ;  for  they  shall  come  forth  ;  they  v/ho  have 
done  good,  to  the  resurrection  (future  existence)  of  life,  and  they 
■who  have  done  evil,  to  the  resurrection  (future  existence)  of  dam- 
nation. 

Besides ;  The  word,  which  he  says,  signifies,  not  a  resurreoiioM, 
but  a  future  existence,  is  the  same  word  which  is  almost  every 
where,  in  the  new  testament,  translated,  resurrection,  and  with  the 
exception  of  a  solitary  instance,  the  only  word  so  translated.  In  the 
liarrative  given  by  Matthew,  of  certain  saints,  who  came  out  (>f  the 
tombs  after  the  resurrection  of  Jesus,  the  Greek  word  translated, 
resurrect io?i,  is  not  (xva;a.6Lg,  but  iyi^iaiv  ;  [egersin]  which  is  the  only 
place  where  I  remember  to  have  seen  it  use<l,  in  that  sense  ;  and  in 
tlie  connection  in  which  it  there  stands,  it  evidently  signifies  the  very 
same  witli  ihc  other  which  is  the  word  commonly  and  freely  used  c» 


JUDGMENT.  415 

all  such  occasions,  and  is  therefore  tantamount  with  it.  The  two 
verbs  also,  from  which  these  two  words  are  respectively  derived,  arc 
used,  as  it  would  seem  by  their  examples,  as  bcint^  equivalent.  Ami 
it  is  remarkable,  that  our  author  in  his  reference  to  the  aforesaid  nar- 
rative of  Matthew  has  included  the  whole  in  the  future  existenco. 
But  the  common  word,  ava^aai;,  is  used  on  all  occasions  in  relation 
to  that  subject;  if  then  it  doth  not  signify  or  imply  a  resurrection, 
the  Greek  writings  of  the  apostles,  which  have  come  down  to  us  con- 
tain no  v/ord  which  signifies  it.  According  then  to  our  author's  own 
explanation  of  the  word,  no  other  resurrection  than  a  future  exist- 
ence, is  proved,  or  even  spoken  of,  by  Christ  and  his  apostles,  with 
this  only  distinction  of  happy  and  miserable. 

Consistently  with  this  view,  the  word  is  once  used  by  Paul,  com- 
pounded with  a  syllable  which  signifies,  from  among,  or  out  of.  '*  If 
"  that  by  any  means  I  might  attain  to  the  resurrection  from  the 
*'  dead" — [ft?  tr;v  ava^aa*v  fcov  icfxpuv]  to  that  future  existence  in 
"Christ,  which  is  free  from  death  and  all  who  are  dead.  For  as  in 
Adam,  where  is  the  first,  or  present  existenc-c,  all  die,  even  so  in, 
Christ,  where  is  the  second,  or  future  existence,  which  is  the  resur- 
rection, all  are  made  alive — He  is  the  resurrection  and  tJie  life.  As 
in  the  first  Adam  men  are  physically  raised  to  life,  or  brought,  into 
ihe  first,  or  present  existence  ;  so  in  Christ  they  are  rc-raiscd  to  life, 
or  brought  into  a  future  and  happy  existence  in  the  Spii  it ;  r.ot  only 
redeemed  from  the  fall  which  they  have  suffered  in  the  fis-st  Adam, 
from  their  original  rectitude,  but  advanced  into  a  grade  of  life  and 
existence  superior  to  any  thing  which  could  have  been  experienced 
ill  the  first  creation:  and  this  is  a  real  resurrection  or  re-raising. 
Accordingly,  to  bring  forth  into  life  for  the  purpose  of  filling  up  an 
appointed  place  which  ought  to  be  filled  according  to  order,  is  the 
same  as  to  resurrect,  or  raise  again,  according  to  tiie  use  of  the  word 
■by  the  apostles,  in  relating  the  proposition  of  the  Sadducces.  ♦'  If  a 
"  man  die,  having  no  children,  his  brother  shall  marry  his  wife,  and 
"  raise  up  [ams-j^frst.,  by  Matthew,  f^ai'af);^?*^,  by  Mark  and  Luke ;  he 
"  shall  renurrect^  seed  unto  his  brother." 

That  this  description,  in  the  Apocalypse,  V/f  the  judgment  and  first 
resurrection,  is  highly  symbolical,  is  not  to  be  denied.  But  tl;at  is  no 
proof  that  it  cannot  be  understood  in  its  proper  time,  although  that 
understanding  maybe  gained  by  slow  degrees.  Neither  is  it  any 
proof  that  the  allegories  are  not  v.ell  adapted  to  represent  the  sub- 
stance, so  that  the  likeness  may  be  clearly  seen  in  the  fulfilment. 
Besides;  The  symbolical  representation  of  the  judgment  and  resur- 
rection as  commencing  with  the  Millennial  reign  of  Christ  and  his 
saints,  is  no  proof  that  those  things  are  not  real  at  that  time  ;  nay,  it 
is  a  positive  proof  of  their  reality,  to  all  who  have  unshaken  faith  in 
the  sci^ptures^  as  undoubtedly  as  if  the  facts  were  announced  in  the 
most  appropriate  language ;  for  on  any  other  view  of  this,  and  all 
such  representations,  the  final  coming  of  Christ  to  judgment,  and  his 
rewarding  the  righteous  and  the  wicked,  according  to  their  several 
characters  and  works,  might  also  he  considered  symbolical  and  not 


•iI6  OF  THIi 

red.  Neverthelese,  it  is  not  to  be  controverted,  tliat  these  symboli- 
cal representations  render  such  matters  obscure,  as  prophecies  com- 
monly and  desii^nedly  are,  until  the  time  of  the  fulfilment. 

The  aforesaid  author  has  acknowledged,  accordiiu^  to  the  prevail- 
ing- belief  for  many  years,  that  the  seventh  angei  has  commenced  his 
sounding,  and  th.at  Christ  has  come  to  the  judgment  of  the  great  whore, 
or  Babylon.  Part  of  his  woi  ds  are,  (Pag.  'JO.)  "We  may,  I  think,  fairly 
"  consider  the  great  voice  as  already  uttered  out  of  the  temple  of 
"  heaven  from  the  throne,  saying.  It  is  done."  "  In  the  mean  lime, 
"  Christ  has  come  to  this  work  of  judgment  as  a  thief:  in  a  manner 
"  the  most  sudden,  the  most  astonishing,  the  most  terrible."  The 
only  objection  then,  against  believing  that  Christ  has  come  in  the  Mil- 
lennial reign,  and  that  the  first  resurrection^  or  future  existence  in 
happiness,  has  commenced,  and  consequently  that  som.e,  even  those 
who  are  in  it,  have  an  understanding  of  what  it  is,  seems  to  be  con- 
tained in  the  notion,  that  the  coming  of  Christ  to  the  judgment  and 
fall  of  Babylon  and  his  coming  to  reign  with  his  saints,  are  two  dif- 
ferent comings  in  succession,  otherwise  he,  with  others,  must  ac- 
knowledge that  the  Millennium  has  already  commenced.  And  in- 
deed this  seems  to  be  virtually  acknowledged  by  him,-  though  cau- 
tiously :  of  which  in  its  place. 

But  the  inquiry  yet  remains  with  them,  When  will  the  Millennium 
commence?  Our  author,  after  laboriously  examining  the  prophe- 
cies of  Daniel  and  John,  concludes,  «  The  probality  is  that  \vc  shall 
"  find  the  words  closed,  and  sealed  up.  unto  the  tjmc  of  the  end.'' 
(Pag.  43.)  True  enough ;  but  at  the  end,  or  when  the  finishing 
w'ork  has  commenced,  the  words  are  to  be  unsealed.  Thus  the  pro- 
phet Daniel,  (12.  10.)  "  And  none  of  the  wicked  shall  understand  ; 
"  but  the  wise  shall  understand."  On  these  words  our  aiither  ob- 
serves, "  He  (the  interpreter  to  Daniel,)  then  mentions  tha:t  men  of 
i' piety  shall  hereafter  understand  this  subject ;  that  is,  I  suppose, 
"  (says  he,)  after  the  prediction  shall  have  been  fulfilled."  (Pag.  43.) 
If  then  this  author,  and  others  of  the  same  faith  with  himj  arc  of  the 
pious,  or  wise,  why  need  they  be  at  any  loss  to  understand,  so  far  at 
least,  as  to  know  that  the  time  is  come,  and  when  it  commenced,  or 
nearly. 

The  aforesaid  author  acknowledgeth,  that  the  Millennium  cometh 
on  by  successive  steps.  [Pag.  42.]  He  also  acknowledgetli  the  pro- 
bality that  it  hath  actually  comm.enced,  at  least  in  some  degree.  His 
words  are,  [Pag.  44.]  "  There  is  no  improbability  in  the  opinion, 
'<  now  extensively  embraced;  and  in  my  own  view  it  is  just;  that 
''  this  happy  period  has,  in  the  sense  which  I  have  specified,  already 
"  begun."  So  much  are  men  of  exquisite  literature  and  profound 
study  perplexed  in  a  subject  which  it  is  expressly  said.  The  wise 
shall  understand — the  wise  towards  God,  or  pious,  as  is  evident  from 
the  wise  being  contrasted  with  the  wicked.  This  remark  is  agreea- 
ble to  the  aforesaid  author's  own  words,  who  calls  those  ivise  ones, 
men  of  piety.  It  is  then  a  fact,  supported  by  the  opinion  of  those 
who  study  {!is  scriptures,  an  opinion  now  cxlcnsively  embraced,  that 


JtJDGMENt.  41- 

the  Millennial  reign  of  Christ  has  dawned.  The  same  also  is  sup- 
ported by  the  testimony  oF  scriptvire  prophecy,  which  fixes  its  com- 
mencement, in  about,  the  year  1747,  agreeing  to  the  end  of  Da- 
niel's one  thousand  two  hundred  and  ninety  days  or  years.  il2.  11, 

12.]  "  And  from  the  time  that  the  daily  sacrifice  shall  he  taken 
♦'  away,  and  the  abomination  that  maketh  desolate  set  up,  there  shall 
"  be  a  thousand  two  hundred  and  ninety  days.  Blessed  is  he  who 
*'  waiteth,  and  cometh  to  the  thousand  three  hvmdred  and  five  and 
thirty  days."  Here  is  an  addition  of  forty-five  days  or  years,  at  the 
close  of  which  some  additional  blessedness  was  to  be  for.iul.  These 
forty-five  years  added  to  one  thousand  seven  hundred  and  forty-seven, 
make  one  thousand  seven  hundred  and  ninety-two.  And  it  is  re- 
markable that  the  aforesaid  author  has  noticed  that  year  as  a  memo- 
rable Epoch  in  the  great  daij  of  God  AlmlglUiu  for  the  destruction 
of  Babylon.  [Pag.  1 8.]  It  is  also  remarkable,  that  he  has  mentioned 
a  powerful  prevalence  of  vital  piety,  which  had  lasted  tvscivc  or  fi- 
teen  years,  and  began  to  decline  about  the  year  1752,  and  conse- 
quently included  the  year  1747.  Likely  the  veryM'evival  in  vi-hich 
the  reign  of  Christ  began  to  dav/n,  according  to  the  prophecy,  and 
the  testimony  of  those  who  say  Christ  is  come,  and  they  have  found 
bim ;  while  in  the  mean  time,  many  walk  after  their  own  lusts  and 
scofiingly  say,  Where  is  the  promise  of  his  coming,  for  since  the 
fathers  fell  asleep  all  things  continue  as  they  were  from  the  begin- 
ning of  the  creation  ;  and  others  are  sorrowfully  looking  out  between 
hope  and  despair.  But  these  will  not  be  forgotten,  if  tiiey  perse- 
vere: as  it  is  written,  [Hab.  2.  3.J  "  Though  it  tarry,  wait  for  it ;  bc- 
<'  cause  it  will  surely  come,  it  will  not  tarry."  [.nnx''  nS  it  will  not 
be  slack.]  Other  revivals  also,  are  no  doubt  preparing  tlie  way  for 
the  spread  of  this  glorious  v/ork,  as  well  as  the  continued  exertions 
of  those  societies  which  are  formed  for  the  purpose  of  spreading  the 
knowledge  of  salvation.  And  it  is  still  farther  remarkable,  that  tlie 
same  author  hath  noticed  the  same  remarkable  year  1792,  as  the 
year  in  which  those  missionary  societies  had  their  commencement, 
first  in  England,  which  are  now  become  so  common.  Thus,  while 
God  in  his  providential  government  pursued  the  destruction  of  the 
beast,  making  havoc  of  his  secular  power,  by  the  wasting  and  dis- 
tressing wars  in  Europe,  and  the  more  serious  and  piously  disposed 
of  the  nations,  who  looked  for  the  coming  of  the  Lord,  made  vigo- 
rous efforts,  to  spread  the  knowledge  and  savor  of  his  name,  amojig 
those  who  lay  in  greater  darkness,  and  thus  to  prepare  the  way  of  ihc 
Lord  ;  the  people  who  had  waited  for  him  and  found  him  of  whom 
Moses  in  the  law,  and  the  prophets,  and  after  them  the  apostles,  did 
write,  were  making  their  advancements  in  the  work  of  t!ie  ever!astin(>- 

gospel,  and  beginning  to  learn  the  blessedness  of  him  who  waiteth, 
and  cometh  to  the  thousand  three  hundred  and  five  and  thirty  da>'s, 
A  judicious  consideration  of  all  these  matters  must  produce  forcible 
conviction  that  the  Millennium  hath  unquestionably  dawned  on  the 
earth.  For,  taking  a  compendious  view  of  the  whole  matters  to- 
g-et'er,  men  of  reason  niul  information  cannot  but  sec  and  acknow- 


418  OF  THE 

ledge,  that  the  light  is  much  greater  than  it  was  a  century  ago,  and 
that  ^tJias  been  on  the  increase,  at  least  gradually  for  many  years,  not 
to  say  ages.  The  consideration  therefore  of  these  things  afford  a 
conclusive  argument  that  the  total  darkness  is  past  and  the  day  hath 
begun  to  open. 

But  difficulties  will  evea-  remain  on  this  subject,  as  long  as  people 
separate  and  divide  that  work  which  God  hath  made  one.  The  de- 
struction of  Babylon  and  the  building  up  of  the  kingdom  of  Christ, 
are  evidently  only  counterparts  of  the  same  work  and  accomplished 
in  the  same  period  of  time.  Admitting,  nevertheless,  that  the  de- 
struction of  Jiabyloji  precedes,  so  as  to  prepare  the  way  for  Christ  to 
enter ;  and  also  that  when  the  destruction  of  Babylon  is  finally  com- 
pleted, the  reign  of  Christ  will  continue  :  for  his  kingdom  is  ever- 
lasting. Tlitis  it  was  shown  to  the  prophet.  (Dan.  7.  16,  26,  27.) 
"  But  the  saints  of  the  Most  High  shall  take  the  kingdom,  and  pcs- 
"  sess  the  kingdom  for  ever,  even  for  ever  and  ever."  "  But  the 
"  judgment  shall  sit,  and  ihcy  shall  take  away  his  dominion,  to  ccn- 
"  sume  and  to  destroy  it  unto  the  end.  And  the  kh:>gdom  and  dcmi- 
''  nion,  and  the  grcaUiess  of  the  kingdom  under  the  whole  heaven, 
"  shall  be  given  to  tlic  people  of  the  saints  of  the  Most  High,  whose 
."  kingdom  is  an  everlasting  kingdom,  and  all  dominions  shall  serve 
"  and  obey  him."  Thus  the  work  of  God  is  begun  by  smaller  mea- 
sures at  first  and  increased  to  perfection ;  or  more  correctly  with 
respect  to  the  present  subject,  It  is  according  to  the  dispensations  of 
his  grace  to  men.'to  send  a  forerunner,  or  prejiaratory  work,  to  pre- 
pare the  way  for  that  which  is  perfect ;  as  it  is  written,  "  The  voice 
"  of  him  that  crieth  in  the  wilderness,  Prepare  ye  the  way  of  the 
"  Lord,  make  straight  in  the  desert  a  high  way  for  our  God.  Every 
'♦  valley  shall  be  exalted,  and  every  mountain  and  hill  shall  be  made 
"  lew  :  and  the  crooked  shall  be  made  straight,  and  the  rough  places 
"  plain :  and  the  glory  of  the  Lord  shall  be  revealed,  and  all  ficsh 
"  shall  see  it  together."  (Isa.  40.  3,  4,  .5.)  Thus  the  coming  of  the 
Lord  in  his  glory  is  announced  by  a  preparatory  voice.  And  hov/- 
evcr  applicable  this  prophecy  Avas  to  the  first  appearing  of  Christ, 
being  fulfilled,  for  that  day,  in  John  the  Baptist,  it  is  no  less  applica- 
ble to  his  second  appearing;  yea,  more  especially  it  belongelh  to  the 
second  ;  for  all  flesh  must  s.ee  his  glory  together,  which  did  not  come 
to  pass  in  the  first,  and  therefore  must  be  fulfilled  in  the  second, 
when  he  shall  come  in  the  clouds,  and  every  eye  shall  see  him  and 
tlicy  also  who  pierced  him :  and  all  kindreds  of  the  earth  shall  wail 
beiause  of  him  :  when  his  reward  is  with  him,  and  his  work  before 
him  ;  "  And  whosotvor  shall  exalt  himself  shall  be  abased:  and  he 
"  that  shall  humble  himself  shall  be  exalted." 

There  is  no  possible  rule  by  which  the  wisest  or  most  learned  can 
distinguish  between  the  time  of  the  destruction  of  Babylon  and  that 
of  Christ's  reigning  with  his  saints  in  the  Millennium,  otherwise  than 
as  here  stated.  Neither  can  any  distinguish  the  scriptures  which  re-, 
late  to  the  one  from  those  which  relate  to  the  other.  Together* 
therefore,  with  the  judgment  of  Babylon,  commence  the  Millennium 


JUDGMENT.  419 

and  the  first  resurrection.  But  it  is  the  nature  of  human  language, 
that  one  thing  must  be  expres.sed  before  another.  Thus  the  binding 
x)f  the  old  serpent,  or  dragon,  is  related  before  the  appearance  of  the 
thrones,  the  judgment,  and  the  living  of  the  martyrs,  although  ail 
these  were  comprehended  in  one  vision,  and  are  to  be  actually  ac- 
complished in  the  same  time,  going  forward  together. 

But  its  being  granted,  that  the  coming  of  Christ  to  the  destruction 
of  Babylon  and  his  coming  to  the  Millennial  reign,  are  one  coming, 
is  ftot  enough  to  unravel  the  difficulties  on  this  subject.  Here  is  the 
first  resurrection  ;  and  we  read  of  no  other,  or  second  resurrection 
for  the  saints.  "  Blessed  and  holy  is  he  that  hath  part  in  the  fust  rc- 
•«  surrection ;  on  such  the  second  death  hath  no  power."  But  no 
such  promise  to  him  that  hath  part  in  the  second.  The  first  resur- 
rection and  the  second  death  scem'to  be  countcrpaits  of  the  wcik  of 
the  judgment,  the  first  being  the  lot  of  the  righteous, and  the  second 
the  lot  of  the  wicked.  This  being  tl^c  case,  it  is  evident  that  the  first 
resurrection,  is  that  which  is  accomplished  in  the  final  appearance  of 
Christ  to  judgment,  and  that  the  vision  shown  to  John,  of  the  binding 
of  satan,  and  of  thrones,  and  of  judgment,  and  of  the  first  resurrec- 
tion, was  nothing  less  than  a  vision  of  the  commencement  and  pro- 
x;e^  of  the  last  jtidgment,  which  in  it-s  progress,  is  to  make  decisive 
work,  and  to  fix  the  eternal  condition  of  every  individual.  Again  ; 
That  kingdom  of  God  which  immediately  succeeds  the  reign  of 
the  last  beast,  or  kingdom  of  Babylon,  is  an  everlasting  kingdom, 
having  no  end,  consequently  can  never  be  supplanted  by  the  enemy, 
never  superseded  by  any  other  kingdom  or  work  of  God,  hov/ever  it 
may  be  increased  and  advanced  into  different  and  successive  grades 
of  gk)ry  and  blessedness:  for  "Of  the  increase  of  his  goverirmcnt 
**  and  peace  there  shall  be  no  end."  This  kingdom  therefoje  can  be 
Jio  other  than  that  which  Christ  will  deliver  up  to  the  Father,  after 
he  hath  put  down  all  rule  and  ail  authority  and  power,  and  hath  put 
all  enemies  under  his  feet,  in  that  day  when  those  who  are  his  shall 
be  made  alive  at  his  coming.  Now  that  that  kingdom,  which  imme- 
•daately  succeeds  the  reign  of  the  beast,  commonly  called  the  Mil- 
lennium, is  endless,  as  liere  stated,  hath  been  shown,  once  and  again, 
fby  the  accounts  given  of  it  by  the  prophet  Daniel,  and  the  descrip- 
tion of  the  seventh  trumpet  in  the  Apocalypse ;  which  scriptures  the 
judicious  reader  may  consult. 

The  thought  may  be  novel  to  some,  and  on  that  account  excep- 
tionable, that  the  coming  of  Christ  to  the  last  judgment,  to  raise  the 
■dead,  and  fix  the  final  condition  of  all,  is  the  same  as  his  coming  to 
•destroy  the  kingdom  of  Babylon,  and  set  up  his  kingdom  on  earth. 
The  novelty  however  of  the  thought,  by  no  \-neans  maketh  it  justly 
exceptionable.  Every  increasing  degree  of  light  is  new  in  its  com- 
mencement ;  and  so  is  every  increasing  dispensation  of  God  to  men, 
for  their  salvation.  After  Christ  had  performed  his  ministry,  and 
ascended,  in  the  days  of  the  apostles,  we  are  told  he  will  come  again, 
the  second  time,  but  not  the  third  or  fourth  time,  "  But  now  once  in 
■*'  the  end  of  the  world  hath  he  appeared  to  put  away  sin  by  the  sa- 


420  OF  THE 

"  crifice  of  iiimself — and  to  them  thai  look  for  him  shall  he  appear 
*'  the  second  tune  without  sin  to  salvation."  (Heb.  9.  26,  28.) 

This  test  is  adduced  by  the  author  quoted  above,  (as  may  be  seen 
by  reverting-  to  the  place,)  to  prove  that  this  second  coming  of  Christ 
is  personal,  and,  I  suppose,  literal,  as  being  contrasted  with  all  those 
descriptions  of  his  coming  which  are  symbolical,  and  are  considered 
generally  to  relate  to  his  coming  in  the  Millennial  reign,  which  com- 
ing and  reign  he  seems,  on  that  account,  to  conclude,  are  not  literal 
or  perhaps  even  real.  But  the  .result  of  an  investigation  of  that 
plan  of  reasoning  will  be,  conapletely  to  expose  the  weakness  oi  that 
■whole  system,  which  contemplates  the  coming  of  Christ' to  the  Mil- 
lennial reign,  and  his  coming  to  the  last  judgment,  as  being  tv/o  dif- 
ferent comings,  and  the  work  of  each  a  different  work,  the  one  from 
the  other.  For  in  this  second  coming,  of  which  the  apostle  speaks 
to  the  Hebrews,  there  is  not  a  word  of  its  being  literal,  or  personal, 
more  than  any  other  coming,  or  in  any  other  place.  It  is  simply  said 
he  will  appear  to  those  who  look  for  hiin,  the  second  time,  without 
sin  to  salvation.  ]t  might  be  asked,  If  this  appearance  be  literal,  or 
personal,  why  appear  to  those  only  who  look  for  him  and  are  saved  ? 
for  the  wicked,  who  look  not  for  him,  can  see  personality,  or  a  literal 
object  as  well  as  the  righteous.  But  none  of  the  wicked  shall  uR- 
dcrstand  ;  but  the  wise  shall  understand.  It  may  also  be  inquired, 
Whether  a  literal  or  personal  appearance  of  Christ  be  necessary  to 
being  saved  ?  If  so,  surely  none  have  ever  been  saved,  since  he 
ascended  out  of  their  sight,  ten  days  before  the  Iloly  Spirit  was 
given. 

But  farther.  These  accounts  ol  the  ccm.ing  of  Christ,  wluch  are 
inevitably  acknowledged  to  relate  to  his  final  appearing  to  judgment, 
are  as  i\r  from  being  communicated  in  literal  language,  as  any  of 
those  which  are  thought  to  relate  to  the  Millennial  reign,  insom.uch, 
that  none  of  the  advocates  for  two  comings,  the  one  symbolical  and 
the  other  real,  are  able  to  draw  the  line  between  the  tv.'o  accounts, 
or  to  show  any  narrative,  Avhich  designates  the  one  appearing,  and  is 
necessarily  incongruous  to  the  other.  The  result  then  of  this  inqui- 
ry is,  that  we  have  no  authority  to  expect  more  than  one  appearing 
of  Christ  after  that  of  the  apostles'  days,  either  symbolical  or  real. 
(For  that  which  is  merely  symbolical  is  not  real.)  But  symbolical 
predictions  are  not  inconsistent  vvith  real  accomplishments,  although 
they  leave  the  subject  obscure  until  the  time  of  the  fulfilment.  This 
coming  then,  in  which  we  have  authority  to  believe,  is  that  same,  in 
Avhich  all  that  are  in  their  graves,  sltail  hear  his  voice,  and  shall  come 
forth,  t/iof-e  w/so  /;ave  done  goodj  to  the  rcfiurrectwi  of  li/c^  and 
thoae  Kvho  have  done  evil,  to  the  resurrection  of  damnation.  Or  aa 
the  prophet  Daniel  hath  it ;  "  And  many  of  them  that  slept  in  the 
"  dust  of  the  eaitli  shall  awake,  some  to  everlastirig  life  and  some  to 
*■<•  shame  and  everlasting  contempt."  'i'he  term,  many,  which  the 
apostle  heie  useth  concerning  those  v.-ho  slept,  is  no  exception  to  this 
being  a  prophecy  of  the  general  resurrection  aiid  judgment,  for 
man}/,  meaning  all,  is  an  acceptation  of  the  word,  not  unknown  ia 


JUDGMENT.  421 

the  scriptures,  in  language  less  symbolical  than  tliis.  "  For  if  through 
*■'  the  offence  uf  one,  many  be  dead  ;"  and,  "•  For  as  by  one  man's 
"  disobedience,  many  were  made  sinners ;  so  by  the  obedience  of 
"  one,  shall  many  be  made  righteous."  (Ro.  5.  i5,  19.)  And  it  is 
conclusively  true,  that  the  prophet  here  spake  of  the  ^¥ork  of  th* 
final  judgment,  from  tv.'o  considerations.  First ;  The  universality  of 
the  deliverance  of  the  righteous  ;  "  And  at  that  time  thy  people  shall 
*'  be  delivered,  every  one  that  shall  be  found  written  in  the  book." 
And  secondly  ;  Th.at  both  the  rigl>c.o\is  and  the  wicked  are  taken 
into  the  account,  and  receive  their  appropriate  rewards,  everlasting 
i'foi  or  evcrlastii!!^  contevijit. 

vSome  may  alledjje,  that  the  disquisition  is  lame  in  this  part,  for  the 
want  of  proof,  that  cniy  one  coming  of  Christ  is  meant  by  the  vaiious 
representations  recorded  in  the  sciiptures,  and  that  to  give  satisfac- 
tion on  this  subject,  which  is  of  so  great  importance,  it  would  be 
jiecessary  to  exaniine  the  different  accounts  separately  and  minutely. 
This  however  doth  not  comport  with  the  limits  here  proposed ;  nei- 
ther doth  it  comport  with  propriety,  Aviihout  the  most  obvious  neces- 
sity, to  make  the  most  laborious  efibrls,  to  disprove  that  v.'hich  is  no 
where  taught,  known,  or  promised.  We  conceive  th.e  subject  will 
here  be  carried  far  enough  in  that  respect,  until  greater  necessity 
shall  appear.  It  belongs  to  those  who  believe  in  two  appcarings  of 
Christ,  the  one  symbolical  and  the  other  real,  to  produce  their  evi- 
dence, and  to  discriminate  sufficiently,  what  scriptures  designate  the 
one  and  which  the  other,  and  to  show  what  is  said  of  the  one,  which 
is  incompatible  v.'ith  the  other,  making  proper  allowance  for  the 
prophetic  style.  V/hen  the  advocates  of  (hat  scheme  agree  on  these 
things  I  presume  thej-e  will  be  little  difficulty  reaiaining,  en  this 
subject. 

I  have  however  noticed  some  of  the  most  bold  and  forcible  de- 
scriptions of  the  coming  of  Christ  to  the  last  judgment,  and  shown 
that  they  arc  entirely  applicable  to  the  Millennial  reign,  or  in  oti.er 
woi'd6  to  a  day  of  miaistering  the  gospel  with  good  effect.  But  to 
open  the  subject  a  little  more  clearly  to  the  understanding,  I  will  here 
take  notice  of  one  ot.'icr  passage  which  has  been  viewed  as  an  aw- 
ful discription  of  the  last  judgment  and  the  destiuction  of  the  wick- 
ed ;  and  so  it  is,  as  will  eventually  appear.  ''  And  Enoch  also,  the 
"  seventh  from  Adam,  prophesied  of  these,  saying;  Behold,  the 
''  Lord  Cometh  v/ith  ten  thousand  (jr  /jrptacrM',  in  myriads)  of  his  saints, 
"  to  execute  judgment  upon  all,  and  to  convince  all  that  are  ungodif 
"  among  them  of  ail  their  ungodly  deeds  which  they  have  ungodly 
"  committed,  and  of  all  their  hard  speeches,  which  ungodly  sinners 
"  have  spoken  against  him."  [Judc.  14.  15.]  Now  what  is  here 
stated  is,  that  ail  impious  sinners  shall  be  convinced,  thoroughly  ;  such 
being  the  literal  import  of  the  Greek  language  used.  What  then  ? 
Is  conviction  incompatible  with  repentance  and  salvation  ?  Or  is  not 
conviction  the  most  necessary  forerunner  of  repentance  ?  The  whole 
need  not  the  physician,  but  they  who  are  sick.  "  I  came  not,'' 
said  Jesus, ''  to  call  the  riglueons,  but  sinners  to  reper.taiicc." 


422  OF  THE 

A  plau5il)Ie  objection  to  this  doctrine,  \>  ith  some,  will  be,  that  oft 
tliis  plan,  that  men  have  an  op])ortunity  of  repentance  and  salvation, 
in  the  clay  of  judgment,  all  people  will  be  saved,  for  none  are  such 
I'ools,  as  not  to  avail  themselves  of  that  last  opportunity.  What  then, 
O  mati  I  Art  thou  envious  against  God  because  he  Avill  give  to  men, 
even  to  the  rebellious,  a  favorable  opportunity  to  repent  and  be  re- 
newed, who  have  never  had  it  befoie  ?  Or  would  it  be  any  advantage 
to  mankind,  or  any  additional  honor  to  God,  that  those  who  have  ne- 
■  ver  had  the  privilege  of  knowing  the  way  of  salvation  by  the  cross 
of  Christ,  or  those  whose  knowledge  hath  been  partial  and  imper- 
fect, should  be  excluded  from  all  possible  hope  or  prospect  of  salva- 
tion, without  any,  the  least  offer  or  trial,  to  prove  what  they  would 
<Io,  if  brought  to  the  knowledge  of  the  truth  ?  Art  thou,  O  man  I 
whoever  thou  art,  in  fatal  deception  with  respect  to  salvation,  and 
"wculdst  thou  be  unwilling  to  have  a  fair  trial,  when  fully  convinced  of 
thine  error  ?  And  wouldst  thou  have  God  to  be  a  respecter  of 
persons  ? 

But  be  not  in  haste  to  conclude,  that  times  will  be  too  easy.     It  is 
found  by  painful  experience,  that  men  have  no  fondness  for  repent- 
ance and  turfting  to  God,  in  true  faith  and   obedience.      Scarcely,   if 
at  all,  any  choice,  lawfully  proposed  to   mankind,  is  more  difficult 
for  them  to  decide  upon,  than  whether  to  endure  the  pain  of  repen- 
tance and  of  bearing  their  cross,  in  the  faith  of  Christ,  to   salvation, 
or  the  pain  of  eternal  damnation.     I  suppose  if  all  the  people  saw- 
hell  opened,  and  themselves  goiog  to  be  ingulfed  in  immediate  dam- 
nation, irrecoverably,  in  such  a  view  as  would  take  with  their  sense 
tind  feelings,  they  would  submit,  thoiigh  irksomely,  to  take  up  some 
measure  of  a  cross,  and  come  to  some  repentance,  would  that  save 
them.     But  this  is  not  God's  method  of  working.     A  forced  obedi- 
ence is  net  well  pleasing  to  God.     He  requires  the  heart.      Neither 
are  forcible  means  of  lasting  benefit  to  the  creature  :  the  people  who 
come  to  Christ  in  the  day  of  his  power  are  a  Avilling  people.      When 
these  things  are  considered,  instead  of  fearing  lest  too  many  be  saved, 
each  one  ought  to  take  the  klarin,  lest  a  promise  being  proposed  of 
entering  into  rest,  he,  or  slie  should  seem  to  come  short  of  it.     Many 
in  that  day  will  find  the  gate  too  strait  and  the  May  too  narrow  to  suit 
their  taste,  and  refuse  to  enter  and  to  walk  therein.     "  For  the  time 
"  is  come,  that  judgment  must  l)cgin  at  the    house  of  God  :  and   if 
"  it  first  begin  at  us,  what  shall  the    end  be  of  them  that  obey   not 
"  the  gospel  of  God  ?  And  if  the  righteous  scarcely  be.  saved,  where 
"  shall  the  ungodly  and  the  sinner  appear  ?"      Therefore,   "  Strive 
*'  to  enter  in  at  the  strait  gate  :  for  many,  I  say  unto  you,   shall  seek 
'^  to  enter  in  and  shall  not  be  able."     Doubtless,  because  they    have 
spent  their  privilege  ^nd  their  strength,  doing  their  own  will.     Thus 
will  many  even  in  the  last  day,  when  the  wrath  of  God  is  clearly  re- 
vealed against  all  ungodliness  and  unrighteousness  of  men,  by  obey- 
ing their  ov»'n  carnal  mind,  spend  that  ])rivilcge  which    ihcy  will  ne- 
ver be  able  to  recover.     Awake  therefore,  thou  tliat  slecpest,  at  the 
sound  of  the  last  trumpet,  and  arise  from  tlie  dead,  and  Christ  shall 


JUDGMENT.  425 

give  thee  light — Ught  to  know  thy  duty  and  to  make  thy  escape. 
To  day  if  ye  will  hear  his  voice,  harden  not  your  licarts.  But  it  is 
time  to  consider, 

Thiidly  ;  The  time  or  space  in  which  certain  transactions  are  to 
be  performed:  In  a  moment  in  the  twinkhng  of  an  eye.  Having 
previously  spoken  so  fully  gn  this  point,  I  shall  introduce  what  is 
here  to  be  said  with  this  proposition.  That  althougli  there  is  suffi- 
cient reason  to  believe  ;  that  the  whole  work  of  the  resurrection  and 
judgment  will  not  be  accomplished  in  so  short  a  time,  as  is  here  des- 
cribed, yet  there  is  no  evidence  that  said  work  may  not  be  begun  in 
a  period  so  short  as  that  which  in  tlie  language  of  prophecy  is 
marked  by,  a  moment  or  the  (winkling-  of  a?!  eye. 

After  what  hath  iieretofore  been  stated,  relative  to  the  resurrec- 
tion, and  the  preaching  of  the  gospel  in  the  last  day,  or  time  of  the 
last  judgment,  it  will  not  be  foreign  to  our  present  purpose  to  intro- 
duce the  saying  of  the  apostle,  "  Awake  thou  that  sleepest,  and 
"  arise  from  the  dead,  and  Christ  shall  give  the  Light,"  as  a  suitable 
description  of  the  work  of  the  last  day,  or  time  of  the  i>esui  rection  and 
judgment.  We  read  of  the  day  of  judgment  ;  the  day  of  the  Lord  ; 
the  day  of  God  ;  and  the  day  of  the  S'o?i  of  man,  or  the  day  when 
tbe  Son  of  man  is  revealed ;  all  denoting  the  time  when  God  will 
bring  the  world  into  judgment.  Every  day  also  hath  its  morning, 
which  is' the  proper  time  to  awake  and  enter  on  the  work  of  the  day. 
"  Therefore,  let  us  not  sleep  as  do  others  ;  but  let  us  watch  and  be 
"  sober.  For  they  that  sleep,  sleep  in  the  night  ;  and  they  that  be 
"  drunken,  are  drunken  in  the  night.  But  let  us  who  are  of  the  dav^ 
"  be  sober,  putting  on  the  breast-]ilate  of  faith  and  love  ;  and  for  an 
"  helmet  the  hope  of  salvation.  For  God  hath  not  appointed  us  to 
"  wrath,  but  to  obtain  salvation  by  our  Lord  Jesus  Christ,  who  died 
"  for  us,  that  whether  we  wake  or  sleep  (being  in  the  earthly  tabcr- 
"  nacle  or  out  of  it,)  we  should  live  together  with  him." 

The  dispensations  of  God  towards  men  have  an  increase  ;  and  hi 
each  one  something  is  made  known,  which  had  not  been  known  in 
the  former.  It  is  therefore  impossible  for  the  people  in  one  dispen- 
-sation  to  know  what  is  to  be  in  the  next ;  but  each  one  must  be  un- 
derstood by  its  own  light.  Accordingly  the  Jewish  prophets,  or 
those  who  consulted  their  Avritings,  could  not  know  what  was  to  be 
in  the  days  of  Christ  in  his  first  appearing,  but  believers  learned  it 
•in  the  light  and  revelation  of  that  clay.  And  for  the  proof  of  these 
things,  the  words  of  the  apostles  are  in  point.  Paul,  referring  to  the 
prophet  Isaiah,  saith  ;  "  But  as  it  is  written,  Eye  hath  not  seen,  nor 
■"  car  heard,  neither  have  entered  hito  the  heart  of  man,  the  things 
"  which  God  hath  prepared  for  them  that  love  him."  Thus  far  the 
prophet ;  to  which  the  apostle  adds,  as  what  had  come  to  pass  in  his 
day,  and  by  the  superior  light  of  the  gospel  of  Christ.  "  But  God 
"  hath  revealed  them  to  us  by  his  Spirit :  for,  the  Spirit  searcheth 
"  all  things,  yea,  the  deep  things  of  God."  And  again  ;  «  Now  wc 
"  have  received,  not  the  spirit  of  the  world,  but  the  Spiiit  which  is 
''  of  God  ;  that  vvre  might  knov,'  She  things  that  are  freely  given  to 


424.  OF  THE 

"  lis  of  God."  [1  Cor.  2.  9,  10,  12.]  Peter  also  bore  lesiimony  to 
the  same  thiPiC^s,  when  speaking  of  the  salvation  of  Christ ;  "Of 
"  which  salvation  the  prophets  have  enquired,  and  searched  dilij^ently, 
"  who  prophesied  of  the  grace  that  should  come  to  you ;  searching 
"  what,  and  what  raanner  of  time  the  Spirit  of  Christ  which  was  in 
"  them  did  signify,  when  it  testified  bcforeb.and  the  siifCerings  of 
*'  Christ,  and  the  glory  that  should  follow.  To  whom  it  Mas  revealed, 
"  that  not  to  themselves,  but  to  us,  they  did  minister  the  things  which 
"  are  now  reported  to  you  by  them  that  have  preached  the  gospel  to 
"  you  with  the  Holy  Ghost  sent  down  from  heaven;  which  things  the 
«  angels  desire  to  look  into.  (1  Pet.  1.  10,   11,12.) 

In  {ike  manner,  the  apostles  knew  net  what  should  he  in  the  day 
of  Christ  in  his  second  appearing  ;  all  these  things  being  shown  to 
them  in  symbols,  mataphors,  allegories,  and  the  like.  Thus  saith 
Paul;  "  For  we  know  in  part  and  we  prophesy  in  part.  (Of  things 
*'  yet  unknown.)  But  when  that  which  is  perfect  is  come,  then  that 
"  which  is  in  part  shaU  be  done  away.  When  1  was  a  child,  I  spake 
"  as  a  child,  I  understood  as  a  child,  I  thought  as  a  child:  but  when  I 
"  became  a  man,  I  put  away  childish  things.  For  now  we  see  through 
"  a  glass,  darkly  ;  but  then  face  to  face:  now  we  know  in  part ;  but 
"  then  shall  I  know  even  as  also  I  am  known."  (1  Cor.  13.  9  to  12.) 
These  reflections  teach  us,  irresistibly,  that  they  considered  them- 
selves only  in  their  infancy,  or  childish  state,  compared  with  that  per- 
fect day,  which  they  believed  would  come,  and  of  which  they  pro- 
phesied, but  did  not  fully  knotv  what  it  should  be.  This  much  they 
knew  by  faith,  and  not  by  sight,  that  it  would  be  perfect.  So  saith 
.Tcihn ;  "  Beloved,  now  are  we  the  sons  of  God ;  and  it  doth  not  yet 
«'  appear  what  we  shall  be  :  but  we  know  that  when  he  shall  appear, 
"  we  shall  be  like  him,  for  we  shall  see  him  as  he  is."  Accordingly, 
to  that  same  John  were  -sliown  many  tilings  which  were  to  come  to 
pass  afterwards,  which  neither  he,  nor  those  who  have  consulted  his 
writings,  have  ever  been  able  to  understand,  nor  ever  will,  otherwise 
than  by  the  opening  of  the  day  in  which  they  will  have  their  final  ac- 
complishment. It  is  therefore  impracticable  for  any  man  to  know 
what  is  the  order,  or  manner  of  the  work  of  the  last  day,  or  day  of 
judgment,  until  taught  by  the  light  and  revelation  of  that  day.  "  But 
"  of  [or  Sfpt,  ccncerningj  that  day  and  hour  knoweth  no  man,  (until 
it  commence,)  no,  not  the  angels  who  are  in  heaven,  neither  the  Son, 
"but  the  Father."  (Mark  13.  32.)  As  the  prophets  inquired  and 
searched,  w/mf  time  and  ivhat  maraier  of  time,  the  Spirit  of  Christ 
in  then;  did  signify;  so  the  people  have  sought  in  vain,  to  find  vjfiat 
thne,  or  when,  and  r.</jat  manner  of  tivic,  or  wh.at  should  be  the  work 
of  the  day,  when  the  Son  of  man  should  appear,  but  could  never 
know  these  things,  and  never  will,  only  as  the  day  declareth  tiiem. 
Yet  these  searchings  have  not  been  altogether  in  vain  ;  for  it  is  ex- 
pedient after  the  cxi»m]>ic  of  the  prophets,  th.e  example  and  exhorta- 
tions of  th.e  apostles,  and  the  commandments  of  .Tesus  Christ,  to  be 
on  the  alert,  watching,  and  "  Looking  for  and  hasling  to  the  coming 
"  of  the  day  of  God,  v.hercin  the  heavens  (as  well  as  the   earth,)  be-. 


JUDGMENT.  425 

«  ing  on  fire,  shall  be  dissolved,  and  the  elements  (the  rudiinents  of 
«  the  world)  shall  melt  with  fervent  heat."  (2   Pet.  3.  12.) 

But  the  evidence  is  too  strong  and  clear  to  be  overturned,  that  the 
last  day,  or  day  of  judgment,  is  a  time  of  preaching  the  gospel  of 
the  Son  of  God,  for  the  final  destruction  of  the  raan  of  ain,  and  fin- 
ished redemption  of  all  God's  people — the  day  of  the  fall  of  Babylon 
and  final  victory  and  triumph  of  the  church.  The  day  of  judgment 
therefore  is,  in  plain  terms,  a  new  and  last  dispensation  of  the  gospel 
of  tlic  same  Christ  in  his  second  appearing,  in  winch  all  mankind 
aj'c  to  be  called  into  a  deeper  work,  and  a  more  consummate  trial  of 
their  true  state  and  character,  than  in  any  other  Avork  which  bath; 
ever  appeared  on  the  earth  before,  and  their  final  character  and  con- 
dition to  be  unalterably  decided  according  to  their  works.  I?  is 
therefore  justly  esteemed,  the  day  of  the  judgment  and  j)crditii-.n  of 
ungodly  men,  and  the  day  of  redemption  to  the  j\ist.  Thci-a  can 
therefore  be  no  impropriety  in  cmployiug  an  cxhoviatidn  of  the  apos- 
tle in  the  first  dispensation,  as  expressing  the  leading  parts  of  the 
duty  and  work  of  the  day  in  the  second,  although  much  hath  yet  to 
be  Isarned  in  addition  thereto  in  its  own  order.  "  Awake  thou  tint 
"  steepest,  and  arise  from  the  dead,  and  Clirist  shall  givo  thee  light." 

This  is  a  just  epitome  of  the  last  trumpet,  although  it  cor.taineth 
no  explicit  account  of  the  judgment ;  foi- that  tiie  rcf.urrection  and 
the  judgment  are  too  intimately  connected  together,  for  the  one  to 
be  effectuated  without  the  other,  wiil  not  he  denied  ;  they  are  ex- 
pected and  believed  to  be  executed  in  the  same  gr^  ut  day.  And  as 
the  representations  of  the  coming  of  Christ  to  the  judgment  and 
overthrow  of  Babylon,  and  the  setting  up  of  his  I-'ingdom,  or  Millen- 
nial reign,  and  the  representations  of  his  comin^-;  in  the  kist  day,  to 
execute  final  judgment  on  the  wick<;d,  and  finl'Ji  the  redemption  of 
his  people,  are  the  same  in  substance,  and  agree  to  one  anotiicr  so 
well,  that  none  can  draw  any  real  line  of  distinction,  or  shov.'  wliat 
particulars  belong  to  the  one,  not  compatible  Aviih  the  other ;  and 
whereas  we  read  of  seven  trumpets  in  succession,  the  seventJi  of 
which  is  necessarily  the  last,  and  we  have  no  account  of  the  cighi!i, 
or  any  ojic  after  the  seven,  the  last  of  which  proclaims  'the  restu'rcc- 
tion  of  the  dead,  the  judgment  of  the  wicked  and  the  reward  of  the 
righteous,  the  argiunent  is  fair  and  conclusive,  that  these  appearings, 
or  comings  of  Christ  are  not  two,  butc/ne,  and  that  when  ti;c  Millen- 
nial reign  of  Christ  commenceth,  the  f/st  judgment  comm.cnceth  also; 
and  according  to  what  has  been  already  stated,  that  day  is  acknovi- 
Icdged  to  have  already  commenced. 

From  this  view  of  the  subject,  it  is  evidently  a  pror;ves5iIvc,  and  not 
an  instantaneous  work.  And  in '.lo  other  view,  than  that  of  a  pro- 
gressive work,  having  a  succcs.-:!on  of  events,  can  it  agree  with  the 
representation  given  by  Paul,  in  as  explicit  language  as  can  be  ex- 
pected in  prophecy.  "  Chrint  the  first  fruits  ;  afterv.ards  they  that 
"  are  Christ's  at  liis  comir.?-.  Then  [ftra  aftcrj  como'tl)  the  end,, 
•'  when  he  shall  have  delivered  up  the  kingdom  to  God,  oven  tiic 
'•  Father,  when  he  shall  have  put  down   all  rule,  r,nd  all    autl'.oritv. 


426  QF  THE 

'*  and  power."  This  is  the  work  to  be  exccvitcd  bct\v©ej)  his  com- 
hig  and  his  dcHvcring  up  the  kingdom  to  the  Father,  as  the  judicious 
reader  may  easily  perceive.  <'  For  he  must  reign  till  he  hath  put  all 
"  enemies  undei-  his  feet."  A  few  more  examples  will  be  of  benefit, 
to  elucidate  tlie  position  that  the  work  of  the  resurrection  and  judg- 
ment is  a  work  of  orderly  progress,  and  not  instantaneous.  [Matt.  13. 
4  to  43.J  «  As  therefore  the  tares  are  gathered  and  burned  in  tli« 
"  fire  ;  so  shall  it  be  in  the  end  of  the  Avorld.  The  Son  of  man  shall 
"  send  forth  his  angels,  and  they  shall  gather  out  of  his  kingdom  all 
'♦  things  that  ofiend,  and  them  who  do  hiiquity  ;  and  shall  cast  them 
"  into  a  furnace  of  fire  :  there  sJiall  be  wailing  and  gnashing  of  teeth. 
"  Then  shall  the  righteous  shine  forth  as  the  sun  in  the  kingdom  of 
"  their  Father."  This  then  is  the  procedure  which  is  to  obtain  at 
the  cod  of  the  world  ;  all  things  which  offend  and  those  who  6o 
iniquity,  are  to  be  gathered  and  cleared  off,  before  the  kingdom  is 
in  readii'.css  to  be  delivered  up  to  the  Father ;  and  these  things  can- 
not be  executed  v.'ithout  a  fair  triial.  "  Again,  (47  to  50.)  the  king- 
"  dom  of  heaven  is  like  unto  a  net  that  was  cast  into  the  sea,  and 
"  gathgrcd  cf  ei'ery  kind  :  which,  when  it  was  full  they  drew  to 
''  shore,  and  sat  down,  and  gathered  the  good  into  vessels,  but  cast 
"  the  bad  away,  so  shall  it  be  in  the  end  of  the  world  :  the  angels 
'*  shall  come  forth,  and  sever  the  wicked  from  among  the  just,  and 
"  shall  cast  them  into  the  furnace  of  five  ;  there  shall  be  wailing  and 
"  gnashing  of  tetth."  Thus  the  gospel  net,  at  the  end  of  the  world, 
gathers  of  every  kind  good  and  bad,  and  the  result  of  a  fair  trial  and 
impartial  examination,  is,  that  the  good  are  preserved,  and  the  bad 
are  cast  away.  Once  more,  [Matt.  25.  31  to  33.1  "  When  the  Son 
"  of  man  shall  come  in  his  glory,  and  all  the  holy  angels  with  him, 
"  then  shall  he  sit  upon  the  throne  of  his  glory  :  and  before  him  shall 
*'  be  gathered  all  nations ;  and  he  shall  separate  them  one  from 
''  another,  as  a  shepherd  divideth  his  sheep  from  the  goats  :  and  he 
"  shall  set  the  sheep  on  his  right  hand,  but  the  goats  on  the  lefi." 
Tiiis  separation  irresistiljjy  carrieth  with  it,  according  to  the  simili- 
tude which  is  employed  to  set  it  forth,  the  idea  of  a  progressive  work, 
jis  well  as  the  remaining  pait  of  the  process  of  that  day,  which  the 
reader  may  peruse  at  discretion. 

All  these  statements  show  the  necessity  of  a  sufficient  length  ot 
tiiue  to  give  every  one  a  fair  trial  in  all  his  character.  The  narra- 
tives of  the  tares  as  being  selcvted  from  the  wheat,  which  requires 
careful  and  particular  woik,  and  of  the  good  fish  being  severed  from 
the  bad,  so  ihat  none  of  them  msy  be  cast  away,  and  none  of  the 
bad  left  to  defile  or  corrupt  the  good,  and  of  the  gathering  of  all  na- 
tionsbeiorc  the  Son  of  man  and  then  dividing  them,  so  that  each  one 
shall  belong  to  his  proper  class,  irresistibly  fix  the  unpression,  ac- 
cpitling  to  the  nature  of  the  figures,  of  a  serious  and  careful  work 
of  time.  The  work  is  also  to  be  executed  by  the  ministry  of  the 
angels  of  him  who  maketh  his  angels  ministers;  which  rendereth 
the  whole  matter  entirely  consistent  «ith  these  angels'  being  the 
jninisters  who  preach  the  everlasting  gospel  to  those  who  d^ell  oft 
ihe  earth,  in  the  hour,  or  time  pf  judgment. 


JUDGMENT.  427 

But  it  may  Ife  objected  here,  that  neither  of  these  representations 
showeth  any  chant^e  from  an  evil  subject  or  being  to  the  good  ;  no 
lares  are  converted  into  wheat,  no  bad  fish  into  good,  no  goals  into 
sheep  ;  consequently,  according  to  these  representations,  no  wicked 
men  are  converted  into  righteous  men,  in  that  day  of  whicli  these 
things  are  spoken,  called  the  end  of  the  worlds  or  day  of  judgment. 
To  obviate  this  reasoning,  let  it  be  remembered,  iliat  the  natural 
creation,  according  to  its  own  laws  doth  not  admit  of  such  conver- 
sions. And  it  is  not  the  order  or  law  of  parables  or  metaphors  to 
subvert  the  regular  laws  of  nature.  It  is  therefore  not  strange,  nei- 
ther is  it  inconsistent  with  the  doctrine  here  contended  for,  that  there 
is  no  mention  of  any  sucli  conversions  in  any  of  these  figurative 
representations.  These  remarks  will  apply  to  the  parable  of  the 
wise  and  foolish  virgins,  and  many  others  by  w  hich  the  procedure 
©f  the  day  of  God  is  represented  :  they  are  counted  foolish  virgins, 
and  neglecters  of  the  gospel  invitartion,  who  remain  such  until  their 
day  is  done.  But  other  scriptures  of  v/hich  we  have  had  a  view, 
afford  satisfactory  and  conclusive  reasons  to  believe  that  repentance 
and  the  remission  of  sins  will  be  found  in  the  hour  of  judgment. 

The  above  objection  would  ccpially  militate  against  the  efficacy  of 
the  gospel  to  convert  men  from  wicked  to  lighteous,  at  any  time, or 
against  its  opening  such  a  privilege,  if  it  must  be  tried  accordii^g  to 
some  of  the  parables  or  sayings  which  he  delivered,  and  which  ap- 
peared to  confine  his  mission  to  those  who  were  beforehand  in  pos- 
session of  the  appropmte  character  of  his  people  or  property.  "  I 
"  am  not  sent  but  to  the  lost  sheep  of  the  house  of  Israel."  [Matt.  15. 
24.]  "  And  other  sheep  I  have,  which  ai-e  not  of  this  fold  :  them 
"  also  I  must  bring,  and  they  shall  hear  my  voice  ;  and  there  shall 
"  b-c  one  foMandone  shepherd."  [Jno.  10.  16.]  So  that  saying  of 
Peter,*' For  ye  were  as  sheep  going  astray  ;  b\it  arc  now  returned 
*'  to  the  shepherd  and  bishop  of  your  souls."  ['  Pet-  2,  25.]  In  all 
these  cases  and  more  which  might  be  adduced  the  people  called 
*hcep  were  previously  to  their  calling  by  tii-e  gospel,  of  the  .wicked, 
and  therefore  a,s  properly  goats,  or  dogs,  as  otheie  are  before  they 
have  a  trial  by  the  gospel.  But  it  is  not  to  be  expected,  that 
the  nature  and  dedgn  of  the  second  appearing  of  Christ  would 
be  as  clearly  developed,  so  long  beforehand,  as  in  the  opening  of 
the  day. 

Before  I  dismiss  this  pan  of  the  subject,  it  will  be  proper  to  in- 
stance one  other  scripture  relating  to  the  second  coming  of  Christ, 
and  the  rather  becauseit  is  alledged  by  some  as  a  proof  of  an  instaif- 
taneous  work.  *'  For  as  the  lightning  cometh  out  of  the  cast,  and 
"  shineth  even  unto  the  west  ;  so  shall  also  the  coming  of  the  Son 
"  of  man  be."  [Matt,  2  k  27.}  The  argument  for  the  instantaneous 
appearing  of  Christ,  and  at  the  same  time  universal,  and  for  the  sud- 
den accomplishment  of  the  whole  work,  seems  to  be  grounded  on 
the  tenn,  li^htningy  which  is  used  in  the  common  English  reading, 
and  is  supposed  to  denote  those  streams  of  elemental  fire,  or  electri- 
cal fluid,  which  appear  in  our  atmosphere  commonly  attended  with 
thunder,  and  called //.g-Arnmg-.     But  a  few   remarks  on  the:  passage 


428  OF  THE 

Avill  l>e  surHcicnt  to  resolve  all  doubts  wilh  Ihc  cai.did.  The  origin- 
al M'ord  here  liaiislated,  lightning.^  signifies  any  gliltcring  brij^lilncss- 
or  shining  light,  and  v-  ould  well  express  the  fulgor  of  the  bright  lu- 
minaries in  the  visible  heavens,  j^  of  the  stars,  not  being  unlike  a  deri- 
vative of  the  Grepk  term, aj^r,)  [aster] chieh  signifies  a  star,  and  lojit^ 
[iaptoj  to  send  forth.  And  aUiiough  it  is  not  inaproperly  transUlcd^ 
iig/uning,  in  diiTercnt  parts  of  the  new  testament,  tlie  attending  cir- 
cumstances sisfncicnily  show,  that  the  prediction  -wiil  by  no  rnea^as 
agree  to  th.at  acceptation  of  it  here,  as  -we  commonly  understand  thp 
term  lightning.  That  lightning,  or  liglit,  to  v/hich  the  coming  of 
the  Bon  of  man  is  compared,"  Cometh  out  of  the  east,  and  shincth 
*'  even  to  the  west,"  so  as  to  include  the  whole  circuit  of  the  earth. 
Or  as  Luke  hath  it  ;  "  For  as  the  lightning,  that  lightneth  out  of 
"  one  part  under  heaven  shineth  to  the  other  part  under  heaven  ;  so 
"  shall  the  Son  of  man  be  in  his  day."  (Luke  17.  S4.}  He  wijl 
continue  to  shine  until  all  and  every  part  under  heaven  be  ilJuniinat- 
cd.  But  what  is  commonly  called  lightning,  hath  no  peculiar  di- 
rection from  east  to  v.'est  ;  neither  when  it  bursteth  frcm  one  part 
under  hcnven  doth  it  shine  to  another  part  under  he^v(?n,  so  as. to  be- 
come at  all  universally  visible,  but  it  might  shine  for  houis,  daya  or 
years,  if  the  eleniantary  laws  would  continue  it,  and  the  inhabitants 
only  a  few  miles  distant  sec  nothing  of  it.  Besides,  it  hath  its  di- 
lection,  either  immediately  to  the  earth,  or  to  some  conducting  or  at- 
tracting body,  or  v.here  the  heaviest  train  is  laid,  according  to  it^ 
own  lawsj  perhaps  the  least  understood  of  any  other  on  earth,  and 
hath  no  f^rt  in  the  common  illumination  of  the  world. 

But  all  that -ligl^.tning,  or  glittering  l:ght,  which,  according  to  com- 
mon language  and  conception,  conieth  out  of  Uie  east  and  without 
intermission  or  inlcrrupticn,  moyeth  forward  until  itshinpth  even  to 
the  west  in  every  part  of  the  earth,  so  that  all  behold  the.  sa.me  ligiat 
in  its  course,  as  the  light  of  the  sun  and  other  heavc;n,ly  luminaries, 
is  a  proper  emblem  of  the  Sen  of  man  in  liis  day,  whqiT»  every  eye 
shall  see.  But  as  this  light  moveth  gra-dually  according  to  the  laws 
cf  nature,  so  that  every  one  may  iinprove  the  light  to  his  comfort 
and  advantage,  while  it  shinevh  ;  so  the  Sen  of  man  acceidirg.  to  the 
la>v  of  Ids  grace,  will  give  to  every  one  an  cpporturjily  to  gather  fiuit 
and  lay  it  up  for  eteraal  life-  But  as  the  sluggard  shall  i)cg  in  har- 
vest and  h?ve  nothing  ;  so  they  who  stumble  at  the  cross,  being  dis- 
obedient wiil  not  find  salvation,  in  the  midst  of  all  this  grace  • 

As  aj)  equitable  ar.d  just  priricc,  who  hath  conquered,  or  is,  fuUy 
able  to  concjier,  a  country  of  rebels,  havirig  made  good  an  critrance, 
setteth  up  his  standard,  and  crecteth  his  throne  of  judgment,  pro- 
claiming universal  .amnesty,  to  all  who  \«ill  confess  their  rcbeiiior,, 
lay  down  their  cnpcsitioni  and  become  hearty  subjects  of  his  gov,- 
ernnieut,  lea:aing  to  do  hi^ Avill  iu  ail  things,  so  Chrii>t  in  his  l^r-t 
coming,  and  the  setting,  up  of  his.  everlasting  l;ir;gdcu),  issueih  forth 
the  benevolent  piocIaii(aticrt*pi  paidon  and  peace  to  all  who  are  tru- 
ly v,iliii:g  to  c<;nfess  their  sins,  r.ail  their  rebellious  nature  to  the 
same  cross  which  Jcs\;fe  boiy,  renounce  their  own  will  ai.d  become 
heaitily  sv-Htct  in  all  thir  jrs  to  the  will  cf"  Ged.     And  this  prcclan^a- 


JUDGMENT.  429 

lion  is  made  without  any  respect  of  persons,  or  any  ether  condltipa 
than  v.-'!Osocver  ioill  ;  and  to  men  of  all  ranks,  the  various  pursuits 
and  prospects  of  the  world  notwithstanding,  to  call  in  a  Avilling  peo- 
ple out  of  a]}  nations  to  the  standard  of  the  prince  of  peace.  "  i"cr 
'*  in,  the  last  days  it  snail  corne  to  pass,  that  the  mountain  of  the  house 
•<  of  the  Lord  siiail  be  cstablislied  in  the  top  of  the  mountains,  and 
"  it  shall  be  exalted  above  the  hills  ;  and  people  shall  flow  \into  it, 
"  And  many  nations  shall  come  and  say,  Come,  and  let  us  go  up  to 
"  the  mountain  of  the  Lord,  and  to  the  house  of  the  God  of  Jacob  ; 
"  and  he  shall  teach  lis  of  his  Avays,  and  we  will  walk  in  his  paths  : 
"  for  the  law  shall  g-o  forth  of  Zion,  and  the  w^ord  of  the  Lord  from 
"  Jerusalem.  And  he  shall  judge  amon;;;-  many  people,  ar.d  rebuke 
"strong  natipns  afar  off;  and  they  shall  beat  their  swords  into 
"  plough-shares,  a;3d  their  spears  into  pruning-hcoks  :  nation  shall 
"  not  lilt  up  sword  against  nation,  neither  shall  they  Icani  war  any 
"more."  (This  shall  be  the  result  of  the  law  and  govermrient  of 
the  i)ri,nce  of  peace.)  "  But  they  shall  sit  every  maji  under  his  vuie 
"  aixl  under  his  fig-tree  ;  andnoji?  shall  make  them  afraid;  for  the 
"  mouth  of  the  Lord  of  hosts  hath  spoken  it.  For  all  people  will 
*'  walk  every  one  in  thp  name  of  his  God,  and  we  will  walk  ijn  tlic 
*'  name  of  the  Lojid  our  God  for  e\"er  and  ever.  In  that  day,  saith 
"the  LoKD,  1  will  assemble  iier  that  haiteth,  and  I  will  gather  her 
"  th^t  is  difivcn  Qiit,  and  her  that  I  have  afilictcd  ;.  and  I  will  make 
>■'  her.  that  h^Iteth  a  remnar.t,  and  her  that  was  cast  far  off  a  strong 
'^■Ba,t,ioa  ;,  and  the  Loiin  shall  reign  over  twem  in  mount  ?iicn  froixi 
"  hence  forth,  even  for  ever."  (Mic  4.  1  to  7.) 

.  Thus  while  he  shall  dwell  in  Zion  ar.d  issue  forth  lu.'i  law,  he  shall 
judge  among  many  people  ;  and  the  result  thereof  shall  be  peace 
among  all  nations ;  to  the  once  halting  chqrcJi  of  God,  and  to  all 
who  join  themselves  to  her,  and  the  Lord  shall  reign  over  them  in 
?nount  Zion, /or  ever.  That  the  elTectuacion  of  all  th.esc  things  is 
not  an  instantaiieous  work  but  rcquireth  a  series  of  time,  needetti  not 
be  denied.  The  notion  of  an  instantaneous  establishment  of  univer- 
-sal  happiness  and  peace,  is  indeed  sufliciently  prepostergus,  as  some 
seem  ,to  have  it,  v/ho  reject  the  testimony  of  that  happy  period  as 
having  commerjced,  because  the  nation^  are  yet  learning  war,  not  con- 
sidering that  peace  is  to  be  l/ie  rcstilt  cf  that  datj,  which  is  to  be 
ushered  in  v.'ith  great  trouble  and  distrens.  "  And  there  shall  be  a 
"  time  of  trouble,  such  as  never  was  since  there  was  a  nation  even 
"  to  that  same  time  :  and  at  that  time  thy  pecple  shall  be  delivpred, 
"  every  one  that  shall  be- found  written  in  the  book."  [Dan.  12.  l.j 
"  Better  is  the  end  of  a  th.ing  than  the  beginning  thereof."  (Eccl.7.  8.) 
Now  with  respect  to  the  commencement  of  the  everlasting  kiug- 
doin,  or  the  judgment  of  the  world  ;  many  have  labored  abundantly 
to  find  what  and  what  manner  of  time  that  should  be.  But  the 
words  which  have  pro]>hesied  of  that  time,  have  been  closed  up  and 
sealed  till  the  time  of  the  end.  We  have  paid  some  attention  to  a 
late  writer  Avho  hath  acknowledged  with  caution,  that  the  morning 
had  dawned,  and  who  also  slated   that  this  sentiment  is  extensively 


430  6V  tHE 

embraced.  But  others  fix  the  time  to  a  period  yet  to  come.  In  a 
pamphlet  written  a  few  years  ago,  in  Carolina,  by  William  C  Davis., 
the  commencement  of  the  Millennium,  or  reign  of  Christ  on  earth, 
is  with  much  confidence,  fixed  in  the  year  eighteen  hundred  a«d 
forty-seven,  or  eight.  Davis's  method  of  calculation  is  ingenious, 
and  indicative  of  wisdom.  But  as  the  words  are  closed  up  and  seal- 
ed until  the  time  of  the  end,  and  that  can  be  known  by  its  own  light 
only,  it  is  not  strange  that  they  who  are  not  in  the  light  should  be 
always  found  in  more  or  less  mistake,  both  with  respect  to  what  time 
and  what  manner  of  time  that  day  is. 

The  calculation  made  by  Davis,  is  grounded  on  two  prophetic 
scriptures,  the  periods  of  which  he  hath  considered  as  commenc- 
ing at  (he  same  time  ;  so  that  they  sel^•e  as  two  parts  of  a  clue  or 
key  to  the  prophecies  which  designate  the  time  of  commencement. 
The  first  part  of  the  clue  is  this  ;  (Dan.  8.  13.  14.)  "  Then  I  heard 
"  one  saint  speaking,  and  another  saint  said  unto  that  pertain  saint  who 
"  spake.  How  long  shall  be  the  vision  concerning  the  daily  sacrifice, 
"  and  the  transgression  of  desolation,  to  give  both  the  sanctuary  and 
"  the  host  to  be  trodden  ttnder  foot  ?  And  he  said  unto  me,  Unto 
"  two  tho\isand  and  three  hundred  days;  then  shall  the  sanctuary  be 
"  cleansed  :"  or  as  the  marginal  reading  and  the  Hebrew  text  say  ; 
"  Then  f  hall  the  sanctuaiy  be  justified  ;"  the  living  temple,  or 
church  of  God.  The  aforesaid  William  Davis  hath  very  justly 
stated  that  the  end  of  these  2300  days  is  the  restoration,  or  as  we 
may  say,  commencement  of  the  true  worship  of  God  in  the  church, 
or  the  beginniri]5  of  the  Millennium. 

The  second  part  of  the  clue  is  this,  (Dan.  9.  24,  &C.)  «  Seventy 
"  weeks  are  determined  upon  thy  people,  and  upon  thy  holy  city, 
"  to  finish  the  transgression,  and  to  make  an  end  of  sins,  and  to  make 
"  reconciliation  for  iniquity,  and  to  bring  in  everlasting  righteousness, 
"  Tor  the  righteousness  of  the  everlasting  ones,  or  saints,]  and  to  seal 
"  up  the  vision  and  the  prophecy,  and  to  anoint  the  Most  Holy  [the 
"  holy  of  holies,  that  is,  the  habitation  of  God.J  Know,  therefore, 
«  and  understand,  that  from  the  going  fojth  of  the  commandment  to 
"  restore  and  to  build  Jerusalem  imto  Messiah  the  Prince,  shall  be 
"  seven  weeks,  and  three-score  and  t^vo  weeks  ;  the  street  shall  be 
"  built  again,  and  the  wall,  even  in  troublous  times.  And  after 
"  three-score  and  two  weeks  shall  Messiah  be  cut  oflT,  but  not  for 
«  himself: — And  he  shall  confirm  tlie  covenant  with  many  for  one 
''  week  ;  and  in  the  midst  of  the  week  he  shall  cause  the  sacrifice 
"  and  the  oblation  to  cease."  This  prophecy  is  supposed  to  include, 
in  clear  terms,  the  grand  criteiion  by  which  the  times  are  to  bo 
known.  I  shall  not  transcribe  his  words,  they  are  too  many,  and 
mingled  with  unnecessary  remarks  as  to  the  present  inquiry.  The 
reader  may  consult  his  pamphlet,  called  the  Mii.i.enmum,  But 
his  reasonings  are  to  the  following  amount.  That  after  seven  weeks 
and  three-score  and  two  weeks  ;  which  make  69  Aveeks,  and  in  the 
midst  of  the  last  of  seventieth  week,  from  the  going  forth  of  the 
commandment  to  restore  and  to  build  Jcrusalf.m,  the  Mcssish  waS 


JUDGMENT.  431 

cut  off,  or  criKified.  Now  70  weeks  are  490  days,  or  ye^rs,  count- 
ing a  day  for  a  year  in  prophetic  language.  And  to  place  the  cruci- 
fixion in  the  midst  of  the  last  wcek,showcth  that  Christ  ivas  crucifi- 
ed in  the  four  hundred  and  eigthty-sixth  year  aficr  the  going  forth  of 
the  commandment,  and  in  the  thirty-fouith  year  of  his  own  age. 
The  other  part  of  the  clue,  the  2300  days,  or  years,  our  author  argues, 
commenced  with  the  70  weeks  ;  (here,  it  will  be  found,  he  is  in  an 
error,)  and  that  by  subtracting  37  years  (the  age  of  Christ  when 
crucified  being  thirty  three  and  a  half,  and  allowing  throe  and  a 
half,  the  last  half  of  the  seventieth  week,  to  the  Jews,  before  the 
gospel  was  sent  to  the  Gentiles,)  from  the  2300,  there  remain  453 
before  the  christian  Era ;  which  being  subtracted  from  the  2300, 
leave  1847  to  come  out  of  the  christian  Era,  before  the  commence- 
ment of  the  Millennium :  that  in  that  year  therefore,  or  the  next, 
(admitting  one  year  of  an  error  in  our  calculation  of  the  christian 
Era,)  the  Millennium  will  surely  commence. 

Or  the  calculation  may  be  made  thus.  The  christian  Era  being 
counted  from  the  birth  of  Christ;  he  is  said  by  Luke  to  have  been 
about  thirty  years  of  age  when  he  was  baptized  of  John,  and  receiv- 
ed the  gift  of  the  Holy  Ghost,  and  was  thus  inaugurated  according 
to  the  correct  order  of  God,  into  the  ministry  and  work  which  the 
Father.had  sent  him  to  perform.  He  ministered  three  years  and  a 
half,  and  was  cut  off,  or  crucified,  in  the  midst  of  the  week,  or  last 
seven  years,  of  the  70  weeks,  or  490  years,  from  the  going  forth  of 
the  commandment.  Thirty-seven  years  therefore  are  to  be  sub- 
stracted  from  the  490  ;  which  leave  4.'i3,  fiom  the  going  foith  of  the 
commandment,  to  the  birth  of  Christ,  or  first  of  the  Christian  Era ; 
which  being  substracted  from  2300,  leave  1347. 

The  calculation  of  the  70  weeks  appears  to  be  not  only  ingenious 
but  correct.  But  to  fix  the  commencement  of  the  2300  days  at  the 
going  forth  of  the  commandment  is  erroneous.  For  in  the  first 
place  divine  revelation  hath  given  no  authority ;  it  hath  not  made 
any  mention  of  such  a  point  of  time  for  the  commencemont  of  those 
days.  And  should  any  man  ask  me  how  long  shall  it  be  until  the 
restoration  of  the  captives,  and  I  answer  until  1500  days;  would  any 
one,  who  heard  our  communications,  fix  the  commencement  of  those 
days  to  some  after  period,  and  not  rather  covvnt  from  the  time  of  the 
conversation,  or  from  the  beginning  of  the  captivity  ?  The  captivi- 
ty of  the  Jews  had  been  going  on  for  more  than  fifty  years,  when  the 
prophecy  of  the  2S00  days  was  given  to  Daniel ;  and  tlie  commence- 
ment of  the  70  weeks  was  long  enough  after,  to  fulfil  70  years  of 
captivity ;  if  wc  count  the  decree  of  Cyrus  the  matter  designated 
in  the  vision.  But  not  a  word  in  the  scriptures  to  intimate  that  the 
two  periods  commenced  together.  As  to  our  authoi-'s  arguing  that 
the  lattc-r  vision  was  an  explanation  of  the  former ;  it  is  all  conjec- 
ture and  hypothesis,  with  respect  at  least,  to  iis  unfolding,'or  showing 
its  commencecKent ;  for  not  one  expression  is  ia  the  second  to  indi- 
cate such  A  matter. 


433  OF  THE 

But  to  the  453  years,  which  remain  from  the  490,  or  70  weeks, 
after  the  37  of  tlic  christian  Era  arc  left  out,  add  the  70  years  of  the 
Jews'  cnptivity,  and  they  make  ;52o,  which  suhstraclcd  from  2r)00, 
leave  1777,  of  the  christian' Era,  and  so  mark  that  year,  1777,  as  the 
time  for  the  sanctuary  to  be  cleansed  ;  Cibout  CO  years  after  the  true 
Vli^ht  first  dawned  in  Enjyiand,  to  cfl'ect  that  ubject.  About  this 
time,  or  early  in  the  year  80,  the  testimony  of  the  cveriastJTig  gospel 
bcf;an  to  be  publicly  opened  in  America,  and  mankind  were  invited 
into  the  sanctuary  ;  but  the  sanctuary,  or  church,  v.as  not  established 
in  full  crc'ler  until  in  the  year  1792  ;  45  years  after  the  first  dawn  of 
the  true  iij^'ht ;  according  to  the  words  of  Daniel :  "  And  from  the 
"  time  that  the  dp.ily  sacrifice  shall  be  taken  away,  and  the  abomina- 
•'  tion  that  maketh  desolate  set  up,  there  shall  be  a  tliousand  two  hun- 
''  dred  and  ninety  days.  IJlcssed  is  hd  that  waitctl-",  and  comcfh  to 
"  the  thousand  three  hundred  and  five  and  thirty  days.""  [Dan.  12, 
11,  12.]}  Until  that  year  the  true  order  of  the  new  creation  in  "Christ 
•was  not  fully  known.  But  it  then  began  to  be  known  ;  and  hath  con- 
tjiuied  ever  since.  The  church  had  been  measurably  gathered  be- 
f.jrc,  and  there  was  a  sharp  ministration,  preparing  the  vvay  for  per- 
fect order  ;  but  there  were  no  regular  orderly  gifts  or  lots  of  con- 
tinual standing,  as  Elders,  Deacons,  or  Elder  brethren  and  sistere. 
But  at  that  time;  the  lots,  gifts  and  privileges  of  the  members  of 
the  body  were  found,  both  in  the  male  and  female.  Elders  were 
found  in  the  line  of  the  one  and  of  the  other.  Deacons  and  Dcacon- 
ncsscs ;  Elder  brethren  and  sisters  ;  each  in  their  proper  line,  found 
their  places  and  their  duty  in  tlie  proper  order  of  the  new  creation  in 
Christ,  and  the  pcrfcclion  and  blessedness  of  the  church  began  to 
appear.  The  spiritual  union  between  the  two,  -who  aje  the  first 
parents  of  the  new  creation,  w^as  never  openly  exhibited  on  earth, 
in  th.cir  proper  persons  ;  but  it  now  began  to  ai)pcar  in  their  faithful 
t>ecd,  as  the  true  order  of  the  kingdom  of  God  on  earth,  that  king- 
dom of  heaven  which  is  to  abide  for  ever  and  ever. 

It  is  remarkable  that  the  prophecy  of  the  2300  days,  is  dated  iu 
the  chronological  notes  in  tlie  large  bibles,  in  the  year  .'^53  before 
Christ;  and  by  counting  those  days  to  commence  then,  they  end  in 
tlie  year  1747  of  tiie  christian  Era;  the  very  year  when  the  true 
light  sprung  up.  So  that  by  these  dilTereiit  calculations,  or  by  either 
of  them,  the  time  liath  come.  But  as  these  chronologies  are  at  best 
uncertain,  or  rather  certainly  incorrect,  most  of  them  by  many 
years,  as  the  light  of  the  kingdom  increascth,  the  truth  will  be  known' 
without  them.  For  the  light  of  that  day,  is  that  which  alone  M'iil 
fully  reveal  to  men,  especially  to  those  who  are  in  it,  for  none  of  the 
Kvlcked  shall  undcrnlmzd  ;  hut  the  ivuc  ahull  U7jdi'j'slau(l,  wh.en  and 
what  manner  of  time  that  day  is.  And  as  fast  as  it  is  made  known, 
it  will  be  found  to  answer  to  the  prophecies  of  the  scriptures,  which 
cannot  be  broken.    <  •  •         ,, 

But  in  vain  doth  any'  man  attempt  to  tell  tlie  commencement  of 
ihat  time  and  day,  by  the  letter  of  the  prophecies.  Although  there 
is  a  propriety  in  studying  t,bcm  and  may  be  often  an  advantage  ;  and 


JUDGMENT.  433 

s"o  much  the  more  as  we  see  the  day  approaching-;  that  men  may  be  in 
readiness  to  receive  the  kingdom  as  it  appeareth  to  them.  But  it  is 
evident  that  prophecies  were  not  intended  to  be  understood,  neither 
in  their  numbers,  times  and  seasons,  which  gcncvaliy  were  desitjnediy 
delivered  in  obncttrity,  nor  the  things  themselves  v.hich  were  pre- 
dicted, they  being-  generally  delivered,  in  symbols  and  t^iett.pbors, 
and  the  like,  until  the  times  of  their  accomplishtiicnt.  ''  T?'''e  hive 
*'  also  a  more  sure  [fSffSatotfpov,  more  permanent  or  steady,]  word  of 
"  prophecy  ;  whercunto  ye  do  well  to  take  hec!,  as  unto  a  light  that 
*'  shioeth  in  a  dark  place,  unfit  the  day  danvn  a?id  the  dai/star  arifie 
in  your  hearts  ;  knowing  this  first,"  (that  ye  may  have  a  right  under- 
standing of  the  subject,)  "  that  no  ])rophecy  of  scripture  is  of  any 
"  private  interpretation.  For  the  prophecy  came  not  in  old  time  by 
«■'  the  will  of  man ;"  (else  men  might  understand  and  interpret  it. 
•'  For  what  man  knoweth  the  things  of  a  man  save  the  spirit  of  man 
*'  which  is  in  him  ?")  "  but  holy  men  of  Gcd  spake  as  they  were 
<'  moved  by  the  Holy  Ghost."  The  saime  Holy  Ghost,  therefore, 
must  interpret  these  prophecies  ;  for  "  Even  so  knoweth  no  man  the 
*^  things  of  God,  but  the  Spirit  of  God."  [2  Tet.  1.  19,  20,21.  1 
Cor.  2.  11. 

Now  it  is  evident  enougii  the  aforesaid  William  Davis  is  wrong  in 
his  calculation  of  the  time  for  the  commencement  of  the  Millenni- 
um, or  day  of  Christ's  setting  up  his  everlas'ing  kingdom.  For  ac- 
cording to  him  it  is  not  yet  come  ;  and  \intil  then  the  time  cannot  be 
known;  which  is  yet  farther  evident  from  the  following  considera- 
tions. "  Of  that  day  and  hour  knoweth  no  man  ;"  until  it  come  ; 
«  For  the  words  are  closed  up  and  sealed  till  the  time  of  the  end." 
If  therefore  the  time  of  the  end  of  the  desolation  be  not  come  ;  if 
the  everlasting  kingdom  be  not  begur.,  our  author  is  wrong  in  his 
calculation,  being  ignorant  of  the  whole  matter  ;  for  the  v.'oi-ds  are 
yet  closed  up  and  sealed,  and  neither  he  nor  any  other  mr-n  knoweth 
tohat  or  what  vianner  of  time  that  shall  be.  But  if  the  time  is  come, 
and  the  everlastiifg  kingdom  begun,  which  is  the  existing  truth,  he 
is  wrong ;  for  he  hath  fixed  it  to  about  thirty  years  yet  to  come. 
"  And  none  of  the  wicked  shall  understand ;  but  the  wise  shall  un- 
««  derstand." 

Nevertheless,  his  calculation  is  so  important,  and  so  correct  in 
some  part,  as  it  proves  with  great  propriety  that  the  commencement 
.of  the  Millennium,  or  everlasting  kingdor.«  cannot  be  later  than  his 
calculation,  that  it  is  not  an  undesirable  thing  that  people  should  be- 
come acquainted  with  it  and  understand  it  coircctly  ;  so  that  thev 
Tvho  cannot,  or  rather  will  not,  be  convinced  of  the  day  in  which  they 
live,  may  at  the  end  of  that  calculation,  be  so  far  overcome,  as  to 
consent  to  receive  the  work  of  God  in  his  own  order,  when  they  see 
nothing  come  forth  to  ansv/er  their  own  sense  or  to  fill  their  cKpccta- 
tions.  In  the  mean  time,  much  credit  is  due  to  the  light  and  wisdoni 
which  appeareth  in  that  calculation;  and  the  author  is  not  unjustly 
esteemed  as  an  instance  of  the  fulfilment  of  that  prophecy  of  Da* 
jiiel ;  "  Many  sh.all  run  to  and  fro,  (while  they  know  not  where  ta 

I  :> 


434  OF  THE 

"  fix,)  and  knoAvlodge  shall  be  increased."     Let  evciy  man  have  his 
due  ;  and  God  the  t>-loiT. 

I'his  is  that  day  of  the  Lord,  which  hath  already  begun  to  shine 
forth* on  the  earth,  to  which  the  Spirit  of  Christ  which  was  in. the 
prophets  directed  their  prophetic  language ;  and  the  day  to  which 
the  iamf?  S-pirit  directed  Peter  and  the  rest  of  the  apostles  on  the 
day  of  Ptr^tecost ;  and  to  which  he  directed  the  people  after  he,  with 
John,  had  healed  the  lame  man.  "  Repent  ye,  therefore,  and  be 
"  converted,  [frtt5'pf4a'!'f5  convert,]  that  your  sins  may  be  blotted  out, 
>•'  when  the  times  of  refreshing  shall  come  from  the  presence  of  the 
"  Lord,  and  he  shall  send  Jesus  Christ  who  before  was  preached 
*'  unto  you  ;  whom  the  heaven  must  receive  until  the  times  of  res- 
"  titution  of  all  things,  \*hich  God  hath  spoken  by  the  mouth  of  all 
''  his  holy  prophets  since  the  world  began."  I  am  indeed  aware 
that  thfe  trimslation  of  this  scripture  is  disputed ;  and  it  is  argued 
that  in  its  correct  design  and  acceptation,  it  is  no  proof  of  an  after 
dispensation.  But  in  the  common  translation,  it  contains  nothing 
more  than  the  same  apostle  hath  taught,  speaking  of  those  who  be- 
lieved in  that  day  ;  "  Who  are  kept  by  the  power  of  God  through 
"  faith  unto  salvation  ready  to  be  revealed  in  the  last  time."  There- 
fore not  yet  known  ;  for  they  were  not  yet  in  possession,  but  fxo/ttlo- 
(tifi'otj  "  Carefully  pursuing  the  end  of  their  faith — the  salvation  of 
"  their  soiils."  And  a  little  after  he  saith  ;  "  Wherefore  gird  tap  the 
"  loins  of  your  mind,  be  sober,  and  hope  to  the  end  for  the  grace 
"  that  is  to  be  brought  to  you  at  the  revelation  of  Jesus  Christ.'''' 
(I  Pet.  1.5,9,  13.)  Thus  he  directed  the  believers  to  look  for- 
W'ard  to  the  second  or  last  revelation  of  Christ,  for  finished  salva- 
tion ;  because  the  fa'st  revelation  had  already  come. 

I  grant  tiie  words  are  not  as  literally  translated  as  they  might  be  ; 
for  I. know  no  reason  for  translating  a  past  tense  of  the  subjunctive 
mood  by  the  future  indicative.  But  all  that  can  be  gained  by  an 
exact  translation  will  not  prevent  the  relation  which  that  text  hath 
to  the  appearing  or  sending  of  Jesus  Christ  in  a  future  day.  For 
[ortw^  ai]  the  phrase  rendered  nvheji.,  is  never  used  by  the  apostles, 
except  in  connection  with  tlie  subjunctive  mood,  and  with  respect 
to  futurity.  "  Repent  therefore,  and  be  converted  [or  convert,]  for 
"  the  blotting  out  of  your  sins;  that  the  times  of  refreshing  may  come 
"  from  the  presence  of  the  Lord,  and  he  may  send  [arto^f  £>,»;]  Jesus 
*'  Christ,  who  hath  been  preached  to  you  before  hand,  whom  heaven 
"  must  have  received  until  the  times  of  the  restitution  of  ail  things,  of 
"  which  God  hath  spoken  by  the  mouth  of  all  his  prophets  in  tlie 
"  lime -past.  For  Moses  truly  said  unto  the  fathers,  A  prophet 
"  shall  the  Lord  your  God  raise  up  unto  you,  of  your  brethren,  like 
"  unto  nie ;  him  shall  ye  hear  in  all  things  whatsoever  he  shall  say 
"  unto  you.  And  it  shall  come  to  pass,  that  every  soul  who  ■vpill 
"  not  heir,  that  prophet,  shall  be  destroyed  fi'om  among  the  people. 
"  Yea,  and  all  the  prophets  front  Samuel,  and  those  that  follow  afterj 
"  as  many  as  have  spoken^  have  likewise  foretold  of  these  days.*^' 
(Acts  3-.  19,  to  24.) 


JUDGMENT.  435 

Now  it  is  evident  that  the  times  of  the  restitution  of  all  things  of 
Which  Ged  had  spoken  by- the  prophets  bad  not  then  come;  for 
the  falling  away  had  not  yet  come,  which  was  to  precede  those 
times.  But  the  Spirit  of  prophecy  looked  forward  with  such  ear- 
nestness to  the  latter  days,  as  the  time  of  accomplishing;  the  glorious 
and  mighty  works  of  God  in  his  church,  that  the  lesser  changes 
Vhich  were  to  intervene,  were  sometimes  passed  over  without  no- 
tice. Thus  the  two  thousand  and  three  hundred  days,  predicted  by 
Daniel,  seem  to  have  included  all  the  time  from  the  captivity  of  the 
Jews  by  the  king  of  Babylon  to  the  commencement  of  the  final  puri- 
fication of  the  church  and  tlie  setting  up  of  the  everlasiing  kingdom 
in  the  second  coming  of  Christ ;  without  so  much  as  noticing  the 
partial  restoration  of  the  Jews,  before  the  coming  of  Christ ;  the 
introduction  of  the  gospel  in  his  first  appearing ;  or  the  rise  and 
reign  of  the  beast,  or  anti-christ.  In  like  manner  the  Spirit  in  Pe- 
ter pointed  directly  to  the  latter  days,  or  times  of  the  restitution  of 
all  things,  when  the  kingdoms  of  this  world  should  become  the 
kingdom  of  our  Lord  and  of  his  Christ,  and  there  should  be  one 
Lord  and  his  name  one :  for  all  this  was  included  in  tiie  things  of 
which  God  had  spoken  by  his  prophets.  But  these  tmies  were  not 
to  come  until  the  seventh  angel  should  sound.  Thus  these  sayings 
of  Peter  agree  with  what  he  wrote  afterwards,  giving  counsel  to  be- 
lievers how  they  ought  to  live  ;  "  Looking  for  and  hasting  unto  the 
♦*  coming  of  the  day  of  God ;"  as  though  it  had  been  close  at  hand. 
And  on  this  principle,  that  the  Spirit  of  prophecy  looked  so  intensely 
towards  the  latter  day,  or  times  of  restitution  and  glory,  we  may  ac- 
count for  the  trouble  and  uneasiness,  among  the  believers  in  Thes- 
salonica,  as  though  the  day  of  the  Lord  were  at  hand  ;  which  occa- 
sioned Paul  to  write  to  them  to  not  be  soon  shaken  in  mind  or  trou- 
bled, for  that  day  should  not  come  except  there  come  a  falling  away 
first  and  that  lawless,  or  man  of  sin  be  revealed  whom  the  Lord 
would  consume  with  the  spirit  of  his  mouth  and  destroy  with  the 
brightness  of  his  appearing.  But  the  day  is  now  come  ;  and  is  as  a 
ESnare  on  all  the  earth. 

But  the  length  of  tiiTic  necessary  for  the  accomplishment  of  the 
work,  is  no  argument  against  the  suddenness  of  its  introduction,  or 
the  sudden  awaking  of  those  who  are  asleep,  when  the  voice  of  the 
trumpet  reacheth  them.  So  that  the  awaking  of  those  who  arc 
asleep,  and  the  equivalent  change  in  those  who  are  not  aslec]),  at 
least  in  the  same  sense,  when  compared  with  the  same  length  of  time 
which  the  prophets  and  martyrs  have  been  waiting  for  the  kingdont 
of  God,  may  in  prophetic  style  be  said  to  take  place,  in  a  moment,  in 
the  twinkling  of  an  eye.  But  it  doth  not  appear  fair  arguing,  in 
those  who  understand  the  nature  of  language,  to  insist  that  the  apos- 
tle, by  that  phraseology,  teacheth  that  the  dead  shall  be  raised  incor- 
ruptible and  the  living  experience  an  equivalent  change,  literally  in 
the  period  of  time  there  marked.  The  words.  In  a  moment.^  in  the 
twinkling  of  an  eije,  at  (he  last  trumfi^  are  detached  from  those  which 
follow,     For  th^  trumfiet  shall  soitnd,  arid  the  d^fad  shall  be  raised 


U6  0F  THE 

mcorrufitlble^  end  tve  shall  be  changed^  by  that  siate,  or  structfiie  of 
Janguage,  called  a  parenthesis,  and  properly  relate  to  that  change 
which  is  equivalent  to  the  waking  of  those  who  are  asleep. 

"  Awake  thou  that  sleepest,  and  arise  from  the  dead."  It  is  quite 
a  natural  thing  for  those  who  are  asleep  to  awake,  and  for  those  who 
are  not  asleep,  in  the  same  sense  or  degr-ee,  to  undergo  a  sudden 
change  of  state  by  the  blast  of  a  loud  trumpet,  which  cometh  aflcT 
being  expected,  with  the  most  momentous  news.  This  may  be  m 
the  things  of  nature  ;  and  it  will  be  granted  by  all  judicious  and  con- 
siderate people,  that  the  apostle  here  useth  metaphorical  language, 
representing  spiritual  things  by  natural ;  some  general  resemblance 
therefore  is  to  be  expected.  After  waking,  which  is  readily  effected 
by  the  sound  of  the  trumpet  alone,  follows  arising  from  the  dead, 
which  is  the  duty  of  the  awakened  subject,  and  on  which  the  pro- 
mise cf  light  from  Christ  depends.  "  Wherefore  come  out  fiom 
"  among  them,  and  be  ye  separate,  saith  the  Lord,  and  touch  not  the 
"  unclean  thhig ;  and  I  will  receive  you.''  (C  Cor.  6.  17.)  After 
receiving  the  light,  the  next  thing  in  course  is  to  enter  on  the  duties 
of  th.e  day.  It  is  an  egregious  error,  however  common,  to  suppose 
that  the  works  pertaining  to  the  coming  of  Christ  to  judgment  arc 
all  done  in  an  instant.  It  is  common  to  all  Ciod's  dealings  with  meu 
to  proceed  by  successive  steps,  and  there  is  no  unambiguous  autho- 
rity that  he  ever  intends  to  depart  from  that  method.  The  appre- 
hension of  a  momentary  or  instantaneous  effectuation  of  the  resur- 
rection and  judgment  hatii  unquestionably  arisen  from  considering 
metaphorical  language  in  its  appropriate  meaning,  while  the  subject 
in  the  true  spirit  of  it  was  misunderstood.  That  apprehension  is 
also  contrary  to,  by  far,  the  gr.euteL.it  ])art  even  .of  that  kind  of  lan- 
guage, used  -in  the  sciiptures  on  that  subject. 

Shall  not  the  judge  of  all  the  earth  do  right  ?  Shall  God  consign 
the  immensurable  majority  of  mankind  to  eternal  damnation,  hope- 
lessly excluded  from  the  peaceful  society  of  the  just,  who  have 
hitherto  remained  in  invincible  ignorance  of  the  way  of  salvation  ? 
Ignoi'ance  in\incible  without  farther  light  and  revelation  from  God  1 
Tor  it  is  found  by  painful  experience,  tliat  with  all  the  knov/ledge 
which  men  can  obtain  by  the  letter,  multitudes  remain  in  total  igno- 
rance of  salvatirn.  They  cannot  gain  power  over  sin;  they  are 
overcome  by  it,  and  arc  therefore  in  bondage  to  it,  and  consequently, 
by  the  authority  of  that  same  word,  excluded  from  the  society  of  the 
blest.  Some,  whether  to  alleviate  thy  allegation  of  injustice  againSt 
God,  and  to  dissipate  the  clouds  of  horror,  or  from  whatever  cause, 
have  palmed  on  God  a  contrivance,  that  all  have  light  enough  to 
leave  thcfJi  without  excuse,  but  not  sufficient  for  their  salvation.  An 
allegation  this,  which  could  not  comport  with  the  honest  reputation 
of  the  weakest  man  on  earth  ;  and  how  shall  it  apply  to  the  infinitely 
wise  and  just  God  ?  Who  cannot,  in  one  moment,  see  the  falhicy 
and  iniquity  of  supposing  a  mun  inexcusable,  by  having  any  degree 
of  light,  or  any  j>rivilegc",  if  it  may  be  so  called,  which  cun  show 
him  that  he  is  wrong,  and  TJUght  to  do  better,  but  doth  rrjt  supply 


JUDGMENT.  43r 

film  with  means  competent  to  the  end  ?  Some  times  on  the  other 
hand,  it  is  stated,  that  whosoever  will  follow  the  dictates  of  his  own 
judgment  will  end  safely.  But  this  is  the  ground  work  of  inlidclity, 
the  pivot  on  which  it  tm-ns,  and  disannuls  or  supersedes  the  gospyl 
altogether.  It  is  indeed  a  reasonable  and  just  position,  that  those 
who  honestly  obey  the  light  which  is  in  their  reach,  and  lie  open  to 
conviction,  ready  to  receive  an  increase,  and  do  not  reject  it  when 
offered,  but  persevere  in  their  honesty,  will  in  the  event  find  salva- 
tion, For  to  him  who  hath  shall  be  given,  and  he  shall  have  abun- 
dance. But  from  him  who  hath  not,  or  doth  not  make  his  own  by 
right  improvement,  shall  be  taken  away  even  that  which  he  hath. 
And  in  this  view,  it  may  be  said  that  men  are  inexcusable,  if  they 
are  not  saved.  And  this  is  precisely  the  principle  on  which  the 
apostle  states  that  men  arc  without  excuse,  their  not  improving  of  the 
degree  of  light  which  they  have.  "  So  that  they  are  without  excuse : 
"  because,  that  when  they  knew  God,  they  glorified  him  not  as  God, 
«  neither  were  ihey  thankful."  (Ro.  2.20,  21.)  Herein  also  men 
are  justly  criminated,  and  die  with  a  double,  or  tenfold  damnation, 
who  reject  and  disobey,  in  the  blaze  of  gospel  day^fr-euiphaticaUy  the 
(lay  of  jud;^;mcnt  and  perdition  of  ungodly  men. 


THE 

MANIFESTO. 

PART  IF. 

Comprised  in  the  substance  of  a  Letter  to 

BARTON   W.    STQXE, 

SECTION  I. 

Of  Freedom  in  religious  conversation. 

BARTON',  I  have  inscribed  this  letter  to  you  as  being  the  most 
'jWoper  person  to  whom  I  could  direct  it,  to  answer  the  proposed  ends. 
Your  situation  in  religious  life,  and  the  active  part  which  you  take, 
the  liberality  of  your  sentiments,  formerly,  and  your  professedly  re- 
tasning  the  same  to  this  day,  according  to  the  contents  of  your  Ad- 
dress to  the  christian  churches,  sxxd  the  freedom  which  you  have  there- 
in used,  on  different  subjects,  together  with  the  impression  that  the 
truth  ought  to  be  fairly  investigated  and  correctly  known  by  all  its 
friends,  have  induced  me  to  uise  this  freedom  with  you. 

Nothing  on  this  eaith  is  of  such  importance  as  Christianity;  and  no 
con'espondence  of  the  most  intimate  friendship  can  be  of  such  utility 
to  mankind,  as  that  which  promotes  the  increase  of  gospel  light  and 
knowledge,  and  thereby  leads  to  the  salvation  of  souls.  However 
useful  other  employments  may  be  in  their  proper  place,  and  however 
expedient  an  open  and  free  correspondence  on  other  topics,  all  must 
yield  to  Christianity,  in  pc«nt  of  utility.  "  For  bodily  exercise  profit- 
"  eth  little,  but  godliness  is  profitable  to  all  things,  having  promise  of 
"  the  life  that  now  is,  and  of  that  which  is  to  come."  Such  consider- 
ations as  these  evince  the  necessity  of  openness  and  freedom  among 
those  who  believe  the  truth  of  Christianity,  with  a  readiness  to  give 
and  receive  every  aid  to  the  work.  Nothing  is  more  calculated  to 
impede  the  progress  of  genuine  Christianity,  which  is  itself  most 
liberal,  than  a  spirit  of  censorious  illiberality,  or  an  unwillingness  to 
Communicate  where  opportunity  is  offered,  or  to  receive  instructions 
where  they  can  be  had. :  no  man  is  so  wise  as  to  be  out  of  the  reach 
of  more  useful  knowledge.  But  a  peremptoriness  to  reject  and  con- 
demn those  doctrines  and  practices  with  which  we  are  unacquainted, 
without  a  fair  examination,  is  too  prevalent  among  those  who  profess 
the  christian  religion;  and  especially  when  contrary  to  our  prepos- 
sessions, ov  against  our  inclinations;  insomuch  that  many  boldly  step 
ioto  the  rank  with  those  whom  the  apostle  describes  in  tliis  emphati- 


440  ON  FREEDOM 

cal  language;  "  But  these  speak  evil  of  the  things  which  they  kno^v 
"not;  but  what  they  know  naturally,  as  brute  beasts,  [irrational  ani- 
"  mals,]  in  those  things  they  corrupt  themselves/'  And  these  also 
presumed  to  name  the  name  of  Christ  and  unite  themselves,  by  pro- 
fession, to  the  faithful,  as  appears  from  his  words  a  little  after. 
"  These  are  spots  in  your  feasts  of  charity,  when  they  feast  with 
"you,  feeding  themslves  without  fear."  (Jude  10,  12.) 

Contracted  views,  and  a  contractedness  of  spirit,  being  most  ef- 
fectual barriers  to  improvement,  appear  likely  to  prove  the  ruin  of 
many  ;  and  those  too  of  the  zealous,  who  make  to  themselves  no 
other  proposals  than  to  make  the  best  improvement  of  what  they 
have,  but  at  the  same  time  scrupulously  reject  every  idea  of  chang- 
ing grounds  for  the  better,  or  of  giving  up  a  single  article  of  that 
faith  into  which  they  have  been  initiated  from  th.e  beginning.  The 
alarming  allegation  of  changing  religion,  which  with  some  appears 
to  be  an  enoi*mous  crime,  threatens  to  preclude  all  prospect  of  ad- 
vancement in  the  knowledge  of  God  and  his  work  of  salvation,  un- 
less it  can  be  obtained  where  they  stand,  whetlicr  on  the  right  foun- 
dation or  not.  And  the  proposals  or  prospect  of  any  such  change, 
is  rebutted  by  such  arguments  as  these.  "  He  that  shall  endure  t® 
"  the  end  the  same  shall  be  saved."  "  Whose  house  are  we,  if  we 
"  hold  fast  the  confidence  ^and  the  rejoicing  of  the  hope  firm  to  the 
"  end."  "  I..et  us  hold  fast  the  profession  of  our  faith  without  wa- 
"  vering."  "  Cast  not  away  therefore  your  confidence  which  hath 
"  great  recompense  of  reward."  "  Be  not  carried  about  with  divers 
"  and  strange  doctrines."  "  That  we  be  no  more  children  tossed  to 
"  and  fro,  and  carried  about  with  every  wind  of  doctrine,  by  the  slight 
"  of  men,  and  cunning  craftiness,  whereby  they  lie  in  wait  to  de- 
<'  ceive."  (Matt.  24.  13.  Heb.  3,  6.  and  10.  23,  i5.  and  13.  9.  Eph. 
4.  14.)  \Vhile  those  who  proffer  such  arguments,  do  not  correctly 
consider  that  they  are  applicable  to  those  only  who  have  infallible 
testimony  that  they  are  already  built  on  the  only  foundation  which 
God  hath  laid  in  Zion,  not  in  name  but  in  works.  "  Not  every  one 
"  who  saith  to  mc  Lord,  Lord,  shall  enter  into  the  kingdom  of  heaven 
"  but  he  that  doeth  the  will  of  my  Father  who  is  in  heaven."  "  And, 
"  Let  every  one  that  nameth  the  name  of  Christ  depart  from  iniqui- 
'<  ty."  (Malt.  7.  21.  2  Tim.  2,  19.)  The  application  of  such  scrip- 
tures as  those  noticed  abot'e,  by  one  and  another  among  the  mass  of 
professors,  with  ail  the  incoherent  sentiments  which  abound,  beare  a 
very  different  aspect  from  their  original  application  to  believers  in 
the  one  faith  and  t1ie  one  Christ,  all  belonging  to  one  body,  and 
known  to  belong  to  that  faith  which  was  exclusively  the  faith  of 
(Christ,  and  when  all  that  wt>s  necessary  to  be  done,  was  to  confirm 
them  and  build  tliem  up  in  th.at  one  faith.  But  that  kind  of  spirit 
Avhich  the  apostle  reproved  as  behig  antichristian,  telling  those  who 
said,  I  am  of  Paul,  and  I  of  A  polos,  that  they  were  comal  and  not 
spiritual,  hath  so  far  prevailed,  that  there  are  as  many  faiths  as  we 
find  different  denominations  of  professors,  and  each  of  these,  in  terms 
wither  stronc-er  or  weaker,  ann(n;nrc>;  itself  t'^c  •''••?  faiM;   of  Christ. 


OF  CONVERSATION.  ,4 

Now  v/hen  a  man  hath  honestly  proved  the  faith  and  practice  of 
©ne  society,  and  hath  not  found  that  which  can  fill  his  sonl  and  satisfy 
hh  conscience,  to  remove  where  the  evidence  of  tlic  light  and  unth 
of  God  is  satisfying,  is  no  more  a  violation  of  the  iaith  of  Christ  or 
ti  wresting  of  the  scriptures,  tiian  for  Paul  to  renounce  the  religion 
of  the  Jcv.'s  and  become  a  christian,  or  for  Martin  Lutlier  to  re- 
nounce popery  and  go  in  the  pursuit  of  a  better  religion,  or  for  any 
other  man  to  forsake  that  church  which  hath  the  form  of  godliness 
but  denieth  the  power,  and  unite  with  the  living  botly  :  this  needs 
no  proof  but  the  statement.  Should  a  man  change  his  profession 
thus,  ten  times,  as  one  emptied  from  vessel  to  vessel,  or  tossed  on  the 
tempe'stous  waves,  until  he  at  last  find  the  true  body  of  Christ,  (for 
there  is  one  body  and  one  Spirit,)  which  can  fill  his  soul,  and  satisfy 
his  conscience  in  the  peace  of  God,  he  is,  in  so  doing,  as  innocent 
as  the  Lamb.  For  no  church  can  hav^  any  jiuJt  claim  to  the  charac- 
ter of  the  church  of  Christ,  vu.less  it  hath,  resident  in  it  at  all  tinnes, 
that  go£p>^l,  known  to  all  its  niembcrs,  which  can  thus  fill  their 
souls,,  enabling  them  to  crucify  the  flesh  with  its  afiections  and 
lusts,  and  efficaciously  tcachh.g  them  that  denying  ungodliness  ard 
'iv'orldly  lusts,  they  should  live  soberly,  righteously  and  godly  in  tivi'? 
present  world,  and  enabling  them  to  die  to  sin  and  live  to  God  in  tlio 
Spirit,  after  the  example  of  Jesus  Christ.  These  things  are  too 
expressly  scriptural,  as  pertaining  to  the  true  gospel  of  Christ,  to 
need  logical  argumentation  with  those  who  believe  1  cvelalion. 

While  using  this  plainness  of  speech,  I  desire  to  notice  one  thinr^ 
which  is,  as  1  apprehend,  gaining  ground  among  professors,  though 
strictly  a  branch  of  infidelity.  Interrogate  a  professor  closely  on  the 
ground  of  his  f?Lith  and  its  fruits,  or  the  whole  of  his  evidence  for 
eternal  life,  and  he  will  often  waa-d  oft'  the  conversation  with  this ; 
"  I  am  willing  to  let  every  one  alone  to  take  the  way  which  he 
*'  chooses,  or  which  he  thinks  is  right."  Tlus  seems  to  be  esteemed 
an  eminent  degree  of  christian  charity,  to  let  others  alone  ;  and 
though  you  are  ever  so  sure  they  are  going  in  the  broad  way.  to  de- 
struction, (and  especially  if  they  are  professed  cliristiahs,  ffjr  many 
such  are  confessedly  in  the  broad  way,)  put  the  matter  off  with,  it 
5s  the  way  they  choose :  for  eveiy  christian  cl)urch  knoweth  who  aru 
in  the  way  of  destruction  and  who  are  in  the  way  of  life. 

Now  the  question  is.  Can  this  bfe  christian  charity  or  duty,  to  let 
men  sleep  on,  under  fatal  deception,  when  there  is  access  to  tiicm  ? 
Or  how  doth  such  a  temper  comport  w;th  the  instructions  and  ex- 
ample of  the  apostles  of  Christ  ?  "  Whom  (saith  Paul,)  we  preach, 
"  warning  every  man  in  all  wisdom :  that  we  may  present  every 
"  man  perfect  in  Christ  Jesus."  "  And  (saith  Jude,)of  some  have 
"  compassion,  making  a  diiTcrence  ;  and  others  save  with  fear,  pull- 
"  ing  them  out  of  the  fire  ;  hating  even  the  garment  spotted  i)y  the 
«  flesh,"  [Col.  1.  28.  v.  22,  23.]  God  lov-cth  a  cheerful  giver;  and 
there  is  no  doubt  but  all  christians  having  the  true  Spirit  of  Christ, 
(For  if  any  man  have  not  the  Spirit  of  Christ  he  is  none  of  his,)  are 
free  to  impart,  on  any  suitable  occasion,  what  they  IsaA  c  freely  re- 


442  ON  FREEDOM 

ccived,  according  to  their  ability  and  calling.  "  For  the  love  oC 
"  Christ  constraineth  us ;  because  we  thus  judge,  that  if  one  died 
"  for  all,  then  were  all  dead  ;  and  that  he  died  for  all,  that  they  who 
'<  live,  should  not  henceforth  live  to  themselves,  but  to  him  who  died 
for  them,  and  rose  again."  [2  Cor.  5.  14,  15.] 

Another  question  occurs ;  Can  they  be  christians  who  refuse  ac- 
cess to  themselves,  by  those  who  propose  free  conversation  on  this 
important  point,  to  bring  the  matter  to  a  fair  trial,  for  edification,  or 
with  that  professed  and  apparent  rc"„son  ?  Let  the  words  of  Peter 
be  considered  in  this  place.  <'  But  sanctify  the  Lord  God  in  your 
•'  hearts ;  and  be  ready  always  to  give  an  answer  to  every  man  that 
*'  asketh  you  a  reason  of  the  hope  that  is  in  you  with  meekness  and 
''  fear  ;  having  a  good  conscience  ;  that  whereas  they  speak  evil  of 
'*  you  as  of  evil  doers,  they  may  be  ashamed  that  falsely  accuse  your 
"  good  conversation  in  Christ."  [1  Pet.  3.  15,  16.]  When  a  man- 
can  evade  a  free  conversation  on  the  ground  work  of  the  gospel — 
faith,  hope  and  charity,  with  the  corresponden!;  works,  by  saying  that 
he  is  willing  to  let  every  one  take  the  way  which  he  thinks  is  best,  he 
exhibits  to  me  the  strongest  evidence,  ihat  he  is  conscious  to  him- 
self of  not  having  a  good  conscience,  of  not  sanctifying  the  Lord  God 
i!>  liis  heart,  and  that  he  has  not  become  willing  to  part  with  all 
things  for  Christ,  but  hugs  in  his  bosom  a  beloved  idol,  which  he  is 
afraid  the  truth  would  discover  and  wrest  from  him,  and  is  also  jea- 
lous or  apprized  that  he  who  proposes  the  conversation  is  possessed 
of  that  truth  of  God,  whith  can  strip  him,  would  he  come  fairly  t» 
trial :  for  he  who  has  parted  with  all  can  lose  no  more  ;  but  he  who 
hath  kept  a  reserve  may  be  in  danger.  Honesty  and  truth  are  not 
afraid  of  the  light,  or  of  examination,  but  dishonesty  and  wickedness 
love  the  dark.  "  For  every  one  that  doeth  evil  hateth  the  light,  nei- 
"^  ther  cometh  to  the  light,  lest  his  deeds  should  be  reproved.  [Gr. 
"  convicted.]  But  he  that  doeth  truth  cometh  to  the  light,  that  hi& 
"  deeds  may  be  made  manifest  that  they  are  wrought  in  God." 

Some  may  plead  that  it  is  of  little  consequence  to  bring  a  manV 
religion  to  trial  before  other  men,  for  the  judgment  of  man  is  aa  un- 
certain matter  at  best.  True  enough;  the  judgment  of  man  is  an 
\nicertain  matter.  But  when  a  man  is  not  able  to  support  his  reli- 
gion in  the  judgment  of  men  who  soberly  appeal  to  revelation^  it  is 
poor  religion  indeed,  ^^id  when  a  man  cannot  maintain  the  safety 
of  the  foundation  on  which  he  is  building,  by  good  and  rational  evi- 
dence, in  the  judgment  of  men  who  soberly  appeal  to  revelation,  it 
is  a  poor  foundation.  But  the  truth  is,  that  the  people  of  God  have 
the  discernment,  or  judgment  of  God  in  them,  and  hypocrites  and 
those  who  are  not  in  possession  of  the  truth  of  God,  can  feel  it  in 
them,  (and  can  also  feel  the  light  in  some  who  have  a  good  degree 
of  light  from  God,  and  yet  have  not  experienced  the  work  and  tra- 
vail of  regeneration,)  a  light  and  a  judgment  able  to  comprehentl 
them.  "  For  he  that  is  spiritual  judgeth  [or  discerneth,]  all  .r.ings. 
"  yet  he  himself  is  judged,  or  discerned  of  no  man." 


OF  CONVERSATION.  443 

The  unlimited  bounds  ascribed  to  charity,  by  some,  is  another 
Source  of  excuse  on  this  subject.  It  is  not  enough  to  let  every  one 
choose  his  own  way,  but  it  must  be  hoped  in  charity  that  all  are  right, 
or  at  least  some  amongst  all,  so  that  it  is  no  matter  what  people's 
sentiments  are,  provided  they  only  practise  what  they  think  is  right. 
Thus  the  noble  man-made  charity  becomes  a  covert  for  errorsr  in 
faith  and  practice  ;  and  what  is  m.ore,  demands  of  God  the  approba- 
tion of  every  man's  ways,  various  as  they  may  be,  provided  they  can 
find  acceptance  in  his  own  mind,  whether  according  to  the  will  of 
Godortiot;  and  thus  subjects  God  and  his  worship  to  every  man's 
judgment :  for  except  God  approve  there  can  be  no  justification  or 
salvation.  It  is  esteemed  quite  an  uncharitable  thing  to  suppose 
that  any  denomination  of  professors  have  not  the  true  faith  of  Cluist 
and  power  of  salvation  ;  or  that  their  tenets  are  Such  that  if  put  into 
practice,  (and  they  are  useless  without  practice,  for  faith  without 
works  is  dead,)  they  will  exclude  them  from  a  participation  in  the 
'kingdom  of  heaven,  or  fail  of  connecting  them  with  the  followers  of 
the  Lamb.  But  it  is  not  uncharitable  nor  unchristian  to  believe  the 
truth.  Charity  believeth  all  things;  but  it  is  not  required  to  believe 
tilings  which  have  no  existence,  or  to  believe  a  lie.  Charity  doth 
not  require  me  to  believe  a  man  is  right  when  he  is  doing  wrong ; 
neither  to  believe  he  has  the  faith  of  Christ,  or  that  faith,  in  the  pos- 
^sessionand  exercise  of  which  he  can  be  saved,  unless  his  fruits  are 
ill  all  things  according  to  Christ.  For  by  their  fruits  ye  shall  know 
them,  and  a  good  tree  cannot  bring  forth  evil  fruit.  Charity  doth 
not  require  me  to  believe  that  any  man  or  people  have  the  faith  of 
Christ,  who  openly  acknowledge  and  avow  that  faith  which  admits 
the  possibility  of  sin,  the  work  of  the  flesh,  or  any  thing  contrary  to 
the  order  and  life  of  Christ,  in  a  christian.  If  all  •denominations 
produce  the  genuine  fruits  of  Christianity — if  all  keep  that  unity  of 
the  Spirit  in  the  bond  of  peace,  which  belongs  to  that  ojie  body  of 
Christ,  having  one  Taith  and  o?ie  Spirit — if  all  have  that  inimitable 
love  and  union  which  no  hypocrite  can  counterfeit,  and  by  which  all 
jiien  shall  know,  that  they  are  the  disciples  of  Christ,  and  the  world 
shall  believe  and  know  that  the  Father  hath  sent  him,  and  hath  loved 
them  as  he  hath  loved  him,  or  by  which  the  truth  of  Christianity  is 
established  and  confirmed — if  all  have  that  faith  which  influencetk 
them  to  walk  even  as  he  walked,  who  left  us  an  example  that  we 
should  follow  his  steps,  then  all  are  right ;  but  all  who  fall  short  in 
these  things  are  wrong,  and  must,  while  in  their  present  standing, 
come  short  of  salvation.  1  presume  the  scriptures  to  which  thesft 
things  relate,  are  too  familiar  to  you,  to  require  a  particular  citation. 
But  if  all  are  right,  or  if  any  are  right,  having  the  faith  of  Christ  and 
power  of  salvation,  (for  without  these  none  can  be  right,)  I  see  no 
reason  why  those  who  are  right,  should  not  exhibit  the  righteousness 
of  their  faith  and  practice  on  all  proper  occasions,  with  freedom  and 
humility,  or  why  they  are  not  in  the  number  of  those  whose  hearts 
condemn  them,  who  can  cover  their  light  under  a  bushel,  and  avoid 
UiQ  scrutiny  of  the  light  under  such  subterfuges  as  have  been  com- 


fU  ON  FREEDOM 

mon.  I  do  not  mean  that  christians  ought  to  vocifercite  like  publio 
criers;  humility  and  modesty  become  them.  I  only  plead  for  that 
openness  of  heart,  which  ^^  ill  prove  that  their  souls  are  not  in  bond- 
age ;  and  that  they  are  not  ashamed  of  the  gospel  of  Christ,  or  the 
views  and  practice  which  tliey  maintain,  while  in  them  it  proves  it- 
Etif  to  be  the  power  of  God  to  salvation. 

With  some  it  would  appear,  that  an  effectual  hindrance  to  freedom 
of  communication,  is  the  fear  of  giving  offence,  especially  where 
there  are  diiTerent  sentiments  on  some  leading  points.  I  am  not 
pleading  for  any  improper  or  ill-placed  communications.  We  are 
not  required  to  cast  pearls  before  sv.'ine.  Where  the  gospel  is  not 
ucceptiible,  and  there  appears  no  prospect  or  place  for  any  benefit, 
officious  urging  would  be  imprudent.  But  I  see  no  need  of  these 
difficulties  among  christians,  or  professors,  who  aiiB  to  be  honest. 
If  they  possess  the  faith  of  the  common  salvation,  Avhy  not  unbosom 
one  to  another,  at  least  ap  far,  that  their  unity  of  faith  and  spirit  might 
appear.  "  Then  they  that  feared  the  Lord  spake  often  one  to  ano- 
^'  ther  ;  and  the  Lord  hearkened  and  heard  it ;  and  a  book  of  remem- 
"  brance  was  written  before  hisn  for  them  that  feared  the  Lord,  and 
"  that  thought  upon  his  name.  And  they  shall  be  mine,  saith  the 
"  Lord  of  hosts,  in  that  day  when  I  make  up  my  jewels  ;  and  I  will 
"  spare  them  as  a  man  spareth  his  own  son  that  serveth  him."  (Mai. 
3.  16,  17.)  It  is  not  justifiable  to  omit  duty,  or  cover  the  truth,  with 
fear  of  offending.  There  is  indeed  no  impropriety  in  addressing 
mankind  in  the  most  inviting  and  inoffensive  terms  which  the  nature 
of  the  case  will  adm.it  in'honesty.  The  haughty  spirit  of  m.an  is  apt 
enough  to  rebel ;  and  the  gospel  is  offensive  enough  to  him  without 
adding  to  it,  any  thing  disgusting.  But  the  truth  of  the  gospel  must 
not  be  corrupted  by  those  who  publish  and  possess  it.  Although 
Paul  availed  himself  of  every  justifiable  method  to  escape  censure 
and  persecution,  being  wise  as  a  serpent  and  harmless  as  a  dove,  he 
could  not  preach  to  please  his  brethren,  the  Jews,  although  by  that 
he  might  have  escaped  all  persecution  for  Christ.  But  thus  he  must 
have  fallen  from  grace,  and  have  been  separated  from  Christ.  He 
tlicrefore  adhered  to  the  gospel  by  the  cross.  "  And  I,  brethren,  if 
"  I  yet  preach  circumcission,  why  do  I  yet  suffer  persecution  ?  then 
*'  is  the  offence  of  the  cross  ceased."  "  But  God  forbid  that  I  should 
"  glory,  save  in  tlie  cross  of  our  Lord  .Tesus  Christ,  by  whom  the 
<'  world  is  crucified  to  me  and  I  to  the  world."  (Gal.  5.  11.  and  6. 
14.)  Cotild  Paul  have  discharged  the  duty  of  his  calling,  and  have 
preached  salvation  by  circumcission  and  other  Jewish  rituals,  leav- 
ing out  the  cross  of  Christ,  there  had  been  no  offence.  For  those 
outward  signs  were  they  to  which  circumcission  related ;  because 
he  did  preach  circumcission  ;  not  the  outward  sign  in  the  f^esh,  but 
that  which  is  made  without  hands,  in  putting  off  the  body  of  the 
sins  of  the  flesh  by  the  c  ircwmcission  of  Christ ;  that  which  is  of  the 
heart,  in  the  Spirit,  net  in  the  letter  ;  whose  praise  is  not  of  men  but 
of  God.  (Col.  2.  11.  Ro.  2.  29.)  This  circumcissior.  of  the  heart 
m.d  in  the  spirit  was  th.e  great  stumbling  stone,  against  which  ^11  tJie 


OF  CONVERSATION.   -  445 

f»ersecut'i.on  was  raised.  Just  so  ;  could  believers  in  tiiis  day,  fulf^V 
he  duties  of  their  caliincj,  and  omit  the  cross  ;  or  could  they  be  jus- 
tified in  preaching  salvation  by  outward  forms  and  ceremonies,  -with- 
out the  ncccssily  of  vvalking  in  the  footsteps  of  Christ  and  bearing 
his  cross ;  such  a  gospel  (though  indeed  no  gospel  at  all.)  would  be 
velcomed  by  the  inhabitants  of  the  land,  professors  not  excepted. 
But  the  cross  of  Christ  hatli  ahvays  been  offensive  to  the  world,  and 
always  will,  while  such  a  world  is  in  being. 

But  may  I  not  add,  that  some  are  prevented  from  using  that  free- 
dom with  .others  of  ditTerent  sentiments,  and  conversing  iVsciy  as 
they  might  otherwise  do,  especially  with  those  who  arc  counted  great 
deceivers,  lest  their  fellow  professors  should  be  orferxled.  And  the 
charity  of  some  is  so  exquisitely  favorable,  that  it  will  not  allov/  iliem 
to  offend  others,  if  by  this  tenderness  they  should  neglect  a  duty  to 
God  and  their  own  souls.  And  they  can  avail  themselves  of  the  im- 
propriety of  offending  a  brother,  or  one  of  Christ's  little  ones,  and 
the  sin  and  woe  of  those  who  cause  ofTenccs  to  come.  Not  consi- 
dering that  those  offences  Avhich  the  scriptures  condemn,  were  com- 
mitted against  tlie  faith  of  Christ,  and  not  against  the  selfish  feelings 
of  partisans.  But  I  am  thankful  that  all  are  not  so  weak  and  igno- 
rant. It  needs  no  proof  that  those  warnings  against  offences,  are  no 
impediment  in  tl'.e  way  of  honest  people  examining  into  the  grounds 
of  their  faith  and  practice,  and  ol)tai;iing  every  degree  of  light  and 
help  in  their  reach,  but  that  they  who  are  opposed  to  such  freedom, 
are  offenders  in  the  true  meaning.  "  Prove  all  things  and  hold  fast 
"  that  which  is  good."  (1  Thes..5.  21.)  The  word  of  Cod  is  not 
bound ;  and  where  the  Spirit  of  the  LoitI  is  there  is  liberty.  The 
people  of  God  have  not  received  the  spirit  of  bondage  again  to  fear ; 
but  the  Spirit  of  adoption  whereby  they  cry  Abba,  Father.  They 
are  Christ's  free  men,  and  are  under  no  restraint  from  acquiring  all 
that  knowledge  which  is  necessary  to  fill  the  soul  with  good  things 
to  their  own  satisfaction. 

But  I  must  use  the  freedom  to  mention  another  avov/ed  reason 
with  many,  for  their  refusing  to  converse  freely  and  openly  on  the 
foundation  of  their  hope,  especially  with  those  wjio  believe  that 
Christ  hath  made  his  second  appearance,  and  are  by  many  esteemed' 
the  greatest  deceivers- — the  danger  of  being  deceived.  They  are, 
or  affect  to  be,  much  afraid  of  deception.  Yet  of  those  whose  os- 
tensihie  reason  is  fear,  many  will  say  they  are  not  afraid  on  their  own 
account,  but  on  the  account  of  others  who  are  W'cak.  Thus  will 
caiT;aI  professors  endeavor  to  exculpate  themselves  from  all  un- 
soundness or  weakness  in  their  own  standing,  while  they  stand  as 
sentinels  to  keep  the  truth  of  God  from  their  house  and  neighbor- 
borhood.  The  dans?:er  also  of  giving  heed  to  seducing  spirits,  has 
been  alledged  ;  as  if  to  inquire  soundly  into  the  foundation  of  a 
man's  faith,  were  the  same  thing  as  to  submit  to  the  dictates  of  ma- 
nifest seduction. 

Other  particulars  might  be  mentioned,  rand  perhaps  some  may  in 
the  sequel,)  as  causes  of  fear,  real  or  pretended,  all  v/iiich  to  an  ho- 


446-  ON  FREEDOJI 

iiest  man,  appear  at  Che  first  view,  to  be  mere  bugbears,  wliilc  the 
true  source  of  fear  is  an  inward  conviction  that  all  is  not  right  to- 
wards God,  and  that  the  truth  requires  them  to  give  up  more  for 
Christ  than  they  are  willing  to  lose.  It  is  no  part  of  Christianity  to 
be  afraid  of  being  deceived  ;  for  christians  know  who  are  of  the  truth 
and  who  are  not,  by  the  spirit  which  they  possess  and  the  doctrines 
which  they  bring.  "We  are  of  God:  he  that  knoweth  God  hear- 
eth  us  ;  he  that  is  not  of  God  heareth  not  us.  Hereby  know  we  the 
Spirit  of  truth  and  the  spirit  of  error."  [1  Jno.  4.  6.]  Proper  as  it 
is,  and  justifiable,  to  avoid  closing  in  with  error,  or  countenancing  it ; 
that  faith,  or  foundation,  which  can  be  shaken  by  eriror,  is  not  the  faith 
of  Christ,  or  the  foundation  which  God  hath  laid  in  Zion  ;  and  little 
matter  how  soon  it  be  dissolved.  The  promise  of  God  is  faithful  and 
good ;  "  Surely  there  is  no  enchantment  against  Jacob,  neither  is 
"  there  any  divination  against  Israel."  [Numb.  23.  23.]  Honest 
souls  have  no  cause  of  fear ;  deception  belongs  to  those  who  choose 
it ;  neithei"  need  any  people,  oY  any  man,  exhibit  a  better  proof  of 
living  in  deception  and  hypocrisy,  than  fear  of  being  deceived. 
Christianity  includes  too  much  light  for  those  who  possess  it,  or  even 
know  where  it  is,  to  be  afraid  of  being  deceived  against  their  own 
choice.  "  I  am,"  said  Jesus,  "  the  light  of  the  world ;  he  that  fol- 
"  loweth  me  shall  not  walk  in  darkness,  but  shall  have  the  light  of 
"  life."  rjno.  8.  12.]]  And  again  he  said  to  his  disciples,  "Ye  are 
"  the  light  of  the  wortd.  A  city  that  is  set  on  an  hill  cannot  be  hid.'" 
[Matt.  5.  14.] 

After  all  the  incoherent  notions  and  various  persuasions  in  the  pro- 
fession of  christianhy,andall  the  uncertainty  with  which  people  have 
suffered  the  most  exquisite  distress,  and  all  the  reproaches  with  which 
the  name  of  Christ  hath  been  blasphemed,  by  the  ungodly  and  un- 
mortified  lives  of  professors,  until  it  is  true  of  them,  as  of  the  Jews 
of  old,  that  the  name  of  God  through  them  is  blasphemed  among  the 
Gentiles,  and  all  the  support  which  has  been  ministered  to  infidelity, 
by  the  inconsistent,  jarring  and  irregular  course  of  tliose  who  have 
named  the  name  of  Christ,  and  have  not  departed  from  iniquity,  the 
foundation  of  God  standeth  sure,  and  his  church  must  eventually 
emerge  from  those  clouds  of  superstition  and  error,  which  have  so 
long  obstructed  and  prevented  his  goings  forth  as  the  morning,  witl) 
that  distinguished  liglit  and  evidence  which  cannot  admit  of  decep- 
tion. And  it  is  fully  time  that  such  a  work  should  be  seen  on  the 
earth,  the  true  church  of  God,  and  that  the  people  should  begin  to 
flow  together  into  it,  that  the  honest  sufferers  may  find  relief,  and  the 
weary  of  sin  may  be  at  rest  in  Christ.  Accordingly  the  day  has 
dawned,  the  testimony  has  gone  forth,  and  the  Sun  of  righteousness 
has  arisen  with  healing  in  his  wings. 

About  the  time  when  that  society  to  which  you  are  still  attached 
began  to  be  distinguished  from  the  common  mass  of  professors,  out 
of  which  it  sprung,  I  felt  more  confirmed  that  I  was  doing  the  will 
of  God,  and  under  the  direciion  of  his  special  providence,  than  I  ha^ 
ever  been  before.     Ncilher  do  I  ut  all  scruple  at  this  day,  to  acknow- 


OF  CONVERSATION.  447 

ledge  the  special  hand  of  God,  in  selecting  that  society  from  among 
others,  in  conjunction  with  whom,  its  members  could  not  have  enjoy- 
ed the  free  exercise  of  that  light  and  power,  which  they  had  receiv- 
ed in  that  mighty  work  of  God,  called  the  Kentucky  revival.  And 
I  always  feel  willing  to  acknowledge  the  good  hand  of  God  in  the 
various  ministrations  of  clear  light,  which  were  received  froin  him 
during  the  work  of  that  day.  And  though  I  now  stand  where  I  do; 
I  say  the  truth  in  Christ,  I  lie  not,  my  conscioice  also  bearing  me 
witness  in  the  Holy  Spirit,  when  I  attest  that  I  have  no  less  esteem 
for  the  work  of  that  day,  than  I  had  then ;  although  to  the  best  of 
my  remembrance,  I  then  esteemed  it  as  by  far  the  greatest  which  I 
had  ever  witnessed.  I  may  add  farther,  that  I  now  esteem  it  inex- 
pressibly more  than  I  did  then,  as  being  much  better  acquainted  with 
its  tendency.  "  Better  is  the  end  of  a  thing  than  the  beginning 
"  thereof."  [Eccl.  7.  8.]  I  can  also  bear-witness,  that  my  regaitl 
for  the  subjects  of  that  revival,  who  have  honestly  retained  the  life 
and  spirit  of  it  to  the  best  of  theii*  understanding,  is  by  no  means, 
abated.  And  even  those,  who  have  ceded  their  power  and  privilege 
to  the  spirit  of  fear  and  unbelief,  or  to  the  corrupt  influence  of  pre- 
judicial gainsaying,  are  not  out  of  the  reach  of  my  good  will,  nor  the 
embraces  of  my  desires  and  longings  for  their  recovery.  Of  whom, 
if  accessible,  I  am  ever  willing,  and  would  count  it  my  joy,  to  travaii 
in  birth  again  until  Christ  he  formed  in  thcra. 

It  was  not  from  any  unkind  feelings  towards  that  revival  or  its 
subjects,  that  I  stand  where  I  do,  or  that  I  have  not  had  an  uninter- 
rupted intercourse  with  you  all  to  this  day.  I  had  nc  intention,  God 
is  my  wimess,  of  withdrawing  my  friendship  from  them,  until  thev, 
to  the  pain  of  my  heart,  refused  me  access.  I  remained  in  the  exer- 
cise of  all  the  freedom  which  I  could  obtain  among  them,  until  con- 
strained by  the  call  of  God,  by  the  clear  testimony  of  the  truth  of 
God  in  my  own  conscience,  that  a  deeper  work  than  could  be  had 
there,  was  necessary  to  my  salvation,  and  by  the  all-prevailing  love 
to.  tenth,  to  step  forward  in  the  increasing  manifestation  of  the  l-ghi 
and  jvnowledge  of  God,  and  leave  my  former  brethren,  who  were 
not  far  from  the  kingdom  of  heaven,  to  give  over  their  pursuit,  and 
making  vigorous  efibrts  to  retain  and  content  themselves  with  what 
they  had.  Nay  more  ;  many  of  them  have  receded  from  that,  a»d 
taken  refuge  under  the  rudiments  of  the  world,  those  beggarly  ele- 
ments in  which  they  desire  again  to  be  in  bondage. 

Neither  was  it  any  thing  in  the  testimony  of  the  gospel  which  I 
received,  and  wherein  I  stand,  which  was  so  agreeable  to  nty  nelure 
as  to  invite  me  in.  Every  man  who  has  but  a  little  understanding  of 
the  self-denial  and  cross  which  we  bear  after  Christ,  has  an  invinci- 
ble testimony  in  himself  to  the  contrary — that  the  gospel  is  not  in- 
viting to  man's  nature,  but  to  the  spirit  that  feels  the  need  of  salva- 
tion. And  the  clear  testimony  of  God  corresponded  with  my  undcr- 
:5tandlng  and  faith,  and  with  the  light  of  God  which  I  had  received 
in  the  late  revival,  so  that  I  must  nov/  of  necessity,  by  the  call  of 
t5-od,  make  my  choice  to  go  forward  into  the  opening  of  the  kingdom 


448  ON  FREEDOM 

of  Christ,  or  renounce  what  I  had  received.  I  therefore  bega«  to 
deny  myself,  to  take  up  my  cross  and  follow  Christ  in  the  regenera- 
tion ;  and  have  thenceforth  been  learning  by  a  solid  experience,  that 
it  is  better  to  obey  God  than  man.  The  same  testimony  agrees  also 
to  the  understanding  and  ligSit  of  every  man  and  every  woman,  who 
were  real  subjects,  and  had  a  real  understar.ding  of  the  work  of  the 
revival :  of  the  truth  of  which  there  are  maiiy  witnesses  who  do  not 
obey  the  gospel. 

Some  years  ago,  the  piercing  cries  of  many  were,  IV/iat  shall  we 
do  to  be  saved  .^  And  nothing  then  would  satisfy  short  of  that  sub- 
stance which  could  not  be  shaken  or  disputed.  But  when  the  safe 
and  only  way  appeared  by  the  cross,  they  stumbled  at  it,  being  diso- 
bedient; and  many  of  those  who  were  piercing  the  heavens  with 
their  cries,  have  settled  back  into  the  rudiiPiCnts  of  the  world.  V/hile 
it  remains  true,  that  tiie  cross  which  we  bear,  and  at  which  they 
stumble,  and  the  self-denial  which  we.  practise,  v.'ho  are  called  by  the 
everlasting  gospel,  are  sanctioned  by  the  example  of  Christ,  with 
snch  certainty  that  no  man  can  wdth  any  plausibility  deny  it.  The 
current  argument  is,  that  such  a  cross  is  not  required  of  the  follow- 
ers of  Christ ;  that  is,  that  Christ  doth  not  require  his  people  to  talie 
him  as  an  example  in  ceasing  from  the  first  Adam's  works  in  the 
radical  distinction  of  their  several  orders.  This  kind  of  reasoning, 
in  those  who  expect  to  be  justified  by  the  righteousness  of  Christ  im- 
puted to  them,  is  quite  consistent  with  the  rest  of  their  views.  But 
for  those  who  have  rejected  the  doctrine  of  vicarious  sufferings  and 
obedience,  or  imputed  righteousness,  to  argue  in  tliat  manner  is  not 
so  consistent. 


SECTION  II. 

Free  a7id  friendly  observations  on  the  sehtiinents  and  practice  of  thu 
S.ujierijcrihed^  and  the  subjects  of  the  revival. 

Bakton  ; 

WHEREAS  in  your  Address  you  have  expressed  a  warm 
disapprobation  of  the  insinuation  that  your  doctrines  lead  to  Shaker- 
ism,  to  be  consistent  you  will  heartily  consLut  that  Shakers  should 
object  to  your  views.  And  whereas  you  so  earnestly  plead  for  free- 
dom among  christians,  or  professors,  and  insist  on  the  propriety  of 
scriptural  ar,d  rational  arguments,  you  cannot  with  propriety  feel  any 
chagrine,  if  I  should  exi>:nine  your  writings,  and  state  my  objections 
in  a  few  particulars.  And  as  the  first  Letters  on  Atonkimext,  the 
Reply  to  Campbell,  and  your  late  AonREss,  are  mainly  on  the  same 
subjects,  T  shall  consider  them  as  containing  your  full  faith  on  those 
points,  and  as  showing  the  substance  of  the  difference  between  the 
society  with  which  you  are  connected,  and  professors  in  common.  '  I 


OF  CdNVERSAtlON.  449 

iritcnd  not  to  be  at  the  pains  to  make  remarks  on  every  particular, 
but  only  to  attend  to  some  leading-  points. 

These  doctrines  have  thorou^^hly  undermined  the  doctrine  of  im- 
puted righteousness,  and  surety  payment.  At  the  same  tirtie  you 
must  allow  me  the  liberty  to  remark  ;  That  they  have  not  removed 
all  difficulties,  nor  carried  the  matter  clearly  through  to  full  satistldc- 
tion,  although  they  have  effectually  refuted  the  doctrine  itself.  Some 
talk  of  the  righteousness  of  Christ  imputed,  and  some,  of  tlie  same 
righteousness  applied,  or  imparted,  to  believers  for  their  justifica- 
tion. But  as  there  is  no  account  nor  authority  for  such  doctrines,  in 
the  revelation  of  God  to  men,  you  have  justly  rejected  the  whole 
plan.  But  in  the  accomplishment  of  this  object  there  is  something 
lacking,  which  is  of  no  small  consequence. 

You  appear  to  have  left  the  people  without  any  clear  ground  of 
justification.  Having  taken  away  the  righteousness  of  Christ  im- 
puted and  received  by  faith,  and  yet  left  the  riglitcousness  of  God  to 
be  received  by  faith,  you  have  laid  open  no  safe  and  unequivocal  I 
ground  on  which  for  the  believer  to  make  rase  of  Christ.  "  Biit 
*'  how  do  we  get  this  righteousness  ?  By  faith.  Hence  it  is  called, 
'='  the  ri'ghteousness  of  faith ;  the  righteousness  which  is  by  or 
"  through  faith."  (Atonement,  P.  13.)  In'"ow  the  Calvinist  who  main- 
tains the  doctrine  of  vicarious  sufferin.gs  and  obedience,  and  imputed 
righteousness,  will  not  hesitate  to  acknowlcdp;e,  that  the  righteous- 
ness of  Gofl  is  received  by  faith.  The  same  will  be  granted  by  those 
who  teach  that  justification  i,s  by  the  righteousness  of  Christ  aJs/iUsd 
ov  iwfiarted.  In  a  word;  faith  is  acknowledged  by  all  professed 
chiistians,  with  whom  I  have  been  acquainted,  as  the  sine  qua  non  of 
the  christian  religion,  without  which  it  is  impossible  to  please  God.  So 
that  the  Letters  thus  far  afford  no  definitive  information  on  which  the 
mind  can  rest.  If  I  believe  in  Christ  and  receive  his  righteousness, 
«r  the  righteousness  of  God  in  him,  one  calls  this  receiv'hig,  imfiuta- 
tion;  another,  to  avoid  ihat  term  and  its  offensive  consequences,  calls 
it,  afi/dication  or  imhartation  ;  and  what  sliall  I  call  it  ?  To  avoid 
the  terms  and  consequences  of  them  both,  as  I  intend  it,  I  say,  By  or 
through  faith,  and  leave  them  to  apply  their  jieculiar  terms  :  but  the 
subject  matter  is  the  same  without  farther  explanation. 

But  the  Letters  have  carried  the  subject  some  farther.  "  How  do 
"  we  get  the  riglitcousness  of  God  by  or  tiirough  faitii  ?  Because 
'^  by  faith  we  are  ingrafted  into,  or  in  Christ :  and  by  this  uriion  with 
"  him  we  become  partakers  of  his  natvu'e,  which  is  righteousness  (,v 
"  holiness.  Therefore  we  are  justified,  madt  just  and  declared  just, 
"■  or  righteous  by  faith,  without  the  deeds  of  the  law."  (Ibid.)  And 
jvgain  ;  "  How  is  he  made  unto  us  righteousness  ?  By  making  us 
"  righteous ;  for,  as  I  have  already  shown,  the  branch  ingrafted  par- 
"  takes  of  the  nature  of  the  vine  ;  so  they,  who  arc?  in  Christ  Jesus, 
*'  arc  partakers  of  his  divine  nature,  which  is  righteousness.  This 
*'  is  called  "  the  righteousness  of  God — the  righteousness  of  faith— 
*'  the  righteousness  which  is  of  God  by  faith  of  Jesus  Clirist."  (P.  9.J 
According  to  these  statements  then,  justification  is  th.c  fruit  oihs^iy 


-IjO  FAMILIARj 

ncss  or  nghteousness  ;  "that  is  (we  arc)  made  just  and  righteous, 
"  even  as  he  is  righteous,  and  then  declared  so  of  God  because  \vc 
"  arc  so."  [P.  17.]  Tiiis  cflect  you  have  every  where  attributed  to 
faith  alone,  or  without  carrying  the  inatter  any  farther.  But  we  may 
remember,  that  in  all  which  the  apostle  hath  said  of  justification  by 
faith  and  without  the  deeds  of  the  law,  he  hath  never  said  by  faith 
alone,  nor  ever  excluded  obedience  to  God  according  to  the  gospel, 
but  ever  enjoined  it.  '^  For  in  Jesus  Christ  neither  circumcission 
'*  availeth  any  thing,  nor  undircumcission  ;  but  faith  which  workeih 
"  by  love."  And  again  ;  "  Circumcission  is  nothing,  and  uncircum- 
"  cission  is  nothing,  but  the  keeping  of  the  commandments  of  God." 
Now  christians,  though  free  from  the  Mosaic  or  ceremonial  law  are 
'»  not  without  law  to  God  but  under  the  law  to  Christ."  (I  Cor.  9. 
~1.)  Obedience  therefore  is  the  end  of  faith,  the  point  to  which  it 
leads  the  man  for  justification  and  final  salvation  ;  "  According  to  the 
"  revelation  of  the  mystery,  whicli  was  kept  secret  since  the  world 
"  began,  but  now  is  made  manifest,  and  by  the  scriptures  of  the  pro- 
"  plicts,  according  to  the  commandment  of  the  everlasting  God, 
''  made  known  to  all  nations  for  the  obedience  of  faith-" 

And  the  apoiitle  John  proposes  a  very  different  method  for  a  man 
to  he  righteous  and  so  called,  from  that  by  faith  and  there  stopping — 
that  of  doing  righteousness;  "  He  that  docth  righteousness  is  righ- 
"  teous."  Yet  none  were  more  swallowed  up  in  faith  than  John. 
And  this  is  quite  consistent  with  what  you  have  stated  in  your  Let- 
ters, (P.  9.)  "  Therefore  he  is  the  end  of  the  law  ;  and  answers  it 
"  completely  to  all  believers ;  for  "  the  righteousness  of  the  law  is 
"  fulfilled  in  us  (not  for  us)  who  walk  not  after  the  flesh  but  afier  the 
"  Spirit."  Thus  these  Letters  lead  to  the  very  brink  of  the  river  of 
life,  but,  as  if  alarmed  at  its  depth,  would  not  come  in  ;  a  river  of 
waters  which  no  man  can  pass,  watei's  to  swim  in.  You  were  then 
not  far  from  the  kingdom. 

But  is  it  not  remarkable  if  at  that  day,  when  you  stood  in  the  blazing 
light  of  the  revival,  the  apostolic  light  revived,  you  never  conceived 
that  Jesus  Christ  is  our  example,  whom  we  are  to  follow  in  all  things ; 
seeing  he  so  expressly  taught,  saying,  "  If  any  man  will  come  after 
"  me,  let  him  deiiy  himself,  and  take  up  his  cross  and  follow  me." 

People  talk  of  following  Christ,  and  if  they  are  admonished  that 
certain  things  which  they  practise,  are  not  after  Christ,  they  imme- 
diately appeal  to  th.e  law  given  to  Adam,  or  to  Moses,  or  to  some 
other  before  Christ  appeared,  as  if  these  laws  or  commandments 
Avere  the  rule  of  the  life  of  Christians.  But  let  us  remember,  that 
Jesus  nerer  taught  th.e  people  to  follow  Adam,  or  Moses,  or  David, 
or  Solomon,  or  any  other  who  had  been  before  him.  So  far  from  it 
that  he  said,  "  All  tliat  ever  came  before  me  are  thieves  and  rob- 
"  hers."  (Jno.  10.  8.)  It  is  commonly' insisted  that  he  meant  false 
christs,  or  those  who  presumed  to  be  the  true  Christ.  But  this  is 
mere  supposition ;  for  we  read  of  no  false  christs  until  the  true 
Christ  appeared.  INIen  may  mimic  the  works  of  God  in  some  part, 
after  they  have  appeared,  but  the  counterfeit  implies  the  pre-exist- 


OBSERVATIONS.  45 1 

eJice  of  the  true.  But  all  who  ever  came  before  him  fell  short  of 
the  mark,  the  doing  of  the  will  of  God  in  all  things ;  so  that  when  he 
came  he  stood  alone,  and  of  the  people  there  was  none  with  him. 
Until  he  taught  it,  no  man  ever  knew  that  it  was  necessary  for  him 
to  take  up  his  cross  and  deny  himself,  or  that  he  must  lose  his  life  to 
save  it :  therefore  saith  he.  Follow  me.  And  as  none  before  him 
knew  the  perfect  way,  the  effect  was  accordingly  ;  for  saith  he,  on 
another  occasion,  "  And  no  man  hath  ascended  to  iieuvcn  but  he  that 
♦'  came  down  from  heaven,  even  the  Son  of  man  who  is  in  heaven," 
(Jno.  3.  13.)  It  is  here  alledged  that  he  meant,  no  man  in  the  flesh. 
But  that  is  mere  evasion,  for  a  spiritual  man,  is  a  man,  as  weli  as  a 
man  in  the  ilesh  :  besides  he  made  no  such  reserve — He  is  the  way. 
Now  when  people  profess  to  be  christians,  or  followers  of  Christ, 
and  use  no  more  self-denial,  and  bear  no  cross  beyond  what  was  con- 
tained in  the  law  of  Moses,  or  in  any  law  before  Christ,  they  neces- 
sarily impose  this  as  their  belief,  that  Christ  has  done  no  more,  by 
either  example  or  precept,  towards  the  extirpation  of  sin,  than  Mo- 
ses, and  that  to  follow  Christ  is  no  more  than  to  follow  Moses,  nor 
indeed  half  so  much,  for  he  is  the  end  of  that  expensive  arid  bui- 
densomc  yoke.  So  that  all  he  seems  to  have  done  against  the  na- 
ture of  sin,  on  that  plan,  is  to  have  taken  oil  those  Ijurdensome  re- 
siraints  frotn  the  flesh,  and  left  it  full  indulgence  in  its  own  circle. 

But  if  the  righteousness  of  the  law  is  fulnlied  in  us  who  walk  not 
after  the  flesh  but  after  the  Spirit,  it  must  be  fuifdled  by  us,  as  those 
v/ho  take  him  for  our  example.  For  believers  are  not  without  law  to 
God,  but  under  the  law  to  Christ.  And  thus  the  scripture  is  fuUiUcd; 
*'  He  that  saith  he  abidcth  in  him,  ought  himself  also  so  to  walk  even 
*'  as  he  walked  "  (1  Jno.  2.  6.)  If  then  believers  ought  so  to  walk, 
those  who  do  not,  transgress  the  law  of  Christ,  and  are  no  more  in 
him.  Thus,  if  we  pursue  the  doctrine  of  Christ  and  his  apostles,  v/c 
shall  find,  that  while  he  disannulled  the  outward  rituals  of  the  law, 
which  were  only  a  shadov/  of  things  to  c'.,me,  and  which  were  a  yoke 
too.  grievous  to  be  borne,  he  biought  in  the  substance,  and  imposed  a 
more  grievous  burden  and  death  on  the  flesh,  than  it  had  ever  felt 
before.  No  less  than  the  death  and  destruction  of  the  flesh,  that 
the  spirit  might  be  saved.  "  And  (accordingly)  they  that  are  Christ's 
have  crucified  the  flesh  with  the  affections  and  lusts."  [Gal.  5.  24.] 
The  flesh  had  many  indulgences  in  the  law,  which  it  cannot  have 
in  Christ :  many  things  were  lawful  which  are  not  christian.  This 
shows  that  the  law,  or  faith  of  Christ,  makes  the  Avay  much  narrower 
and  straiter  than  the  law  of  Moses.  Thus  it  was  lawful  to  swear, 
but  not  christian  :  the  words  of  Christ  forbid  it.  It  was  lawful  to  re- 
sist evil,  but  not  christian:  [Matt.  5.58,  Sec."}  It  was  not  lawful  to  com- 
mit adultery,  or  to  covet  another  man's  wife  ;  yet  it  was  lawful  for  a 
man  to  look  on  a  woman  to  lust  after  her,  even  tliough  she  was  of  a 
strange  nation,  taken  captive,  and  it  vas  tolerable  though  the  man 
liad  another  wife  before.  But  these  things  are  all  contrary  to  th« 
faith  or  law  of  Christ:  they  are  not  christian.  [Deut.  21.  10,  to  \7. 
Matt.  5.  27,  28.]     These  are  a  few  particulars  selected  from  many 


4J3  FAMILIAR 

more,  which  I  omit  to  avoid  pi'olixity,  wliich  show  that  the  law  of 
Moses,  though  the  grccitest  dispensation  before  Christ  or  his-  imme- 
diate forerunner  John,  fell  far  short  of  that  strait  and  narrow  way, 
which  Christ  taught  in  his  example  as  well  as  in  word  :  fur  he  left 
us  an  example  that  we  should  follow  his  steps.  Although  many 
Jews  might  have  lost  their  natural  lives  in  defence  of  their  law  and 
religion,  it  was  never  known  to  them  that  whosoever  would  seek  to 
save  his  life  should  lose  it,  and  whosoever  should  Ic-sc  his  life  for 
Christ's  sake  and  the  gospel's  should  preserve  it.  Thfe  great  work 
lif  dying  with  Christ  could  not  possibly  be  known,  until  he  appeared 
and  set  the  example. 

By  the  law  was  the  knowledge  of  sin  to  a  certain  length,  and  that 
far  it  was  conden-.ned  ;  but  in  the  root  of  sin,  the  flesh,  which  lusteth 
against  the  Spirit,  and  is  contrary  to  it,  and  to  which  is  justly  ascrib.- 
ed  the  production  of  all  sins,  it  never  was  condemned  by  any  law, 
first  or  last,  until  Christ  came.  This  is  expressly  that  which  the  law 
couid  not  do  ;  and  Avhich  remained  lor  God  to  do  in  the  mission  of 
his  own  Son.  "  For  God,  s.ending  his  own  Son  in  the  likeness  of  sin- 
'"•  ful  flesh,  and  on  account  of  sin,  condemned  sin  in  the  ficsh  ;  that 
"  which  the  law  could  not  do,  in  that  it  was  weak  through  the  flesh  ; 
"  tliat  the  righteousness  of  the  law  might  be  fulfilled  in  us,  who 
"  walk  not  after  the  flesh  but  after  the  Spirit." 

It  is  commonly  argued,  that  to  live  in  the  generation,  with  a  law- 
fully married  wife,  is  not  to  live  after  the  flesh,  and  therefore,  that 
!o  condemn  the  flesh,  or  sin  in  the  flesh,  it  is  not  necessary  to  fix  con- 
demnation pn  that  work  or  those  propensities  which  lead  that  way. 
But  let  me  ask.  What  other  work  or  nature  in  the  flesh  could  it  be, 
Avhich  the  law  could  not  condemn  ?  For  if  the  law  admitted  to  lust 
after  a  woman,  it  Avas  only  as  prejiaratoi*}'  to'"  taking  hei*  to  wife  ;  and 
it  was  not  possible  for  a  man  to  forsake  his  father  and  mother  and 
cleave  to  his  wife,  without  it,  in  that  day,  neither  is  it  in  this.  So 
that  if  the  work  of  natural  generation,  lawfvilly  or  unlawfully,  be 
consistent  with  the  faith  of  Christ,  he  hath  done  nothing  on  that  score 
more  than  tl^e  law  could  do  and  actually  did.  And  should  it  be  ar- 
gued that  the  law  admitted  polygamy,  but  the  faith  of  Christ  con- 
demns it ;  there  appears  no  reason  why  the  law  co^dcl  not  have  con- 
demned that  also,  unless  the  same  for  which  it  could  not  condemn 
sin  in  the  ficsh  in  a  single  m.arriage.  F"or  polygamy  was  not  the 
spirit  of  the  law,  it  was  only  sufiered  so  to  be  ;  but  from  the  begin- 
ning it  was  not  so.  "  And  did  not  he  make  on«  ?  yet  had  he  the  rc- 
"  sidue  of  the  Spirit.  And  wherefore  one?  That  he  might  seek  a 
^'  godly  seed."  [Mai.  2.  I.t.]  But  Christ  did  that  which  the  law 
couUl  not  do,  in  that  it  w-as  weak  through  the  flesh.  And  why  was 
it  weak  through  the  flesh  ?■  I^ecausc  there  was  nothing  in  it  bi.-t 
what  was  ccnsisteat  with  the  life  of  the  flesli.  It  had  not  a  i?inglc 
precept  to  crucify  the  flesIi ;  hut  it  justified  it;  conj^isting  only  in 
meats  and  drinks  and  divers  washings  and  car7ml  ordihcmccs  or  J  tit:- 
tijications  of  the  fie  ah.  ("See  Address,  P.  29."j  The  law,- theicfore^ 
justifying  the  flesh  could  have  no  power  to  condemn  it ;  or  sin  in  it  \' 


OBSERVATIONS.  453 

for  while  the  flesh  was  protected,  the  sin  in  it  would  find  an  iiaibor. 
But  Christ  did  that  which  the  law  could  not  do,  or  the  impossibiiity 
of  the  law,  [to  abvmtoy  tov  vofxov'] :  he  condemned  sin  in  the  flesh. 
And  how  did  he  condemn  it  ?  He  gave  it  no  patronage,  no  liceKse, 
neither  married  nor  participated  in  marriage  or  its  works  :  he  lived 
in  the  flesh,  a  life  of  perfect  virgin  purity,  not  stained  with  its  lusts. 
And  why  did  he  condemn  it  ?  That  the  righteousness  of  the  law, 
which  it  could  not  fulfil  in  the  Mosaic  dispensation  might  be  fulfilled 
in  us,  who  walk  as  he  did,  not  after  the  flesh  but  after  the  Spirit — a 
life  in  the  flesh,  unstained  by  its  lusts.  "■  For  whosoever  looketh  on 
"  a  woman  to  lust  after  fdesirc]  her,  hath  committed  adultery  with 
"  her  already  in  his  h.eart."  And  now  let  me  ask  again  ;  In  what 
other  work  or  way  could  not  the  law  have  condemned  sin  in  the  flesh? 

Observe  ;  The  righteousness  of  the  law  is  fulfilled  in  those  who 
walk  after,  or  according  to  the  Spirit,  but  not  in  those  who  Avalk  al- 
ter, or  according  to  tl:;e  flesh.  Now  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ  is  that 
■Spirit.  [2  Cor.  3.  17.]  For  "  The  fir.st  man  Adam  was  made  a  liv. 
■"  ing  soul,  [a  rational  animal]  the  last  Adam  a  quickening  Spirit.  The 
"  first  man  is  of  the  earth,  earthy  ;  the  second  man  is  the  Lord  from 
"  heaven,  as  is  the  earthy,  such  are  they  also  that  are  earthy ;  and  as 
"  is  the  heavenly,  such  are  they  also  that  are  heavenly."  Those 
therefore  who  walk  in  the  ways,  or  do  the  works  of  the  first  Adam, 
or  which  are  peculiar  to  him  and  his  order,  walk  after  tlie  flesh.  For 
this  is  the  order  of  the  first  Adam  ;  "  A  man  shall  leave  his  fatlier 
"  and  his  mother,  and  be  joined  to  his  wife,  and  they  shall  be  one 
"  flesh ;  therefore,"  said  Jesus,  "  they  are  no  moi'e  twain  but  one 
"  flesh."  But  those  who  Avalk  in  the  ways  of  Christ,  v.alk  after  the 
Spirit,  and  lea^'e  the  order  of  the  first  Adam  ;  for  the  law,  or  order 
of  Christ  is,  That  except  a  man  forsake  all  that  he  hath,  and  hate  his 
father  and  his  mother,  and  his  wife  and  his  children,  and  his  brethien 
and  his  sisters,  yea,  and  his  own  life  also,  or  the  flesh  and  all  its  rela- 
tions, he  cannot  be  his  disciple.  So  again,  "  He  that  is  joined  to  an 
"  harlot  is  one  body  :  for  two  (saith  he)  shall  be  one  flesh."  This 
therefore  is  according  to  the  order  of  the  first  Adam,  and  they  are 
as  certainly  one  as  the  man  and  his  wife.  But  according  to  the  se- 
cond Adam  there  is  no  one  flesh  in  the  case,  "  But  he  that  is  joined 
"  to  the  Lord  is  one  Spirit." 

On  the  whole  ;  it  is  evident  that  Christ  hath  left  us  an  example, 
and  requireth  us  to  follow  him,  in  preference  to  all,  and  separately 
from  all  who  walk  in  a  different  order.  It  may  with  propriety  be 
asked  ;  If  we  by  faith  receive  the  righteovisness  of  God,  or  divine 
nature,  according  to  your  writings,  wh^t  doth  it  avail  us,  or  rather. 
What  evidence  can  we  have  that  we  have  received  it,  unless  we  live 
as  he  lived  and  walk  even  as  he  v/alked  ?  "  For  as  many  as  are  led 
"  by  the  Spirit  of  God  they  are  the  son.?  of  God,'''  and  none  else. 
But  it  remains  invincibly  true,  that  as  many  as  do  the  works  of  the 
first  Adam,  are  led  by  his  spirit,  and  therefore  serve  the  flesh. 

An  unhappy  cause  will  produce  an  unhappy  eiTcct.  With  all  the 
superior  discoveries  of  truth,  duri'.ig  tlie  Kentucky   revival,    wiiich 


454  FAMILIAR 

indeed  were  not  inconsiderable,  and  concentrated  for  a  time,  mainly 
among  the  people  of  that  society  to  which  you  are  attached,  I  must 
use  the  freedom  to  remark,  that  they  have  made  shipwreck  of  faith 
and  a  good  conscience,  on  the  same  rock  with  others;  that  of  under- 
laking  to  serve  two  masters,  Christ  and  Adam,  or  the  Spirit  and  the 
flesh.  Hence  it  is,  that  the  work  of  salvation  cannot  be  completed, 
nor  advanced  beyond  certain  limits.  Neither  can  the  people  retain 
what  they  gain  ;  for  as  new  vrine  put  into  old  bottles  will  burst  the 
bottles,  and  the  wine  v.'ill  rim  out,  so  the  power  and  gilt  of  God  are 
wasted,  being  consumed  on  their  lusts.  "For  the  flesh  lusteth  a- 
*'  gainst  the  Spirit,  and  the  Spirit  against  the  flesh  ;  and  these  are  con- 
*'  trarv  the  one  to  the  other ;  so  that  ye  cannot  do  the  things  that  yc 
<' would."  (Gal.  5.  17) 

It  is  a  plausible  argument  with  some,  that  Jesus  Christ  did  not  for- 
bid to  marry.  But  however  plausible^  it  shows  great  v>-eaknees  in 
the  faith  of  Christ  and  ignorance  of  his  Spirit.  The  Spirit  of  the  gos- 
pel is  not  ministered  by  commandments  and  prohibitions  only,  but  by 
evidence,  faith  and  choice,  telling  what  is  the  way  and  leaving  the 
people  to  make  their  choice,  after  hearing  the  consequences  on  each 
side.  "If  any  man  will  come  after  me,  let  him  deny  himself,  and 
"  take  up  his  cross,  and  follow  me.  For  whosoever  will  save  his  life 
'•  shall  lose  it :  and  whosoever  will  lose  his  life  for  my  sake,  shall 
"  find  it."  (Matt.  15.  24,  25.)  Jesus  never,  that  we  know  of,  forbade 
the  people  to  circumcise  ;  but  his  apostle  taught  that  it  was  one  side 
of  the  faith  of  Christ.  "  Behold,  I  Paul  say  unto  you,  that  if  ye  be 
*'  circumcised  Cluist  shall  profit  you  nothing."  (Gal.  5.  2.)  Sonei- 
tlier  did  Jesus  ever,  that  wc  know  of,  expressly  forbid  to  marry  ;  but 
he  taught  that  marriage  belonged  to  another  order  than  his,  that  is, 
to  the  world  ;  but  of,  liis  disciples  he  said  expressly,  that  they  are  no 
more  of  the  world  than  he  ;  "  They  are  not  of  the  world,  even  as  I 
«  am  not  of  the  world."  (Jno.  17.  16.)  The  disciples  of  Christ 
therefore  do  not  marry,  because  they  are  not  of  the  world  but  of 
Christ.  ''  The  children  of  this  world  marry,  and  are  given  in  mar- 
"  riage  ;  but  they  who  shall  be  [Greek,  are]  accounted  worthy  to  ob- 
"  tain  that  w-orld,  and  the  resurrection  from  the  dead,  neither  mar- 
"  ry  nor  are  given  in  marriage."  If  therefore  God's  children  are 
accounted  worthy  to  obtain  that  v.orld  and  the  resurrection  from  the 
dead,  it  is  conclusively  proved,  that  they  neither  marry  nor  are  given 
in  marriage.  And  they  are  no  losers  by  it.  Paul  hath  showed  wh^at 
is  the  good  way,  that  "  It  is  good  for  a  man  not  to  touch  a  woman." 
(1  Cor.  7.  1.)  And,  notwithstanding  all  the  permissions  or  forbear- 
ances, which  he  exercised  towards  those  can^al  people,  av1:o  were  not 
able  to  bear  sound  and  naked  truth,  (3.  23.)  because  they  were  yet 
carnal  and  v/alked  as  men,  and  also  had  the  grossest  of  fornication 
among  them,  (5.  1.)  he  maintains  this  proposition,  as  that  to  which  he 
would  have  all  men  come;  '*  For  I  would  that  all  men  were  even  as 
I  myself,"  (7.  7."^  and  as  m-ost  conformable  to  the  Lord.  "  And  this 
"  I  speak  [V.35.~  for  your  ov.-n  profit;  not  that  I  may  cast  a  snare 
'•  upon  ycu,  but  for  that  wiuch  is  comely,  [^suitable  to  ti.e  ci.iistian 


OBSERVATIONS-  455 

"  profession,']  and  happily  corresponding  with  the  Lord,  without  vio- 
"  lence:"  the  common  reading,  "  That  ye  may  attend  upon  the  Lord 
without  distraction,"  heing  a  forced  translation  and  unnatural.  But 
he  maintains  his  proposition ;  for  w  hen  he  hath  considered  the  case 
through,  he  saith;  "  So  then,  he  that  giveth  in  marriage  doeth  wxil ; 
*<  but  he  that  giveth  not  in  marriage  doeth  better".  "  But  she  [the 
"  widow"]  is  happier  if  she  so  abide,  after  my  judgment :  and  I  think 
*'  also  that  I  have  the  Spirit  of  God."  Thus  he  neither  commands 
nor  forbids,  but  shows  what  is  the  best  way,  and  leaves  them  to  make 
their  own  choice  according  to  their  own  faith,  for  the  time  being. 

Some  acknowledge  that  the  best  way  is  to  not  marry ;  that  such 
have  the  advantage  over  the  married,  in  living  a  life  of  devotion  to 
God  in  the  Spirit,  and  yet  persist  in  the  married  life;  by  which  they 
prove  to  all  men,  that  they  esteem  the  flesh  more  than  the  Spirit — ■ 
the  pleasures  of  sense  more  than  Christ.  For  no  matter  what  the 
advantages  of  the  unmarried  life  are,  whether  convenience  or  holiness, 
or  both,  the  benefit  is  to  the  spirit ;  those  therefore  who  forego  that 
benefit  for  the  married  life,  are  practically  of  those  who  love  plea- 
sures more  than  God,  and  are  unworthy  of  Christ.     But  once  more; 

The  introduction  of  the  gospel  of  Christ  was  undeniably  a  new 
dispensation,  on  different  principles  from  any  before,  and  more  into 
the  Spirit.  Nothing  therefore  can  claim  any  place  or  part  in  this  be- 
cause of  its  having  a  place  in  the  foriiier:  the  express  authority  of 
revelation  is  necessary  for  the  introduction  of  every  thing.  Conse- 
quently, instead  of  demanding  proof  that  Christ  excluded  the  fleshly 
vite  of  marriage,  or  the  work  of  natural  generation,  from  any  place 
in  the  christian  church,  it  belongs  to  those  who  believe  that  manner 
of  life  to  comport  with  the  spiritual  kingdom  of  Christ,  cr  the  life 
of  a  spiritual  man  in  Christ,  who  hath  crucified  the  flesh  with  its  af- 
fectior.s  and  lusts,  to  furnish  proof  by  the  authority  of  Christ,  that  he 
hath  introduced  marriage,  which  is  a  civil  right  of  the  world,  into  his 
kingdom,  which  is  not  of  the  v."orld.  The  demand  for  proof  is  on 
the  other  side  ;  especially  considering  his  own  example  set  for  all 
christians,  and  the  many  things  spoken  to  the  contrary  of  christians' 
man-ying. 

But  it  is  not  my  intention  to  dwell  largely  on  this  subject  in  this 
place.  Those  who  are  led  more  forcibly,  by  the  determination  of 
their  own  will  and  their  own  inclinations,  than  by  the  will  of  God, 
will  not  likely  be  easy  to  satisfy  with  arguments  that  they  are  wj-ong  ; 
while  on  the  other  hand,  those  w-ho  seek  to  serve  God  more  than  to 
please  the  flesh,  or  who  practically  esteem  salvation  above  all  other 
things,  are  easily  convicted.  Every  honest  and  reflecting  man  will 
acknowledge,  that  his  strongest  inducements  to  marry,  have  ever 
been  his  own  propensities.  In  this  therefore  he  does  his  own  will 
more  than  the  will  of  God  ;  consequently,  in  that  matter  at  least, 
!s  contrary  to  Christ,  who  came  down  from  heaven  not  to  do  his  own 
vvill,  but  the  will  of  him  who  sent  him. 

But  on  this  ground  have  all  the  churches  stumbled,  to  whom  the 
mystery  of  iniquity  has  not  been  revealed  sitting  in  the  temple  of 


456  FAMILIAR 

God,  or  the  abomination  of  desolation  standing  where  it  oui^ht  nor. 
The  fleshly  work,  of  t;;cncration  is  kept  amonj^  those  who  profess  to 
be  of  the  regeneration.  And  with  them  the  work  of  salvation  can 
never  rise  beyond  a  certain  limit ;  it  cannot  be  completed,  neither 
can  it  continue  whereunto  it  has  often  attained.  ?Jeiiher  will  it  ever 
be  better  with  any  peo])lc,  until  they  receive  and  obey  tlie  faith  of 
Christ  in  jiis  second  appearing-,  consuming  the  man  of  sin  with  the 
Spint  of  his  mouth,  and  destroying  him  w'ith  the  brightness  of  his 
coming.  How  cometh  it  to  pass  that  revivals  cease  so  soon,  among 
those  too  W'ho  make  the  most  vigorous  efforts  to  promote  and  con- 
tinue them  ?  Is  God  unwilling  to  save  souls?  Or  is  the  death,  the 
banc  of  godliness  in  t-ie  people,  an  idol,  a  lust  which  they  have  no 
feelings  to  renounce  ?  People  may  plead  their  own  disobedience  and 
backwardness  hi  other  respects  as  the  cause  of  the  declensions  of  re- 
vivals. If  tl:e  cause  lies  any  where  else,  would  to  God  ye  would 
agree,  wh.o  are  frieridly  to  Christ,  and  remove  it  out  of  the  way,  that 
the  gospel  might  have  free  course  and  be  glorified.  But  ye  will 
object  that  ye  cannot  come  to  this  agreement.  What  I  not  tw^o  or 
three  in  all  the  land  to  agree  in  so  important  a  matter  ?  Then  it  is 
time  to  cease  talking  of  being  christians,  and  to  acknowledge  ye  are 
not  built  on  the  true  foundation  stone  ;  for  they  who  are,  agree  in  all 
such  matters,  having  one  faith  and  one  spirit,  and  the  work  of  salva- 
tion increases  all  the  time,  and  all  who  are  willing  to  have  salvation 
by  the  way  of  the  cross,  find  it.  But  I  proceed  to  a  somewhat  dif- 
ferent subject. 

For  the  want  of  taking  the  proper  grounds  of  justification,  the 
obedience  of  faith,  and  Christ  whom  to  believe  a\id  obey  as  an  ex- 
ample as  well  as  a  teacher,  in  all  things,  not  excepting  the  rejection 
of  the  flesh,  or  natural  generation,  fi'om  the  life  of  a  christian,  you 
are  unable  to  come  out  clearly  in  the  apostolic  language  and  confi- 
dence. "  We  are  of  God:  he  that  knoweth  God  heareth  us  ;  he  that 
"  is  not  of  God  heareth  not  us.  Hereby  know  we  the  Spirit  of  truth 
"  and  the  Spirit  of  error."  "  And  we  know  that  we  are  of  God,  and 
"  the  whole  world  lieth  in  wickedness  ;"  or  in  the  wicked  one  ;  [n/  rw 
rt'ji'>7pw  ;]  that  is,  in  the  devil.  But  this  you  can  never  do,  neither  the- 
people  in  your  faith,  nor  in  any  other,  until  they  receive  and  obey 
the  fiiith  of  Christ  in  his  second  appearing,  for  reasons  which  you 
will  find  in  the  sequel. 

The  testimony  is  gone  out,  that  Christ  has  made,  and  is  now  mak- 
ing to  those  who  look  for  him,  his  second  appearing  -without  sin  to 
salvation.  This  you  know,  is  the  faith,  and  consequentlythc  testimo- 
ny, of  the  people  with  whom  I  stand  connected.  And  we  are  al- 
ways willing  to  have  the  matter  thoroughly  investigated;  and  if  on 
a  fair  trial  we  cannot  ofter  better  evidence  for  our  faith  than  any 
other  peo])le  for  theirs,  we  are  willing  to  fall  to  the  ground  with  the 
rest.     For ; 

Connected  with  the  foregoing  is  this,  That  all  those  churches 
which  have  not  received  and  obeyed  the  faith  of  Christ  in  his  second 
appearing,  arc  essentially  wanting  in  respect  to  that  gospel  -which  i.^ 


OBSERVATIONS.  457 

the  power  of  God  to  salvation.  And  it  is  fair  reasoning,  that  a  for- 
mer dispensation  cannot  have  the  light  and  power  of  the  succeeding 
one.  Thus  the  Jews  with  all  their  prophets  and  their  writings,  eoiild 
not  attain  to  the  knowledge  of  salvation,  or  that  light  and  power 
%vhich  was  in  the  cliristian  dispensation,  nor  even  to  the  light  of  the 
short  intemiediate  dispensation  of  John  the  baptist,  until  it  was  open- 
•ed  in  its  own  day.  It  is  conclusively  true,  that  after  the  introduction 
and  promulgation  of  a  new  dispensation,  no  people  \vho  have  the 
knowledge  of  it,  can  retain  tiiat  degree  of  light  and  power,  or  that 
measure  of  the  work  of  salvation  which  they  had,  if  any,  unless 
they  unite  with  the  new  and  increasing  work.  Accordingly,  the 
Jews  could  no  longer  keep  their  justification  by  the  observation  of 
their  law,  after  Christ  had  made  known  his  mission,  even  though 
tliey  did  not  believe  in  him,  nor  know  who  he  was.  For  if  they  had 
known  him,  or  the  wisdom  of  God,  they  would  not  have  crucified 
the  Lord  of  glory.  (1  Cor.  2.  8.)  "  And  now,  brethren,"  said  Peter, 
<' I  wot  that  through  ignorance  ye  did  it,  as  did  also  your  rider;..'* 
(Acts  3.  17.)  "  But  all  these  things,"  said  Jesus,  "  will  they  do  uiitr) 
*'  you  for  my  name's  sake,  because  they  know  not  him  that  sent  me. 
*'  If  I  had  not  come  and  spoken  to  t!iem  thoy  had  not  had  sin  ;  but 
"  now  they  have  no  cloak  for  their  sin.  He  that  hatcth  me,  hatcth 
*'  my  Father  also.  If  I  had  not  done  among  them  the  works  which 
■"  none  other  man  did,  they  had  not  had  sin  ;  but  now  they  have  both 
"  seen  and  hated  both  me  and  my  Father."  "  And  this  is  the  con- 
■*'  demnatiou  that  light  is  come  into  the  world,  and  men  loved  dark- 
<'  ness  rather  than  light,  because  their  deeds  were  evil." 

Accordingly,  we  have  uniformly  found,  that  wherever  the  testimo- 
ny which  we  have  received  is  made  known,  those  who  reject  it  arc 
not  able  to  retain  that  meas'are  of  the  work  of  salvation  which  they 
had,  where  they  had  any,  although  in  many  cases  they  did  not  really 
believe  that  it  was  in  truth  the  testimony  of  God.  But  people  may 
reject  the  gospel  to  their  condemnation,  when  their  faith  is  not  un- 
wavering. Many  see  so  far  into  the  gospel,  as  to  discover  the  sure 
means  of  death  to  their  nature  and  their  carnal  delights,  by  the  cross 
of  Christ,  and  evade  farther  conviction,  if  possible,  and  often  by  the 
most  disingenuous  .subterfuges,  refusirigto  give  testimony  its  proper 
weight.  "  The  publicans  and  the  harlots,"  said  Jesus,  "  go  into  the 
"  kingdom  of  God  before  you.  For  John  came  to  you  in  the  way 
"  of  righteousness,  and  ye  believed  him  not ;  but  the  puWicans  and 
<'  the  harlots  believed  him  ;  and  ye,  when  ye  had  seen  it,  repented 
"  not  afterward  that  ye  might  believe."  (Matt.  21.  31,  32.)  Many 
acknowledge  that  the  testimony  is  rational  and  fair  ;  but  they  cannr  ? 
feel  reconciled  to  the  death  of  the  old  man  which  it  contains,  and 
so  stumble  at  the  cross  being  disobedient.  Thus  after  the  cure  of 
the  lame  man,  by  Peter  and  John,  the  Jews  evaded  conviction  by  a 
very  unwarrantable  method,  "  Saying,  What  shall  we  do  to  these 
"  men  ?  for  that  indeed  a  notable  miracle  hath  been  done  by  them  is 
"  manifest  to  all  them  that  dwell  in  Jerusalem  ;  and  \:c  cannot  dem- 
*'  it.     But  th-^t  it  spread  no  farther  among  the  people,  let  us  straltly 

M  3 


458  KAMILIAK 

"  threater.  tliem  that  they  speak  henceforth  to  no  man  in  this  nanic. 
"  And  they  called  them,  and  commanded  them  not  to  speak  at  all, 
"  nor  teach  in  the  name  of  Jesus."  (Acts  4.  16  to  18. 

But  to  open  this  subject  more  fully.  It  is  acknowledged  that  Je- 
sus and  his  apostles  foretold  an  apostacy  in  the  church ;  that  false 
christs  and  false  prophets  should  aiise  ;  or,  that  anti-chvist  should 
come.  When  the  testimony  of  Christ  in  his  second  appearing  was 
opened  in  this  country,  by  its  first  witnesses  to  uts,  the  cry  was  raised, 
that  these  are  the  deceivers,  tliat  these  are  the  anti-christ  who  was  to 
come.  But  without  taking  the  time  in  this  place,  to  delineate  the 
character  of  anti-christ  in  full,  and  show  the  contrast,  a  few  observa- 
tions will  be  sufficient  to  show  the  fallacy  of  such  clamors. 

In  the  first  place,  Anti-christ  was  to  deny  the  true  Christ,  or  t© 
deny  that  he  had  come  in  the  flesh.  [1  Jno.  2.  22.]  «  Who  is  a  liar, 
"  but  he  that  denieth  that  Jesus  is  the  Christ  ?  He  is  anti-christ  that 
"  denieth  the  Father  and  the  Son."  And  [4.  2,  3.]  «  Hereby  know 
"  ye  the  Spirit  of  God  ;  Every  spirit  that  confesseth  that  Jesus  Christ 
"  is  come  in  the  flesh  is  of  God  ;  and  every  spirit  that  confesseth  not 
"  that  Jesus  Christ  is  come  in  the  flesh  is  not  of  God  ;  and  this  i& 
"  that  spirit  of  anti-christ  whereof  ye  have  heard  that  it  should 
"  come."  But  these  people  do  not  deny  that  Jesus  Christ  has  come 
in  the  flesh  ;  so  far  from  it,  that  this  was  then,  and  remains  to  be,  the 
very  ground  of  opposition  ;  because  Christ  having  come  in  the  flesh, 
first  or  last,  makes  it  necessary  that  the  flesh,  or  body,  be  devoted  as 
a  sacred  temple  to  his  use  in  all  who  name  his  name,  and  that  the 
affections  and  desires  of  the  flesh  should  be  dcpicd  and  crucified. 
This  presented  the  cross.  And  short  of  such  a  testimony  and  such 
a  crctes,  no  spirit  or  people  can  have  any  claim  to  their  being  of  God, 
or  being  those  people  who  confess  that  Jesus  Christ  has  coine  in  the 
flesh."  "  What  ?  know  ye  not  that  your  body  is  the  temple  of  the 
"  Holy  Ghost  which  is  in  you,  which  ye  have  of  God,  and  ye  are  not 
"  your  own  ?  for  ye  are  bought  with  a  price  :  therefore  glorify  God 
"  in  your  body  and  in  your  spirit  which  are  God's."  "  I  beseech 
"you,  therefore,  brethren,  by  the  mercies  of  God,  that  ye  present 
"  your  bodies  a  living  sacrifice,  holy,  acceptable  to  God,  which  is 
"■your  reasonable  service.  And  be  not  conformed  to  this  world." 
(Ro.  12.  1,  2.)  "  And  if  Christ  be  in  you,  the  body  is  dead  because 
"  of  sin  ;  but  the  spirit  is  life  because  of  righteousness.  But  if  the 
"  Spirit  of  him  that  raised  up  Jesus  from  the  dead  dwell  in  you,  he 
"•  that  raised  up  Christ  from  the  dead  shall  also  quicken  your  mortal 
"  bodies  by  his  Spirit  that  dwelleth  in  you.  Therefore,  bwethrer., 
"  we  are  debtors,  not  to  the  flesh,  to  live  after  the  flesh.  For  if  ye 
'*  live  after  the  flesh  ye  shall  die;  but  if  ye  through  the  Spirit  d© 
"  mortify  the  deeds  of  the  body  ye  shall  live.  For  as  many  as  are 
"  led  by  the  Spirit  of  God,  they  are  the  sons  of  God."  "  And  they 
"  that  are  Christ's  have  crucified  the  flesh,  with  its  affections  and 
"  lusts."  And  much  more  to  the  same  purpose.  It  is  manifest  that 
the  veibal  acknowledgment  of  Jesus  Christ,  or  of  his  having  come 
in  tlie  flesh,  is  not  proportionate  to  the  apostle's  design ;  for  multi- 


OBSERVATIONS.  459 

(ildes  do  that,  nnd  tbc  subjects  and  ministers  of  anti-christ  as  frecly 
as  any,  who  fall  into  the  rank  of  those,  "  Who  profess  that  they  know 
*'  God,  but  in  works  deny  him,  being  abominable  and  disobedient, 
"  and  to  every  good  work  reprobate."  (Tit.  I.  19.)     Again  ; 

Anti-christ  was  to  be  held  in  great  admiration  and  esteem  by  all 
the  world.  "  And  ail  the  world  wondered  after  the  beast.  And  they 
"worshipped  the  beast,  saying,  Who  is  like  unto  the  beast?  wh.o 
"  is  able  to  make  war  with  him  ?  And  all  that  dwell  upon  the 
"  earth  shall  worship  him,  whose  names  are  not  written  in  the 
"  book  of  life  of  the  Lamb  slain  fiom  the  foundation  of  tiie  world." 
(Rsv.  13.  3,  4,8.)  But  the  testimony  of  Christ's  second  appear- 
ing and  the  witnesses  of  it,  are  rejected  with  the  most  cordial  and 
universal  disapprobation  of  any  thing  ever  known  on  earth  by  the 
name  of  Christianity,  except  the  first  ministration  of  the  same  Holy 
Spirit.  The  character  of  anti-christ,  therefore,  will  not  apply  to  the 
present  testimony.     Farther ; 

The  spirit  of  anti-christ,  or  man  of  sin,  the  son  of  perdition,  which 
is  confessedly  the  same,  is  described  as  one  "  Who  opposeth  and 
"  exalteth  himself  above  all  that  is  called  God,  or  that  is  worshipped ; 
"  so  tl!at  he,  as  God,  sitteth  in  the  temple  of  God,  shewing  himself 
♦*  that  he  is  God."  (2  Thes.  2.  4.)  But  the  people  of  whom  I  speak, 
acknowledge  and  practise  the  worship  of  one  God,  who  is  the  Father 
of  our  I-iord  Jesus  Christ ;  and  the  deficiency  which  they  discover  in 
all  others  is,  that  they  fi\ll  short  of  the  true  and  perfect  worship  of 
the  one  true  God,  in  the  faith  of  his  Son  Jesus  Christ.  But  say 
some,  that  is  a  true  mark  ;  ye  prove  yourselves  to  be  anti-christ,  and 
that  ye  presume  to  be  God,  by  saying  that  none  else  are  right,  for 
ye  exalt  yourselves  above  all.  But  the  apostle  John  did  not  reason 
so  when  he  said,  "  We  know  that  we  are  of  God  and  the  whole 
"  world  lieth  in  wickedness,  or  in  the  wicked  one."  And  again, 
^  We  are  of  God:  he  that  knoweth  God  heareth  us;  he  that  is  not 
*'  of  God  he£i.rcth  not  us.  Hereby  know  we  the  Spirit  of  truth  and 
"  the  spirit  of  error."  It  is  preposterous  reasoning  indeed,  that  I 
must  call  myself  God,  because  I  maintain  that  I  have  found  the  only 
perfect  way  to  the  Fathei'.  By  pai'ity  of  reason,  all  who  profess  to 
have  foand  the  only  way  to  the  Father,  which  is  Christ,  (and  there 
is  but  o^ie,)  thereby  presume  to  be  God. 

But  the  witnesses  of  the  testimony  of  which  I  speak,  do  not  sit  in 
*he  temple  of  God,  according  to  the  understanding  of  the  people  in 
common,  the  people  themselves  being  judges;  for  they  are  not  ac- 
knowledged by  the  denominations  as  being  of  the  church  of  Christ 
at  all.  And  if  the  testimony  which  they  bear,  or  the  spirit  which  is 
in  them,  be  the  spirit  of  anti-christ,  these  witnesses  and  people  arc 
the  only  temple  or  church  of  God,  remaining  jan  earth.  Thus  the 
above  objection  destroys  itself  by  its  absurdity.     Once  more  ; 

The  tim.e  of  anti-christ's  appearing  was  in  the  apostles'  days  and 
the  time  immediately  succeeding.  "  For  the  mystery  of  iniquity," 
saith  Paul,  «  doth  already  work.'"  (2  Thes.  2.  7.)  And  John  hath 
announced  tliat  "  Even  now  already  is  it  in  the  world."     And  agaiia^ 


460-  FAMILIAR 

"  Little  cLildren,  it  is  the  last  time  :  and  as  ye  have  heard  that  anti- 
"•  chvist  shall  come,  even  now  are  theie  many  anti-christs ;  thereby 
"  we  know  that  it  is  the  last  time."  (1  Jno.  4.  3.  and  2.  18.)  Ihit  the 
present  testimony  had  its  rise,  more  than  twelve  hnndred  and  sixty 
ycav'j  afterwai'ds,  at  the  time  when  the  reign  ct'  anti-christ  began  to 
be  diminished  and  destroyed.  The  period  of  his  reign  was  twelve 
hundred  and  sixty  ;  accordingly  the  sentiment  is  extensively  em- 
braced, and  that  ibr  many  years  back,  and  wiih  good  reason  too,  ac- 
cording to  the  prophecies,  that  the  seventh  angel  hath  bcgnn  ta 
sound  his  trumpet,  and  consecjuently,  that  the  dominion  of  the  beast 
liath  begun  to  tlecline.  On  the  whole  therefore,  the  charge  of  ?.iui-r 
Christ  and  apostacy,  against  the  people  who  testify  that  Christ  hath 
made  his  second  appearance,  is  groundless  and  unjust. 

But  to  discuss  this  subject  profitably,  one  thing  more  is  worthy  to 
be  noticed ;  which  is  to  inquire  into  the  extent  and  degree  of  the 
apostacy  under  ant^-christ — whether  it  was  total  or  partial.  This  is 
an  important  cjue^tion,  attended  ■with  the  most  mom.entous-  conse- 
quences. For  professors  in  common,  believing  the  apostacy  only 
partial,  and  that  Christ  has  always  had  a  true  church  on  earth,  enr: 
dued  with  the  power  of  salvation  ;  (for  without  that  it  is  not  the 
church  of  Christ ;  as  it  is  written  ;  "  I  will  place  salvation  in  Zion 
"  for  Israel  my  glory ;"  and  again ;  "  It  shall  come  to  pass  iha^ 
"  whosoever  shall  call  on  the  name  of  the  Lord  shall  be  delivered  : 
"  for  in  Mount  Zion  and  in  Jerusalem  shall  be  deliverance,  as  the 
*'  Lord  hath  said,  and  in  the  remnant  Avhom  the  Lord  shall  call." 
And  where  the  true  church  is,  which  is  the  ground  and  piilur  of  the 
truth,  there  is  the  true  gospel  which  is  t'^c  power  of  God  to  salva- 
tion ;)  I  $ay,  people  believing  the  apostacy  to  have  been  only  par- 
tial, have  hitherto  applied  all  their  wisdom  and  strength  to  build  ou 
the  old  dispensation  ;  whereas  if  the  apostacy  was  total,  and  the  covv 
ruption  and  spirit  of  anti-christ  universal,  so  that  there  was  a  time 
when  there  was  not  a  church  on  earth,  in  the  order  of  Christ,  and 
possessing  the  power  of  salvation,  their  labors  will  prove  to  be  al)or- 
tive,  ur/.il  Christ  the  true  foundation  be  again  revealed  from  heaven, 
and  they  come  to  the  knowledge  of  it,  and  build  on  him  in  that  last 
revelation.  For  it  is  evident  that  that  which  God  only  can  give,  or 
make  known,  if  once  lost,  can  never  be  recovered  again,  unless  by 
another  revelation  of  God,  or  a  manifestation  of  the  same  power  and 
gift  of  revelation.  A  man  can  receive  nothing  of  that  kind  exce])t 
it  be  given  him  from  heaven.  And  to  build  on  that  which  is  Ic&t,  or 
■which  hath  passed  away,  must,  to  the  undei standing  of  all  men,  be 
insufficient. 

The  belief  of  the  people  with  whom  I  stand  connected  is,  that  the 
apostacy  was  total  and  universal;  insc\ouch  that  in  that  period,  al- 
though many  honestly  sought  the  way,  whom  God  noticed  accoid- 
ingly,  and  kept  in  reserve  nntil  the  o|KMiing  of  full  redemption,  yet 
there  was  no  true  church  or  body  of  Christ  hi  order,  aiul  posscssinjjr 
the  power  of  salvation  ;  th«  true  way  of  God  behig  unknown  for  a 
time.     This  being  adp;iitcd,  the   necessary  consequence  is,  th.at  ulj 


OBSERVATIONS.  461 

churches  not  built  on  Christ  in  bis  second  appearing,  or  revelation, 
are  cither  in  the  full  government  of  anti-christ,  or,  to  say  the  best, 
under  the  influence  of  some  degree  of  preparatory  work,  leading 
them  out  by  degrees,  that  they  may  be  in  readiness  for  salvation 
•when  the  way  is  opened  to  them.  Let  us  now  inquire  a  little  into 
the  evidence  of  this  faith. 

The  very  description  of  anti-christ,  or  the  man  of  sin,  as  silting  in 
the  temple  of  God,  showing  himself  that  he  is  God,  and  of  his  tl.erc 
conthiuing  until  the  Lord  shall  coi;sume  him  with  the  Spirit  of  his 
mouth  and  destroy  him  with  the  brightness  of  his  coming,  argues 
.strongly,  or  rather  conclusively,  in  defence  of  what  is  stated  on  tiiis 
subject.  For,  in  the  first  place;  While  the  man  of  sin  wi.s  there 
Christ  had  no  place,  unless  ha  should  divide  the  government  with 
the  beast.  But  this  could  not  be  ;  "  For  what  fellowship  hath  righi- 
"  eousness  with  unrighteousness  ?  and  what  communion  hatli  light 
"  Avilh  darkness  ?  And  what  concord  hatii  Christ  with  belial  ?  or 
'^'  what  part  hath  he  that  believeth  with  an  iinidel  ?  or  wh.at  agree- 
"  ment  hath  the  temple  of  God  with  idols  ?  for  ye  are  the  temple  of 
"  the  living  God ;  as  God  hath  said,  I  will  dwell  in  them,  and  walk. 
^'  in  them  ;  and^  will  he  their  God,  and  they  shall  be  my  people. 
"  Wherefore  come  out  from  among  them,  and  be  ye  separate,  saith 
"  the  Lord,  and  touch  not  the  unclean  thing  ;  and  I  will  receive  you, 
"  and  will  be  a  Father  to  you,  and  ye  shall  be  my  sons  arid  daughteifi, 
«  saith  the  Lord  Almighty."  [2  Cor.  6.  14,  to  I's.]  These  then  i-re 
the  conditions  on  which  Ciod  will  accept  a  people — to  come  out  from 
them  that  do  evil — to  be  separated  to  God — to  touch  no  unclean 
tiling  :  and  these  things  are  inconsistent  with  anti-christ's  having  any 
place  in  them. 

This  sitting  in  the  temple  of  God  was  also  universal  ;  for  had  there 
been  any  part  on  earth  v,here  Christ  had  abode,  and  consjecjucnilv 
anti-christ  h^id  been  excluded,  that  would  have  been  the  temple,  aiid 
the  man  of  sin  would  not  have  sat  in  the  temple  and  there  exalted 
himself  above  all  ;  for  he  would  have  felt,  and  thd  people  would  have 
felt  it,  that  one  in  the  temple  had  power  over  him — Devils  knov/  the 
holy  One  of  (lod,  who  he  is.  Besides,  that  part  where  anti-christ 
reigned  would  have  been  the  world  in  distinction  from  the  temple. 
For  the  world  worshipped  the  beast ;  and  in  this  case  the  temple  is 
included,  because  when  the  church  had  lost  the  power  of  salvation, 
or  Spirit  of  Christ,  and  the  man  of  sin  reigned,  the  power  of  the  holy 
])eople  was  scattered,  and  the  truth  trodden  to  the  earth,  and  all  were 
world  together  in  the  governing  principle.  Besides ;  His  sitting 
there  until  the  coming  of  the  Lord,  proves  that  after  he  fairly  had 
got  possession,  there  could  be  no  more  a  true  church,  in  the  order 
and  power  of  Christ,  until  his  second  appearing.  And  this  agrees 
with  that  saying  of  Christ ;  "  Nevertheless  when  the  son  of  man 
^'  Cometh  shall  he  find  faith  on  the  earth  ?"  A  question  proposed 
not  to  receive  an  answer,  as  all  may  see,  but  to  show  the  extent  ar,d 
depth  of  the  apostacy,  and    fix  truth  on  the  mind  v»ith  moic  weight 


403  PAMILIAR 

than  could  be  done  by  simple  assertion,  as  weli  as  lo  leave  the  sub 
ject  under  that  prophetic  vael  which  was  oilcn  expedient. 

Jesus  also  describes  the  apostacy  in  such  lan;^uagc  as  plainly  to 
show,  that  all  were  totally  corrupted,  and  none  knew  the  true  Christ. 
*'  Then  if  anij  man  shall  say  vnito  you,  Lo,  here  is  Christ,  or  there  ; 
"  believe  it  not.  For  there  shall  arise  false  christs,  and  false  pro- 
"  phels,  and  shall  show  great  signs  and  wonders;  insomuch  that  if 
♦'  possible,  they  shall  deceive  the  very  elect."  [Matt.  24.  23,  24.^ 
T.his  was  the  time  of  anti-christ ;  and  it  is  evident  that  none  really 
knew  the  tiuc  Christ;  for  had  not  that  been  the  case,  JcsiiS  could 
not  have  told  them  not  to  believe  or  follov/  any  of  them  ;  for  they 
v»'ho  knov,'  the  true  Christ  are  of  the  truth,  and  are  therefore  to  be 
lK.'licved  and  followed:  as  said  Paul,  Be  ye  followers  of  me.  Bui 
no  one  knov.ir.g  him,  they  said,  in  the  rage  of  their  ignorance  and 
uncertainty,  I.o,  /ie7-e,  and  lo  there  ;  he  is  hi  the  desert^  and  he  U  in 
the  secret  chamber.  And  so  do  the  false  prophets  to  this  day,  in 
their  ignorance  and  uncertainty  about  the  safe  path  ;  sending  the  peo- 
ple who  come  to  inquire  of  them,  (expecting  them  to  be  ministers? 
of  Christ,)  what  they  shall  do  to  be  saved,  to  seek  him  in  secret,  in- 
stead of  ministering  Christ  to  them.  Those  were  the  daysLof  which 
Jesus  said  expressly  ;  "  Ye  shall  desire  to  see  one  of  the  <lays  of  the 
<*■  Son  of  man  and  ye  shall  not  sec  it ;"  [Luk.  17.  22.]  and  without  a 
day  of  the  Son  of  man  there  could  be  no  true  church  or  gospel. 

But,  said  Jesus,  "  Jerusalem  shall  be  trodden  down  of  the  (icn- 
«  tiles,  until  the  times  of  the  Gentifes  be  fulfilled."  [Luk.  21.  24.] 
This  could  not  have  related  merely  to  the  Jerusalem  of  the  Jews  ; 
but  must  have  related  mainly  to  the  spiritual  Jerusalem,  or  church, 
of  which  the  first  was  a  Figure  ;  for  immediately  after  the  tribula- 
tion of  those  days  the  Son  of  man  is  seen,  and  christians  are  called 
v.pon  to  lift  up  their  heads  expecting  si)eedy  redemption.  "  And 
"•  then  shall  they  sec  the  Son  of  man  coming  in  a  cloud  with  power 
'>  and  great  glory.  And  when  these  things  begin  to  con»e  to  pass, 
''  then  look  up,  and  lift  up  your  heads  ;  for  your  redemption  drawcth 
"  nigh."  [v.  27,  28.]  But  the  time  of  the  redemption  of  christians 
is  in  bis  second  appearing.  "  And  if  I  go  and  prepare  a  ]5lace  for 
"  you,  I  will  come  again,  and  receive  you  to  myself;  that  where  I 
"  am  there  ye  may  be  also,"  "  And  to  them  that  look  for  him  shall 
"  he  appear  the  second  time  without  sin  to  salvation." 

Parallel  with  this  prophecy  is  that  in  the  Apocalypse,  [1  i.  1,  kc] 
"  And  the  angel  stood  saying,  Rise,  and  measure  the  temple  of  God,  ' 
"  and  the  altar,  and  them  that  -worship  therein.  But  the  court  which 
«  is  without  tlic  temple  leave  out,  and  measure  it  not ;  for  it  is  given 
"  to  the  Gentiles ;  and  the  holy  city  shall  be  trodden  under  foot  forty 
"  and  two  months.  And  I  will  give  power  to  my  two  witnesses,  and 
"  they  shall  prophesy  a  thousand  two  hundred  and  three-score  daj-s, 
<'  clothed  in  slackcloth.  These  are  the  two  olive  trees,  and  the  two 
"  candlesticks,  standing  before  the  God  of  all  the  earth."  It  has 
been  argiicd  that  only  the  outer  court  was  given  to  the  Gentiles. 
But  what  then  ?     The  holv  citv  was  trodden  under  foof  wiihcut  c\-- 


OBSERVATIONS.  463 

ceptioii.  And,  to  follow  the  ivietaphor,  it  is  manifest,  that  Vvhilc  the 
Gentiles  had  the  outer  court  in  full  possession,  (for  it  was  given  to 
them,)  there  was  no  access  to  the  inner.  Those  who  Avere  safe  in 
might  stay,  but  could  take  in  no  more.  They  who  had  received  and 
kept  the  true  faith  were  preserved  from  the  corruption  which  crept 
in,  and  kept  by  the  power  of  God  through  faith  to  the  nnal  salvation, 
ready  to  be  revealed  in  the  last  time,  or  second  appcarin.g-  of  GJr.irit ; 
but  none  more  could  attain  to  th.at  same  faitii  until  it  was  again  re- 
vealed. Accordingly,  the  temple  of  God  was  no  more  opciied  in 
heaven,  until  after  the  sounding  of  the  seventh  angel,  bringir.g  on 
the  judgment.  "  And  the  temple  of  God  was  opened  in  heaven,  and 
there  was  seen  in  his  temple  the  ark  of  his  testament." 

But  it  has  also  been  argued,  that  the  two  witMesscs  were  the  tri:c 
church,  and  that  as  they  continued  to  prophesy  during  the  1250  days, 
the  church  therefore  did  exist.  That  these  two  witnesses  were  the 
Spirit  of  God,  who  also  dwelleth  in  the  church  v/hen  in  its  order  and 
power,  will  not  be  contested,  being  the  two  olive  trees  and  the  two 
candlesticks  which  stand  before  the  God  of  the  whole  earth,  the  two 
having  respect  to  the  revelation  of  God  to  men  in  the  first  ap])ear- 
ance  of  Christ  in  the  male,  and  the  second. in  the  female.  But  the 
propriety  of  representing  the  church  in  order  and  having  the  power 
of  salvation,  as  being  clothed  in  sackcloth,  remains  to  be  shown,  or 
rather  to  be  rejected  as  absurd ;  the  church  being  always  in  a  pror,-  . 
perous  state  when  it  hath  Christ  in  it.  Accordingly,  tlnough  t'l?. 
long  period  of  darkness,  many  witnesses  arose,  influenced,  no  doubt, 
by  the  true  Spirit,  who  testified  against  the  errors  and  corruptior.s  of 
the  times,  but  could  not  show  the  substance  otherwise  than  in  pro- 
phecy, and  the  m.ore  pure  their  testimony  was,  to  the  greater  dis- 
tance they  were  secluded  from  the  orily  remaining  church  on  earth — 
that  which  had  the  form  but  denied  the  power.  These  two  witncs^cvj 
therefore,  so  far  from  being  the  true  churcii,  or  even  h.aving  anv 
access  to  the  true  church  on  earth,  were  turned  out  of  doors  to  go 
in  slackcloth  during  that  period,  v/hile  they  made  war  on  the  usurn- 
ers  of  the  temple  to  regain  it  in  the  end. 

But  adnntting  that  those  two  witnesses  were  the  true  church  iher 
rdso  had  to  be  killed.  "  And  when  th.ey  shall  have  finished  their  tes- 
"'  timony,  the  beast  that  ascendeth  out  of  the  bottomless  pit  shall  nr.ikc 
•'  war  against  them,  and  shall  overcome  them  and  kill  them.  And  their 
"  dead  bodies  shall  lie  in  the  street  of  the  great  city  which  spiri'ually 
■•'  is  called  Sodom  and  Egypt,  where  also  our  Lord  was  crucified. 
"  And  they  of  the  people,  and  kindreds,  and  nations,  shall  see  tlicir 
''  dead  bodies  three  days  and  an  half,  aiid  shall  not  suffer  tlieir  dead 
•>■  bodies  to  be  put  in  graves."  Wliere  then  was  the  churcii  when 
the  only  remaining  vvitnesscs  were  killed?  It  could  have  no  exist- 
ence even  on  that  plan,  until  the  Spirit  of  life  from-~lod  entered  into 
them  again,  or  until  the  revelation  of  God  began  again  to  be  restoi  cd, 
which  was  inti^oductory  to  the  sounding  of  the  seventh  tiiimpct  in 
the  coming  of  Christ  to  judgment.  Thus  as  the  CInist  of  God  was 
Tailed,  or  put  to  death  iu  tlic  ilcsh  and  revived  in  the  Spiiit,  prcvi- 


464  FAMILIAR 

ously  to  the  giving  of  the  Holy  Spirit  for  the  building  and  forming 
of  the  gospel  church  in  liis  first  appearing,  so  in  his  second  appeai-- 
ing  the  same  Christ,  or  two  witnesses,  as  aforesaid,  were  killed,  being 
put  to  death  in  the  people  who  bore  the  testimony,  and  after  three 
days  and  an  half  revived  attain,  tlie  testimony  of  God  having  then 
revived  with  a  deeper  work  than  ever,  preparatory  to  the  giving  of 
the  Holy  Spirit,  or  the  coming  of  Christ  in  his  spiritual  kingdom,  to 
be  built  up  for  ever.  But  it  is  no  doubt  correct  to  consider  the 
three  days  and  a  half,  the  same  time,  as  the  forty  and  two  months, 
during  which  these  witnesses  prophesied  clothed  in  siackcloth.  But 
they  were  killed  ;  and  had  no  continuance  to  buiid  the  church  in  the 
order  and  power  of  salvation.  All  they  could  do  in  that  time  was  to 
bear  testimony ;  and  as  they  finished  their  testimony  from  time  to 
time,  they  were  killed.  And  the  representation  is  sufficiently  strong 
to  confirm  the  fact,  that  no  church  existed  in  order,  or  having  the 
power  of  salvation,  during  those  42  months,  or  1260  years. 

The  result  then,  of  our  inquiry  must  be,  according  to  the  few  things 
here  stated,  to  which  more  might  be  added  if  consistent  with  the 
present  design,  that  the  apostacy  and  corruption,  during  the  reign  of 
anti-christ,  were  universal  and  total;  so  that  althoiigh  many  rose  up  from 
tim.e  to  time,  and  testified  against  the  prevailing  errors,  none  were  able 
to  stand,  or  to  support  the  unity  of  the  Spirit  in  one  body,  at  all  on  ■ 
the  earth:  for  the  beast  made  war  with  the  saints  and  overcame  them. 
It  must  therefore  necessarily  follow,  as  before  stated,  that  all  those 
churches  which  are  not  built  on  the  second  revelation  of  Christ,  are 
one  side  of  the  foundation,  and  are  lacking  in  all  respects  to  that 
gospel  which  is  the  power  of  God  to  salvation  ;  although  among 
many  of  them  there  may  often  be  a  good  degree  of  the  power  of 
God,  as  the  voice  of  the  Spirit  of  life  from  God,  which  has  again 
entered  into  the  witnesses,  which  serves  as  a  preparatory  work  like 
■  the  ministry  of  John,  to  prepare  the  way  for  Christ  in  his  kingdom : 
for  this  is  (iod's  manner  of  working. 

And  that  this  is  the  true  state  of  the  churches,  is  proved  by  pain- 
ful experience,  not  only  in  their  not  being  able  to  keep  their  reviv- 
als, and  the  degree  of  power  which  they  once  had,  but  by  another 
concomitant  and  universal  inability  to  minister  necessary  and  com- 
petent relief  to  souls  who  come  inquiring  what  they  must  do  to  be 
saved.  This  is  the  case  with  them  all,  without  the  exception  of  a 
solitary  case.  Some  acknowledge  it  openly,  and  plead  that  it  is  the 
prerogative  of  God  only,  in,  as  they  say,  his  own  time  :  as  if  his  tirnc 
were  not  now.  "  Behold  now  is  the  accepted  time  ;  behold,  now  is  the 
«  day  of  salvation ;"  and  again ;  "  To  day,  if  ye  will  hear  his  voice 
<'  harden  not  your  hearts."  Others  say,  They  are  able  by  the  help 
of  God,  as  they  speak,  to  give  sufficient  instructions,  but  God  must 
accompany  the  v.  •  rd  with  his  power,  or  it  will  be  of  no  force.  Be- 
cauBc,  say' they,  Paul  may  plant  and  Apolos  may  water,  but  God 
giveth  the  increase.  As  if  the  gospel  itself  were  not  the  power  of 
God  to  salvation,  or  the  very  word  of  power  from  Gdd  ;  or  as  if  the 
increase  v/ere  any  the  less  a-scribcd  to  God  by  its  being  the  genuine 


OBSERVATIONS.  465 

fniit  of  the  true  gospel,  ministered,  received  and  obeyed:  the  ^ot- 
pel  is  of  God. 

But  others  maintain  that  the  fault  rests  with  the  people,  who, 
though  some  of  them  inquire,  are  not  willing  to  be  saved  on  God'-^ 
terms.  No  doubt  resisting  the  Holy  Spirit,  or  the  truth,  v/ill  prevent 
the  most  genuine  gospel  from  producing  its  desirable  efl'ects.  But 
this  is  not  the  case  of  which  I  speak;  there  arc  many  swift  witnesses 
against  the  societies  of  people  who  are  called  christian,  and  have  not- 
received  the  faith  of  Christ  in  his  second  appearing,  that  none  of 
their  best  preachers  or  brightest  christians,  are  able  to  direct  souls 
in  the  way  to  God,  or  iu  other  words,  to  preach  to  them  Christ,  tu 
the  satisfying  of  their  judgment  and  conscience,  let  their  inquiries  be 
ever  so  sincere,  or  their  efforts  ever  so  violent.  But  the  best  they 
can  do,  and  farthest  they  can  go,  is,  when  they  have  given  all  their 
counsel,  and  used  all  their  end'javors,  to  leave  the  matter,  as  they  say, 
with  God  ;  as  if  the  ministers  of  Christ  had  not  Christ  to  minister,  or 
were  not  sent  to  do  his  v»^ork,  notwithstanding  that  God  hath  made 
them  able  ministers  of  the  new  testament,  or  covenant,  not  of  tiie 
letter  but  of  the  Spirit,  that  is,  of  Christ,  for  "  the  Lord  is  that  Spi- 
♦*  rit.  And  where  the  Spirit  of  the  Lord  is  there  is  liberty."  [2  Cor. 
.3.  6,  IT.j  This  sentence  ;  Jv'ow  the  Lord  is  that  Sfiiri/,  hath  direct 
relation  to  the  words,  JVot  of  the  letter  but  nf  the  8/iirit ;  the  inter- 
mediate verses  being  a  parenthetical  digression,  as  was  comnron  with 
Paul.  I  say;  sometimes  they  charge  it  on  the  inquirers  who  cannot 
get  salvation,  who  are  also  ignorant  enough  to  take  the  blame,  and 
clear  God,  as  they  speak ;  as  if  that  were  any  exculpation  of  the 
character,  or  name  of  God,  after  all  the  fair  and  unreserved  promises 
in  the  gospel  to  those  who  seek,  to  leave  souls  under  condemnation, 
and  finally  in  damnation,  because  they  cannot  get  salvation,  neither 
are  able  by  any  means  to  find  in  themselves  the  cause  which  prevents 
them,  nor  to  put  it  away  if  found.  But  had  they  true  rahnsters  of 
•Christ  to  preach  to  them,  they  could  &n<i  the  cause,  and  if  they 
chose,  an  adequate  method  to  remove  it. 

All  these  pleas,  and  all  others,  which  any  people  can  use,  for  their 
ov/n  exculpation,  who  call  themselves  christians,  and  are  at  any  less, 
to  tell  honest  inquirers,  at  any  time,  to  the  satisfying  of  their  judg- 
ment and  conscience,  the  way  of  eternal  life,  without  any  insur- 
mountable difticulty  attending  it,  unavoidably  accuse  those  who  make 
them,  of  the  belief,  that  the  power  of  God  to  salvation  is  a  power 
one  side  of  the  gospel  and  distinct  from  it,  thus  making  the  gospel  a 
lie  and  God  a  liar  ;  for  according  to  his  authority,  it  is  the  power  of 
God  to  salvation.  Such  also,  to  be  consistent,  must  believe  in  al)so- 
lute  and  particular  election  :  because  there  is  no  other  principle  ac- 
cording to  which  any  man  may  not  find  salvation  wher(?  the  gospel  is 
preached. 

All  these  professors,  however,  can  borrow  the  words  of  holy  men 
out  of  the  scriptures,  (or  cftener  steal  them,  conscious  th.at  lliey  do- 
not  nil  up  the  character,  nor  possess  the  same  power  of  the  gospel 
which  dictated  those  words,)  'and  say;  "  Believe  in  t;::2  Lord  Jciius 

N  .3     - 


456  FAMILIAR 

«  Christ,  and  thou  shalt  be  saved  and  thy  house ;"  and  "  He  that 
"  believcth  and  is  baptized  shall  be  saved  ;"  and  the  like.  But  these 
sayings  have  not  the  desired  effect.  For  though  they  can  borrow 
the  words  of  those  holy  men  at  their  pleasure,  they  cannot  comiuu- 
nicate  the  same  in  power,  so  as  to  beget  faith  in  the  people  and  set 
them  in  order  for  eternal  life  when  they  believe.  And  even  when 
one  ainong  them  has  received,  or  experienced  what  they  call  reli- 
gion, he  cannot  tell  another  how  to  get  it :  I  speak  of  those,  you 
may  know,  who  believe  that  religion  is  a  living  principle. 

But  it  will  be  argued  thai  this  statement  is  not  correct ;  for  this  is 
not  always  the  case  with  these  professed  christians  ;  often  their  mi- 
nisters preach,  and  the  people  believe,  and  receive  the  very  saire 
powerful  religion  which  is  preached.  A  man  can  without  doubt 
minister  that  wiiich  he  hath  in  his  heart.  Therefore  in  times  of  re- 
vivals there  are  many  instances  of  this  kind,  which  are  a  good  pat- 
tern of  the  true  gospel.  But  as  before  stated,  this  pov/er  they  are 
not  able  to  keep  ;  which  proves,  that  it  is  at  best,  only  as  new  w'w.e  in 
old  bottles,  therefore  it  runneth  out  and  the  bottles  perish,  i^-fter  a 
time  they  become  dry  and  formal,  and  can  help  no  soul.  A\id  not 
only  so  ;  but  in  the  best  times,  and  warmest  revivals,  when  the  pow- 
er is  fiying  from  soul  to  soul,  and  from  faith  to  faith  with  great  suc- 
cess, many  inquire  the  way  who  cannot  find  it,  and  none  can  tell 
them  ;  which  shows  in  their  best  times,  that  they  ai  e  lacking  in  re- 
spect to  that  treasure  of  gospel  knov.iedge  and  power,  necessary 
to  that  perfect  gospel,  which  is  the  power  of  God  to  salvation  to 
every  one  who  believeth,  and  hath  also  in  it,  the  power  of  begetting 
faith  in  the  hearers.  Hence  it  comes  to  pass  in  such  times,  that 
some  of  those  who  believe  as  clearly  and  firmly  as  any  others,  in  the 
ministrations  of  those  times,  can  neither  give  nor  receive  any  satis- 
factory evidence  of  eternal  life.  This  could  not  be  where  the  true 
gospel  is  preached,  unless  by  knov/n  and  wilful  disobedience.  But 
farther  yet,  censorious  vis  it  may  appear,  it  is  true,  that  in  the  best  of 
times  an)ong  those  professors,  none  of  them  experience  that  work  of 
grace  which  abidingly  maintains  its  ground  with  unshaken  confidence 
that  they  are  the  cluldren  of  God  and  in  the  way  of  eternal  life  They 
have  their  doubts  and  fears,  and  do  not  hold  fast  the  beginning  of 
their  confidence  stedfast  to  the  end,  as  those  who  are  partakers  with 
Christ.  (Heb.  3.  14.)  Generally  the  most  dishonest  and  least  en- 
lightened have  the  least  trouble  about  their  condition  ;  and  when  the 
power  is  greatly  abated  many  can  become  professors,  who  could 
make  no  stand  in  the  heat  of  a  revival.  And  the  confidence  of  many, 
not  to  say  the  major  part,  is  built  on  the  bare  assertions  of  another. 
Their  preachers  and  others  tcU  thcra  that  to  experience  certain  ex- 
ercises, is  convcrsipn  ;  and  en  these  they  build  ;  and  that  is  about  all 
they  know.  "  But  they,  measuring  themselves  by  themselves,  and 
'•'  comparing  themselves  arnong  themselves,  are  not  wise."  (2  Cor. 
10.  12.  '"  '  ' 

In  this  situation  I  found  tlie  churches  before  I  found  the  everlast- 
ing- gospel.     There  had  been  a  very  great  and  general  rcvrval.    Tho 


OBSERVATIONS.  467 

people  of  different  denominations  were  more  or  less  nnder  its  influ- 
ence. Converts  had  been  numerous  and  their  exercises  extraordi- 
nary ;  convincing  and  alarming  to  the  beholders,  and  marvellous  in 
their  nature  and  appearances  ;  with  which  you  are  not  unacquainted. 
Tliose  amongst  us  who  followed  the  light  of  God,  ministered  in  that 
revival,  and  were  not  held  in  bondage  by  the  traditions  of  men,  or  the 
comments  of  human  wisdom,  received  from  time  to  time,  renewed 
and  increasing  light  from  God,  opening  their  understanding,  to  un- 
derstand the  scriptures  on  one  subject  or  another.  Agreement  is 
Kcntiments  became  great,  though  far  from  perfection ;  as  that  was 
not  the  perfecting  ".'ork,  but  sent  before  to  break  in  pieces  the  old 
and  pre[tare  the  way  for  the  new.  Yet  forbearance  and  fellowship, 
among  those  of  different  tenets,  abounded  to  an  admiration.  And 
the  testimony,  or  prophecy  was,  That  the  day  of  the  Lord,  or  Mil- 
lennium, was  at  hand,  and  tliat  that  revival  would  never  cease  until 
that  day  siiould  commence. 

We  began  to  leaj-n,  in  contradistinction  from  all  the  received  ti-a- 
ditions,  that  it  is  the  privilege  and  the  character  of  a  christian,  to  live 
free  from  sin  ;  and  many  aimed  to  put  it  into  practice,  but  power 
was  wanting  ;  although  some  got  so  far  as  to  be  almost  persuaded, 
and  on  occasions  to  assert  with  great  boldness,  that  they  had  attained 
to  it.  But  in  a  short  time,  by  painful  experience,  they  would  find  to 
the  contrary,  and  in  a  few  days,  or  perhaps  hours,  be  (I  knov/  for  one'i 
almost  in  black  despair  of  ever  being  saved.  V/c  also  begaji  to 
learn,  that  the  work  of  God  in  Christ  is  an  increasing  work  to  the 
perfect  day  ;  and  that  by  the  true  gospel  of  Clu'ist  and  in  him,  tlicrc 
is  access  to  the  Holy  of  Holies,  and  that  this  access  is  the  privilege 
of  all  true  believers.  In  preaching  publicly  on  these  topics,  which 
I  saw  as  it  were  through  a  vail,  I  have  seemed  to  myself  as  it  were 
oa  the  threshold.  But  as  yet  there  was  no  entrance,  thoup;h  I  scarce- 
ly knew  why  ;  for  though  I  believed,  or  ratiier  knew  the  lack  was  in 
me,  I  found  no  way  to  get  it  removed.  And  O  to  be  enlarged  was 
my  cry  ;  and  to  be  delivered  from  the  spirit  of  bondage  again  to  fear, 
and  to  be  freed  from  all  the  fetters  of  sin  and  darkness  v/hich  sur- 
rounded me — But  no  escape  yet.  My  distress  and  pain  iiicreased  ; 
though  sometimes  I  seemed  to  myself  almost  ready  to  be  delivered. 
We  had  begun  to  believe  (I  can  say  for  one,)  that  in  a  true  mission 
of  a  minister  of  Christ,  the  gospel  would  be  so  clear  and  intelligible, 
that  all  could  understand  it,  and  a  minister  could  teach  it  as  correctly 
and  as  readily  as  a  teacher  of  letters  could  teach  his  pupil  to  say  his 
lesson.  And  it  was  my  understanding  that  I  never  could  be  a  true 
minister  of  the  gospel,  until  I  could  stand  in  such  near  relation  and 
communion  with  Christ,  that  I  coidd  minister  the  gospel  in  that  di- 
rect and  intelligible  clearness,  that  any  one  could  receive  it  who 
would.  In  connection  with  this  we  also  began  to  believe,  that  where 
the  gospel  does  not  flourish,  the  defect  lies  primarily  and  principally 
in  the  ministry.  Thus  when  Jesus  had  any  thing  against  any  of  the 
churches  in  Asia,  it  was  pi'imarily  charged  against  the  aiigel,  or  iiii- 
nister. 


458  FAMILIAR 

These,  with  many  other  serious  truths,  we  began  to  icui-n  in  thsc 
day.  And  we  Itibored  in  sore  travail  of  spirit  to  get  forward.  But 
many  began  to  find  themselves  at  the  end  of  their  journey,  until 
something  farther  should  he  made  known.  Some  traveled  from 
])lace  to  place,  wherever  they  could  hear  of,  cr  hope  to  sec,  a  greater 
or  deeper  work  of  God  than  they  had  yet  found.  Some  beginning 
to  despair  of  ever  finding  salvation,  and  some  using  the  most  vigo- 
rous efforts,  in  a  firm  and  full  faith  that  God  svould  increase  iiis  work 
and  bring  on  the  latter  day  of  glory.  The  parts  where  I  lived  were 
visited  from  a  great  distance  in  quest  of  clearer  light ;  while  during 
the  time  I  was  in  great  anxiety  to  see  some  of  my  brethren  in  the 
ininistry,  who  lived  at  a  distance,  to  know  if  they  could  help  me  any 
farther  in  the  way  of  God.  Li  this  situation  I  spent  many  doleful 
nights  and  sorrowful  days ;  yet  not  v.ithout  some  cheering  support 
fiom  God.  Generally,  Avhen  ministering  in  the  pubhc,  I  was  mea- 
surably comfortable,  in  the  bold  hope  of  etenial  life,  firmly  believing- 
in  the  truth  of  the  gospel.  But  in  the  intern^ediate  times,  I  com- 
monly suffered  sore  travail,  frequently  on  the  borders  of  despair  ;  by 
which  1  no  doubt  gained  mors?  real  substance  eventually,  than  if  I 
had  enjoyed  more  ease  and  comfort.  But  the  nature  of  sin  I  could 
not  get  removed  oat  of  my  heart  and  breast ;  it  would  show  itself, 
or  rather,  it  m  as  shown  to  me,  as  a  separating  wall  between  God  and 
my  soul:  That  was  my  plague  ;  it  kept  condemnation  in  sight. 

In  the  mean  time  rorae  were  sinking  deeper  into  the  flesh,  and 
settling  back  into  the  beggarly  elements  of  the  world;  while  others 
were  growing  bold  in  their  testimony  against  the  flesh  and  all  sin, 
ready  lo  take  tlie  kingdom  of  heaven  by  violence.  Bui  the  day 
drew  near;  and  God  would  not  let  the  people  rest,  until  he  had 
given  tlieni  a  fair  trial  for  eternal  life,  and  an  opportunity  to  show 
themselves.  Who  were  honestly  in  pursuit  of  salvation  to  the  spi- 
rit, and  who  loved  the  fiesh  and  their  own  pleasures  more  than  God 
and  salvation^  And  thus  it  is  written;  (Mai.  3.  18.)  "  Tl^.cn  shall 
''  ye  return,  and  discern  between  the  righteous  and  the  wicked  ;  be- 
"  tween  him  that  serveth  God  and  him  that  serveth  him  not." 

In  this  situation  of  things,  of  which  I  have  given  a  very  short  and 
general  sketch,  the  everlasting  gospel  reached  us,  and  soon  began  to 
sever  th.c  precious  from  the  vile.  The  spirit,  which  is  for  salvation, 
began  to  be  clearly  distinguished  and  separated  from  the  flesh,  which 
is  to  be  destroyed.  And  honest  sou'v  vvho  did  really  hunger  and 
thirst  after  righteousness,  fouJid  a  safe  refuge  in  the  blood  and  cress 
of  Christ,  white  tli&se  v.-ho  preferred  the  flesh  had  a  fair  and  open  op- 
]?ortunity  to  retreat.  And  so  it  is  lo  tiiis  day.  ISIen  will  stumble  at 
the  cross  being  disobedient.  But  the  fiiir  and  equitable  privilege  of 
the  gcspel  Avill  never  fail,  until  all  souls  have  had  a  fair  t)ial,  and 
made  their  final  choice^  each  one  for  one.  For  this  i-eason  it  is  justly 
called  the  everlasting  gospt'l :  it  niakes  finishing  work. 

This  is  the  gospel  which  the  people  called  Shahers  have  roceivcd, 
and  in  which  they  stand  ;  and  this  is  the  radical  difference,  between 
them  aiid  all  other  people,  that  they  believe  in  Christ  as  having  madt. 


OBSERVATIONS.  459 

his  appearance  the  second  time  on  earth,  and  having  ag-p.hi  found  to 
himself  a  body,  the  church.  Their  faith  and  testimony  en  this 
]>oint,  arc  eagerly  contested  in  the  wo)-Id,  v/hils  on  their  part  they  are 
willing  and  desirous  to  have  the  matter  investigated  with  all  diligence 
and  honesty,  and  to  let  their  works  be  the  final  test.  The  testimony 
is  either  true  or  false  ;  and  the  trial  of  it  stands  thus,  That  in  it  we 
are  able  to  keep  the  power  of  salvation,  in  the  experience  of  all  who 
will  receive  it.  If  therefore  the  testimony  be  not  true,  a  falsehood 
is  capable  of  producing  better  effects  than  all  the  truth  on  the  earth, 
and  of  being  the  power  of  God  to  salvation.  For  this  is  the  testi- 
mony on  which  the  work  stands  ;  it  is  therefore  true.  With  respect 
to  the  visible  fruits,  they  arc  open  to  the  inspection  of  ail  men,  as  it 
is  written  ;  "  He  shall  set  up  an  ensign  for  the  nation."  And  agLiin  ; 
"  Go  through,  go  through  the  gates;  prepare  the  way  of  the  peo- 
"  pie  ;  cast  up,  cast  up  the  high  way  ;  gather  out  the  stones:  lift  up 
"  a  standard  for  the  people."  (Isa.  11.  12.  and  62.  16.) 

"When  this  gospel  appeared  to  me,  and  I  became  acquainted  v.ith 
it,  I  found  it  answered  my  faith  and  filled  my  soul  in  all  things.  Bi;t 
with  it  appeared  the  cross.  In  it,  and  in  those  v,  ho  bore  it,  appeared 
the  holiness  of  God  in  a  degree  beyond  any  thing  which  I  had  ever 
seen  or  heard.  And  in  this  I  v/as  not  alone  ;  others  also  said  the 
same  ;  and  I  beared  the  report  of  it  among  those  v/ho  cventuallv  re- 
jected all  for  the  pleasures  of  the  flesh.  My  nature  also  rchcllcd 
against  tlie  cross  ;  being  the  same  with  that  of  all  other  men  ;  En- 
mity against  God  ;  because  not  subject  to  the  law  of  God,  neither 
indeed  can  be.  If  therefore  any  possible  v/ay  could  have  been  de- 
vised, or  could  have  existed,  one  side  of  the  cross,  that  way  woi^ld 
liave  been  chosen.  My  nature  did  not  love  the  sword  a  v/hit  better 
than  the  same  in  others  ;  but  God  had  in  righteous  judgment  appoint- 
ed it  to  death,  or  no  soul  could  inherit  life.  "For  whosoever  v.ill 
"  save  his  life  shall  lose  it ;  but  whosoever  shall  lose  his  life  for  mv 
"  sake  and  the  gospel's,  the  same  shall  save  it."  [Mark  8.  25.]  The 
cry  of  antichrint,  dcln/iion^  deceivers^  and  the  like,  was  clamored  all 
about ;  but  with  me  the  matter  was  sciious  in  the  fear  of  God.  I 
had  read  in  the  scriptures,  concerning  the  work  of  God  in  the  last 
days,  that,  "  None  oi'  the  Avicked  shall  understand  ;  but  the  wise 
'^  shall  understand  ;"  [Dan.  12.  10.]  and  I  weighed  the  matter  sober- 
ly, fearing  lest,  if  I  hastily  rejected  the  testimony  of  the  last  and 
hnisliing  work  of  God,  as  that  was  said  to  be,  I  should  lose  my  soul, 
being  found  among  those  who  ai-e  wicked  and  imderstand  not.  Dost 
thou  not  remember,  that  I  told  thee  of  these  things  while  I  was  yet 
with  thee  on  the  road  from  Fiemingsburg,  on  the  last  day  we  ever 
rode  together  ?  Another  scripture  which  took  hold  on  my  soul  was, 
that  "  Satan  is  not  divided  against  satan."  This  testimony  was,  and 
is  now,  the  swiftest  witness  against  satan  of  any  thing  which  I  had 
f.ver  heard. 

.'\nd  now  the  question  is  ;  Didst  thou  deal  thus  honestly  and  care- 
fully in  the  fear  of  God,  v/ith  thy  own  soul,  always  keepin;c  that  side 
where  truth  and  the  example  of  Ciin:3t  had  th.c  lead,  without  bring 


4ro  FAMILIAR 

swayed  by  the  desivcs  and  enjoyments  of  the  flesh  ?  I  tro\v  not ; 
else  thou  also  liadst  been  as  I  am.  Dost  thou  not  rcnieniljer  tellini? 
IKC,  on  tiiat  same  day,  that  then  %vast  never  so  con)plctcly  swallowed 
lip  with  any  man  as  with  Issachor  Bates,  while  he  opened  the  testi- 
raony  ?  And  that  thou  hadst  never  heaid  any  thing  with  which  thou 
\vast  so  well  pleased,  or  which  so  perfectly  filled  thy  soul,  as  the  tes- 
timony of  the  Shakers,  until  they  cair.e  on  marriage  ?  that  that  was 
the  first  thing  on  which  thou  didst  think  them  lame  ?  But  that  thou 
didst  not  object  to  that  first,  but  to  the  doctrine  of  the  resurrection  ? 
I  say,  dost  thou  not  remember  these  things  ?  Concealment  before 
the  world  Bif.y  stand  a  while  ;  but  concealment  before  God  will  not 
avail. 

But  with  me  the  point  to  he  settled  was,  whether  I  could  not,  on 
the  evidence  which  I  had  found,  venture  my  soul  in  the  same  faith 
with  those  people,  were  it  not  for  the  cross.  The  answer  was  una- 
voidably in  the  affirmative  ;  as  it  also  is  with  all  those  who  honestly 
propound  it  to  their  own  consciences,  after  makhig  themselves  ac- 
quainted with  the  faith.  Of  course,  the  next  question  to  be  settled 
was.  Shall  I  take  up  my  cross,  and  deny  myself  and  follow  Christ, 
suffering  all  the  privations  against  the  flesh,  w^hich  the  gospel  re- 
quires, that  I  lAiay  obtain  salvation  by  the  cross,  or  shall  I  refuse  and 
lose  my  soul  and  all  my  labors  ?  But  this  question  I  confess  I  never 
spent  the  labor  to  form,  as  I  remember.  Salvation  was  at  that  time 
the  uppermost  matter  in  my  mirsd,  as  it  had  long  been.  All  my 
efibits,  ailmccins,  and  every  thing  railed  gospel  heretofore,  had  failed 
of  producing  this  eficct,  and  of  aflbrding  genuine  satisfaction  that 
it  ^ouid  be  gained.  I  therefore  had  not  found  that  peaceable  satis- 
faction without  wavering  ;  neither  had  I  ever  found  or  conversed 
with  any  one  who  had  it,  except  partially  and  with  inconstancy, 
until  the  present  faith  was  opened,  with  the  testimony  that  Christ 
had  appeared  the  second  time,  to  make  a  last  and  finishing  work 
with  men.  This  tcstinionyin  its  opening  gave  a  good  and  favorable 
pi'ospect,  wliich  continued  to  increase  on  farther  trial,  I  therefore, 
after  mature  deliberation,  closed  in  with  it,  and  I  do  not  repent ;  h-e- 
ing  always  able  to  appeal  to  Cod  and  my  own  conscience,  that  what 
I  I  ave  done,  I  have  done  in  the  honesty  and  integrity  of  my  heart 
before  God  ;  and  the  fruits  have  been  accordingly.  "  The  work  of 
<'  righteousness  is  peace,  and  the  effect  of  righteousness,  quietness 
'*'  and  assurance  for  ever."  Tiiis  is  an  effect,  which  nothing  but 
righteousness,  even  the  righteousness  of  God  can  produce,  and 
which  every  man  inherits  according  to  his  progress  in  the  work. 

No  doubt  you  still  hear  more  or  less  of  the  cry  of  deception  and 
wickedness,  against  this  work  and  this  people  :  and  for  ought  I  know, 
may  be  ah  active  propagator  ;  (See  Reply  P.  76,  and  Address  P. 
106,  107.)  "  For  as  conceniing  this  sect,  w-c  know  that  every  where 
"  it  is  spoken  against."  But  with  every  judiciously  informed  and  can- 
did mai^,  these  clamors  are'ldle  tales,  however  they  may  influence 
dupch  and  bigots.  (See  Letters  P.  I.)  It  is  a  conclusive  fact  that 
iio  couibinalion  in  wickedness,  or  for  wicked  works,  or  deccptious 


OBSERVATIONS.  471 

ti'orks,  can  stand  together  in  the  open  IJg-l.t,  and  for  the  inspection 
of  all  civil  cliaracters,  with  a  bold  and  open  tcstimcny  against  all  evil^ 
and  contrary  to  the  torrent  of  corniption  iiatiMally  prt-vaicnt  in  the 
world,  without  any  other  bond  than  faith  ami  love.  The  comliinaticn 
therefoi'e,  or  union  xnorc  properly  which  obtains  with  us,  and  which 
is  often  objected  as  an  allegation  of  evil,  is  an  irresistible  argument 
to  the  contrary,  so  long  as  the  rule  of  Christ  is  good  and  safe,  ti.at 
"  By  this  shall  all  men  know  that  ye  arc  my  discip.es,  if  ye  have  love 
"  one  to  another."  If  this  rule  could  be  imitated  it  coidd  prove 
nothing;  for  how  should  it  be  known  who  had  the  true  love  and  wlio 
the  counterfeit  ?  This  union  is  more  than  can  be  produced  and  prac- 
tised by  any  people  of  a  dilTeient  faith.  I  suppose  thou  art  net  un-, 
mindful  that  ye  tried  it  in  Caneridge  and  Concord,  and  could  not 
affact  it.  This  union  which  is  the  efTcct  of  that  faith  which  is  cf 
Christ,  and  tliat  love  which  is  the  bond  of  perfectness,  the  unity  cf 
the  Spirit  in  the  bond  of  peace,  is  an  ensign  visible  to  all  who  have 
eyes  to  see.  In  this  can  be  seen  that  love  which  is  not  in  word  and  in 
tongue,  but  in  work  and  in  truth.  And  as  for  the  secret  iniquities^ 
and  impositions  of  which  some  talk,  who  love  the  world  more  than 
the  Father,  the  refutation  is  easy,  if  a  serious  reply  be  eligible;  If 
twocannot  walk  together  except  they  be  agreed,  how  much  more 
im])racticable  for  a  numerous  society  to  remain  together,  unless  all 
agree  in  a  firm  faith  of  the  truth  and  honesty  of  tl.e  work  ?  For 
who  will  devote  their  all,  for  that  which  they  do  ix>t  believe  is  worth 
all  ?  By  what  law  can  men  be  compelled  to  continue  in  such  a  society 
against  their  own  faith  and  choice  ?  Or  who  is  ignorant  enough  not 
to  know,  that  where  wicked  deeds  are  practised,  in  violation  of  uuiit 
is  testified,  the  whole  scheme  is  evil  ?  The  argument  tliercfore  is 
conclusive,  that  the  union  which  obtains  with  us,  and  though  small  in 
the  beginning  increases  in  the  progress  cf  the  work,  is  the  unity  of 
the  Spirit  in  the  bond  of  peace.  It  therefore  remains  true,  as  beibi  e 
stated,  that  if  this  testimony  be  false,  unrighteousness,  or  a  lie,  can 
produce  better  fruits  than  all  the  righteousness,  or  truth,  en  the 
earth:  it  is  therefore  true  and  no  lie.  As  for  disaffected  persors, 
those  who  stumble  at  the  cross,  they  go  away,  as  it  is  known,  and 
carry  such  reports  as  tlieir  o^n  consciences  and  other  influences  v.'iil 
permit.  But  such  cannot  stop  the  progress  of  the  ti'uth  ;  few  of 
them  have  the  hardihood  to  attach  any  criminality  or  error  to  the  faitb: 
«jr  practice  cf  the  people,  except  tl.is  be  criminal,  th.at  it  is  ail 
against  the  carnal  m.ind  Yea,  where  is  the  man  of  ispright  deport- 
ment, who  has  made  himself  accjuaintcd  with  the  people,  and  vviil 
say  any  evil  of  them  ? 

Some  indeed  have  raised  heavy  objections  against  the  faith  in  m  hich 
wo  stand,  because  of  the  confidence  which  it  umpires  ;  they  c?nnol 
cnduse  such  assurance  and  boldness  in  the  faith.  I  was  told  by  a 
bold  professor  in  my  last  discourse  v.'ith  him,  tluit  confidence  is  the 
very  mark  of  superstition.  I  confess  however  such  assertions  i-ave 
little  weight  with  me,  as  I  have  never  read,  nor  received  any  sucii 
inr.tructions  through  the  medium  of  rcvclaticn,  and  while  I  can  read 


4r3  FAMILIAR 

on  the  contrary  in  (he  scriptures,  that  we  are  God's  house  if  \vc  hold 
fast  the  coiilidciicc  and  the  rejoicing  of  the  hope  firm  unto  tJic  end: 
and  that  we  arc  made  partakers  with  Christ  if  we  hold  the  beginning 
of  our  confidence  slcdfast  to  tlie  end  ;  and  again,  "  Let  us  hold  fast 
"  the  profession  of  our  faith  without  waverin|>- ;  for  he  is  faithful  that 
"  promised."  (Heb.  3.6,  14.  and  10.  23.)  If  the  effect  of  righte- 
ousness be  quietness  and  assurance  for  ever,  it  is  strange  if  the  eiTcct 
of  error  and  superstition  be  the  same,  which  has  always  been  marked 
with  mobility  and  change,  because  a  wrong  foundation  cannot  sup- 
port a  building.  But  if  this  be  the  promised  eftect  of  righteousnes.s 
in  the  latter  days,  or  time  of  the  gospel,  is  it  not  strange  that  any  can 
call  themselves  christians  without  it  I 

In  the  beginning  I  was  warned  by  my  former  brethren,  against 
hearing  the  Shakers ;  as  you  complain,  the  peoT3le  are  warned  of 
you,  and  fly  from  you  as  from  the  face  of  a  serpent.  But  I  deter- 
mined to  be  honest ;  and  told  my  hearers  boldly,  that  I  would  follow 
the  light  and  the  truth  where  I  could  find  it,  and  that  if  these  led  me 
to  the  Shakers,  to  the  Shakers  I  would  go ;  and  said  also,  tha-t  if  the 
Shakers  would  show  me  evidence  according  to  the  scriptures  that 
they  were  right,  I  would  submit ;  although  I,  that  is  my  flesh,  was  in 
opposition  all  the  time.  By  approaching  so  near  and  looking  into 
their  testimony,  I  was  taken,  by  that  which  cometh  as  a  snare  upon 
all  the  earth.  On  this  account  I  have  suffered  reproach  and  rejec- 
tion by  my  former  brethren  and  connections,  even  to  the  violation  of 
the  bonds  of  natural  friendship.  (See  Address,  P.  5.)  But  as  I  es- 
teem it  better  to  retain  the  truth,  with  openness  of  heart,  and  in  the 
light,  than  to  be  governed  by  my  own  fleshly  mind  in  concealment 
from  the  light,  I  am  not  sorry  that  I  made  as  free  with  the  Shakers 
as  I  did.  And  notwithstanding  that  I  have  been  rejectad  as  an  here- 
tic by  the  majority  of  these  Avith  whom  I  formerly  had  fellowship,  as 
Paul  once  was,  and  on  that  account  have  suffered  many  inconveni- 
ences, and  the  privation  of  much  satisfaction  which  I  would  have 
found,  in  seeing  them  heartily  enter  the  way  of  life  and  peace,  when 
many  of  them  were  at  the  door,  I  am  not  yet  overcome,  nor  in 
despair  of  yet  seeing  God  gather  a  people  to  his  name  out  of  those 
societies.  Although  the  present  prospect  is  poor  towards  the  majo- 
rity of  those  who  have  seen  the  light  of  the  day,  and  have  closed  their 
eyes  against  it,  some  may  yet  be  found,  who  being  relieved  fiom  the 
fetters  of  prejudicial  o])i>osition,  will  more  deliberately  and  candidly 
provc  all  things,  and  finding  the  work  imperfect  where  they  arc,  v.  ill 
eventually  s\ibmit,  to  take  up  their  cross,  and  suffer  shame  for  the 
name  of  Christ.  Besides;  The  rising  generation  must  have  their 
day  and  oft'er  of  the  gosiicl.  Notliing  of  the  same  nature  and  extent 
could  be  more  grateful  to  my  spirit,  than  to  find  those  people  sensi- 
bly and  tenderly  feeling  the  ground  on  which  they  stand.  For  I  am 
still  persuaded,  that  many  among  them  would  yet  be  willing  to  fol- 
low Christ  bearing  his  reproach,  were  the  hindrances  taken  out  of 
tlic  way.  When  !  O  when  will  men  be  wise,  and  cease  to  condemn 
Avitliout  a  fair  hearing,  and  to  reject  at  a  distance  what  is  unproved  I 


OBSERVATIONS.  473 

Or  when  will  tliey  cease  to  use  theii*  strongest  efTorts  (o  prevent 
others  fi'om  examining  what  they  have  disapproved,  vjit/ioiit  a  fatr 
trial  ? 

The  very  unfavorable  ?.-.id  un.qenerous  reception  whicli  the  gospel 
found  among  many  at  first,  prevented  many  ollicrs  from  a  fair  litar- 
ing.  The  leaders  of  my  pecple,  said  God,  have  caused  them  to  err. 
The  preachers  who  had,  some  of  them,  promoted  the  revival  with 
great  industry  and  zeal,  and  h.ad  looked  with  earnestness  for  the  coni- 
menccrnent  of  the  latter  day  of  glory,  were  foremost  iu  the  opposi- 
tion uiicn  it  appeared.  Many  fiist  sliall  be  last.  As  soon  as  it  was 
found  tiiat  the  testimony  of  Christ  ran  counter  to  the  core  of  carnal 
<lciight3  and  ileshly  lusts,  the  hue  an'd  cry  of  deceivers,  was  raised 
against  his  witnesses  ;  and^i.ll  were  warned  to  keep  at  a  ^fe  distance 
from  them.  Preachers  soon  began  to  give  back  from  tl>e  light  wiach 
they  themselves  had  received  and  propagated.  I  presume  thou  art 
not  immindful  of  the  sermon  v/hich  one  of  them  preached  at  Cabin- 
creek,  and  afterwards,  by  my  request,  at  Bethel ;  after  reading  these 
words;  "  Ask  ye  of  the  Lord  rain  in  the  time  of  the  latter  rain ;  so 
"  the  Lord  sliall  make  bright  clouds,  and  give  them  showers  of  rain, 
*'  to  every  one  grass  in  the  field."  (Zcci-.  10.  1.)  In  which  he  stated, 
that  Christ  would  come  to  judgment  in  his  people,  and  would  never 
be  seen  coming  in  any  other  manner — that  these  were  tlie  clouds  in 
which  he  would  be  seen  coming — ^i.hat  these  v/cre  the  white  horses — 
end  that  Christ  would  judge  the  v/orld  by  the  preaching  of  the  gos- 
pel and  by  the  power  of  his  Sph'it  in  the  gospel,  and  no  other  way — > 
and  that  the  day  was  at  hand  and  the  v/ork  then  commencing.  I  pre- 
sume thou  canst  also  remember,  v/hen  the  same  preacher,  after  l;c 
had  heard  the  testimony  of  th.e  kingdom  of  God,  that  Christ  cosneth 
to  judge  tb.e  world  in  his  saints,  and  that  in  the  kingdorn  they  do  not 
marry,  went  back  and  in  my  presence  again,  preached  the  old  tradi- 
tiona'y  system  which  he  had  cxplcded  !  One  who  had  preached  in 
the  blazing  light  and  power  of  God  in  the  revival,  determinately  an- 
nounced in  a  general  conversation,  that  he  would  renounce  all  the 
preaching  Vi^hich  he  had  preached  for  an  indefinitely  limited  time, 
perhaps  a  year  or  more,  time  enough  to  include  both  those  sermons. 
For,  said  he,  it  has  just  been  preparing  the  way  for  the  Shakers.  And 
wh.at  was  the  matter,  which  put  the  preacheis  into  such  commotion  ? 
Why,  they  that  have  turned  the  world  upside  dov.'n  have  come  hithci- 
also.  True  enough,  it  was  a  real  preparatory  woik  in  the  light  and 
povv'er  of  God,  for  the  entrance  of  his  eternal  kingdom. 

Two  more  preachers,  after  a  time,  (who  were  present  and  con- 
sented to  the  aforesaid  renunciatifjn,)  who  had  never  given  the  sul;- 
ject  a  fair  hearing,  having  been  early  in  the  ojipcsition,  and  having 
found  sure  enougl:,  that  the  light  of  the  revival  opened  the  way  for 
ti'sC  Shakers,  and  that  many  were  closing  in  with  the  faith,  liave  givcii 
tlicsc  an  eminent  place  among  their  reasons  for  retreating  to  their 
forn^er  ground,  as  the  ever.t  showed.  "  In  a  few  nionthn  moie  he, 
<'  (Richavd  M'Nemar,)  Jol^n  Dunlavy  and  a  great  many  of  the  ]ic(.- 
*•  pic  Vi'ure  cauglit  in  the  act  of  Shalic-i^nt" — (lor  :.s  a  snare  shall 

o  * 


4:74  1?AMILIAR 

it  come  on  all  thcin  that  tlwcil  on  the  face  of  the  whole  earth.  Iluk^ 
21.  35.)  "  In  one  year  more  Matthew  Houston,  who  had  been  ron- 
<<' verted  to  our  church  by  the  Letters  on  Atonement,  became  a  Sha- 
"  kcr  also.  Arc  these  things  not  worthy  of  notice  ?  Who  can  keep 
"  their  eyes  from  the  lic^ht,  however  mortifying  it  may  be  ?  On  thr 
"  review  of  all  these  things,  and  more  which  might  be  menUoned 
'<  we  were  obliged  to  change  our  minds."  (See  R.  Marshall  arid  J. 
Thompson,  P.  23.)  Yea,  and  it  will  be  more  mortifying  yet,  when 
they  have  to  repent  and  change  their  minds  once  more,  and  avow,  that 
this  wild  enthusiasm  by  which  they  about  confess  they  were  obliged 
to  change,  is  of  God,  to  which  they  have  to  come  or  never  see  salva- 
tion, ar,cl  that  their  enmity  against  the  cross  and  self-denial  of  Christ* 
constituted  the  real  cause  of  their  renunciation  of,  at  least  some  ci" 
tliose  doctrines  which  they  now  term  errors.  But  who  cannot  sec 
"he  disingenuousness  of  such  reasoning?  And  what  is  the  result? 
They  have  renounced  the  sentiments  which  sprung  up  in  the  revival 
out  of  the  light  and  power  of  God,  which  the  people  received  there- 
in;  thoy  would  not  be  counted  enemies  to  the  revival ;  but  having 
lopped  ofi"  the  tender  fruit  they  have  lost  the  substance' — the  revival 
vv'ith  them  all  is  no  mCro.  It  has  been  on  the  decline  for  the  most 
part,  since  about  the  time  they  and  others  began  to  indulge  in  their 
opposition  to  the  Shakers  ;  or  rather  declined  faster  then  ;  for  with. 
rnany  it  had  about  done  its  work  before.  Such  revivals  cannot  go 
beyond  a  limited  extent,  in  that  they  are  weak  through  the  flesh.  It: 
is  now  with  them,  reduced  to  a  shadow  or  less. 

One  preacher  in  a  conversation  said,  he  was  more  afraid  of  those 
three  men,  meaning  three  Shakers,  than  of  all  the  other  opposers  to 
the  revival.  But  if  the  Shakers  be  enemies  to  the  revival,  and  their  tes- 
timony not  true,  how  comcth  it  to  pass  that  th.e  people  who  knov;  these 
things,  and  also  know  where  the  truth  is,  do  not  keep  the  revival  ?' 
Or  is  the  devil  stronger  than  God  ?  Or  did  God  send  in  enemies  to 
destroy  his  own  work  ?  Ho%v  preposterous  is  the  mind  of  man !  of 
man,  while  unwilling  to  submit  to  the  self-denying  teachings  of  the 
Spirit,  and  the  cross  of  Christ !  Are  all  or  any  of  these  people  who- 
dread  the  Shakers,  christians  ?  I  trow  not.  Shakers  are  not  built 
on  so  flimsy  a  foundation  as  to  change  their  sentiments,  or  be  afraid  of 
the  doctrines,  or  of  the  light  of  any  people.  Having  renounced  the 
things  which  may  he  shaken,  to  hold  fost  those  which  cannot,  they 
receive  a  kingdom  whic!h  cannot  be  moved. 

Had  1,  with  the  rest,  dctcrm.ined  to  serve  the  fiesh  at  all  adven- 
tures, I  suppose  I  couid  have  fabricated  an  objection  to  some  articlfc 
of  my  former  faiih,  affected  a  conviction,  and  returned  to  the  dcai'' 
f:ca  of  Calvinism  in  whole  or  in  part.  But  what  would  I  hjf\'e  gained  T 
I  should  have  been  enveloped  in  darkness  and  death— Beset  with  the 
distresfiing  apprehensions  of  eternal  death  ;  or  sunk  into  insensibility. 
I  m.iglil  have  had  the  a])probation  of  the  world  and  of  carnal  pro- 
fessors ;  unless  the  judgment  of  God  had  ptirsued  me  so  closely  as 
to  deprive  me  of  that  also.  For  if  the  light  vdiich  was  in  m« 
had  become  darkness,  how  great  would,  that  darkness  have  hern  L 


OBSERVATIONS.  .iTi. 

Tiut'l  could  not  have  enjoyed  the  cheering  approbation  of  a  good 
conscience.     I  could  not  have   said,  w/ica  I  have  done,  I  have  done 

■for  the  sake  of  Chriaty  or  in  simple  obedience  to  God — It  would  b.avt 
been  to  subserve  the  purposes  and  desires  of  the  flesh.  I  have  made 
thorough  proof  of  what  is  called  religion,  or  gospel,  in  the  -woild, 
and  salvation  is  not  known  one  side  of  the  faith  of  Christ  in  his  sccohd 
I'.ppearing. , 

Besides;  as  God  deals  T^ith  people  according  to  their  privilege 
and  the  use  which  they  make  of  it,  before  the  true  light  was  restor- 
ed, many  had  more  justification  and  peace  than  can  be  cxiicrienrcd 
now,  where  the  true  gospel  is  known  and  not  obeyed.     "•  The  tinier 

■"  of  this  ignorance  God  winked  at."    "  And  this  is  the  condemnation, 

"  that  light  is  come  into  the  world,  and  men  loved  tlarkness   ratijci 

^'  than  lisrht  because  their  deeds  were  evil." 


SECTION  HI. 

■The  subject   co?tti?iued-^  with  farther  remarks  07i  tiic  KX'iilnrs  cf  iltt 
Sufierscribed. 

Barton ; 

I  DISPUTE  not  but  that  you  have  received  more  light,  ancl 
a  better  miderstanding  of  the  gospel  and  its  provisions,  than  people 
iiave  generally  had.  You  acknowledge  the  unquestionable  privilege 
of  all  who  hear  the  gospel  of  Christ  to  believe  in  him,  on  the  evi- 
dence and  authority  of  the  gospel,  without  any  previous  renovating 
■work  of  the  Spirit  to  enable  them,  and  so  to  receive  of  his  fulncs's 
and  grace  for  grace.  But  all  this  liberality  true  as  it  is,  cannot  sliow 
■the  way  of  life.  You  attribute  the  whole  to  faith  aione^  as  its  ininie- 
fiiate  effect;  so  do  they  generally  who  oppoae  you.  They  say  by 
imputation,  impartation,  or  application.  These  terms  and  their  con- 
nections you  justly  reject.  You  have  also  undertaken  to  show  what 
that  faith  is  by  which  a  man  becomes  a  christian  ;  and  when  it  is  all 
said,  it  is  a  mei'^  moralizing  theoiy,  by  which  some  would  be  afi'cct- 
■ed,  if  %vell  narrated,  and  some  not,  like  the  other  systems.  Accord- 
ingly, with  but  a  little  discernment,  you  may  find  numbers  w  iio  be- 
lieve these  statements  as  firmly  and  heartily  as  you,  and  yet  feel  no 
iife  of  Christ,  because  the  real  grounds  of  Christianity  are  wanting. 
"  By  faith,"  you  -say,  "  in  the  blood  of  Jesus,  is  not  merely  to  bc- 
"•  lieve  that  he  died  on  Calvary — We  must  know  the  designs  of  the 
"  death  of  Jesus,  before  we  can  be  rightly  affected  by  it.  To  be- 
"  lieve  therefore  in  the  blood  of  Jesus,  i«,  to  believe  in  the  designs  of 
•*'  it  as  well  as  that  it  was  shed — That  the  law  is  abolished — the  new- 
*'  testament,  with  all  its  fulness,  introduced  and  confirmed  to  every 
"  creature — the  resurrection  pi'ocured — the  dark  veil  between  earth 
*  and   heaven  torn    a^Yay — Heaven  opened — life  and  immortality 


4.76  ~     FAMILIAR 

"  l>foug]it  to  U|;Iit — and  the  love  of  God  to  sinners  displayed/'  (A(,i  ■ 
dress,  P.  53,  57.)  And  what  is  there  in  all  tliis,  difi'crcut  frcsTi  cal- 
viiiisiT),  except  as  to  the  extent  of  tiie  jiew  testament  ?  Thns  men 
liave  been  for  centuries,  fabricating  systems,  to  f.';et  the  hearts  of  man- 
kind affected,  tb.at  they  may  be  saved  v.'ithout  living  the  life  of  Christ, 
"who  left  us  an  example  and  said,  Folloiu  me. 

But  you  add  a  litdc  after;  (P.  58.)  "  From  this  -we  see  the  natural 
'^  connection  betv.'ecn  faith  in  the  blood  of  Jesus  Christ  and  sanclifi- 
*'  cation,  redemption,  See."  Perhaps  you  see  the  connection,  as 
plainly  as  calvitiists  see  it  between  the  imputed  righteoii.sncss  of 
Christ  and  the  justification  of  the  elect.  But  I  confess  I  see  no  per- 
fect connection  in  either  plan;  In  the  calvinistic,  because  thcr-e  is 
neither  scripture  nor  reason  to  support  it ;  in  yours,  hccav.sc  you 
have  left  out  amain  link  in  the  chain  which  i?  taught  in  the  scriptures, 
that  of  doing  the  '■d'/ll  cJ'God,  or  following  Christ  who  hath  left  us  an 
example  t!iat  we  should  follow  his  steps.  I  know  that  souls  are  jus- 
tified, sanctified,  and  finally  saved  by  or  through  faith,  and  never  with- 
out it ;  but  not  as  the  proximate  cause  ;  the  inimediute,  procuring 
cause  of  justification,  sanctincation,  and  whole  salvation,  is  obedience. 
"  Ye  have  purified  your  souls  in  obeying  the  truth.'!  "  And  being 
"  made  perfect  he  became  the  author  of  eternal  salvation  to  all  thejn 
"  that  obeyliim."  Atid  this  view  of  the  subject  by  no  means  v/cak- 
ens  the  efScacy  of  faith,  or  delegates  from  its  honor.  It  is  the  sprir  g; 
to  that  obedience  by  v.'hich  men  please  God.  "  But  without  faith  it 
"  is  imjKjssibIc  to  please  him  ;  for  lie  that  cometh  to  Gcd  must  be- 
*'  lieve  that  he  is,  and  that  he  is  a  rewarder  of  them  that  diligently  seek 
'•  him."  But  without  obedience  faith  can  jus cify  none.  "  But  wilt 
"  thou  know,  O  vain  man,  that  faith  without  works  is  dead  ? — Ve  see 
''  then  how  that  by  works  a  man  is  justified  and  net  by  faith  only," 
or  without  works.  "  For  as  the  body  without  the  Spirit  is  dead,  so 
»  faith  without  works  is  dead  also."  (Jam.  2.  20,  24,  26.)  This  wit- 
ness is  true  ;  so  that  faith  can  no  more  justify,  or  sanctify,  without  its 
soul,  that  is,  works,  t]ian  a  dead  body  can  Ii^  e,  and  perform  th.e  ac- 
tions of  life,  without  its  spirit. 

But  you  have  added  ;  (Ibid.)  "  I  am  far  from  tliinking  that  every 
*'  one  must  have  a  view  of  all  these  designs  of  his  blood,  before 
they  can  be  cliristians.  Some,  in  the  death  of  Jesus,  may  only  dis- 
cover the  love  of  God  to  sinnersj,  and  by  this  be  encouraged  to  trtist 
in  him."  But  h.ow  do  they  discover  this  ?  Simply  by  believing  the 
report  of  it  in  tiie  word,  or  by  preaching  ?  for  faith  cometh  by  hear- 
ing. Then  what  is  the  reason  that  all  those  who  unhesitatingly  be- 
lieve this  report,  "  That  God  hath  commerided  his  love  toward  us  m 
"  that  while  we  were  yet  sinners  Christ  died  for  us,"  are  not  oiais- 
tians,  justified  and  sanclifitd  ?  But  many  of  these,  I  conclude  tliou 
knowest,  have  no  more  living  Christianity  thi:n  the  (Icviis  who  believe 
and  trciuble.  You  will  j.-erliaps  say  they  do  not  believe  aright,  or  i;^ 
the  spirit,  or  with  all  tiie  heart.  But  they  believe  according  to  the 
testimony,  or  they  believe  what  they  have  heard,  and  t;n  your  own 
avowed  pian,  this  is  all  you  carv  ask  ;  but  yet  many   of  them    knoy.* 


OBSEKVATiONS.  47  7 

tlicir  souls  are  !iot  s.ifc.  Now  resolve  the  doubt.  lint  I  presume 
you  are  not  unaware,  that  sometliing  more  than  faith  is  neccysary  ; 
thoutrh  you  are  not  able  to  tell  what,  more  than  I  was  before  I  fomsd 
the  everlasting  gospel,  unless  you  would  approach  siill  nearer  to  llic 
Shakers.  These  things  are  written  in  great  fieedom  but  in  reiii 
fricndsi'.ip. 

But  you  have  introduced  a  comparison;  (ibid.)  "  A  lather  pro- 
'•  vides  plenjfuliy  for  a  iart^c  family  of  children.  Some  of  them 
"  may  know  the  means  by  which  the  father  got  the  provisioiiS — 
"  others  may  not  so  well  know,  and  the  youngest  may  scarcely  know 
"  any  thing  more  than  that  the  father's  love  provided  these  things. 
"  Yet  they  all  eat  and  thrive  without  quarreling  about  the  m.eans  Ijy 
"  which  the  provisions  were  obtained."  And  you  mig'it  have  ad- 
ded, that  they  eat  and  thrive  just  as  well,  witliout  kncwi;.g,  at  least 
when  young,  whether  the  father's  love  pro\idcd  these  things,  or 
whether  the  earth  produced  them  spontaneously,  or  whether  they 
came  some  other  way.  Thus  by  your  own  simile,  if  a  good  one, 
your  plan  of  faith  has  tapered  out  tp  a  roixx  xo  point.  And  let 
me  honestly  admonish  you  to  look  out,  that  all  your  labors  in  re- 
ligion do  not  erid  there. 

In  all  your  writings  you  have  r.ot  once  oper.cd,  if  named  p.t  all, 
the  real  grom-.d  of  justification,  or  that  in  which  th.e  life  ,of  Christi- 
anity consij-ts,  clearly  to  the  understanding.  For  the  gospel  is 
preached  to  natural  men,  tp  sinners,  and  tliey  are  to  believe  before 
they  can  be  justified  :  this  is  your  avowed  plan,  and  it  is  a  true  one. 
It  is  therefore  necessary  that  the  proper  and  immediate  ground  of 
justification  be  made  plain  to  the  physical  man.  In  plain  terms  ;  you 
have  never  shown  the  cross  of  Christ.  I  do  not  mean  that  wooden, 
Roman  cross,  on  which  his  animal  body  was  cniciiied  by  wicked  and 
cruel  men.  But  yon  have  not  shov/n  how  he  died  to  sin  ;  for  that 
was  his  death,  according  to  Paul  ;  and  what  is  that  ci'oss  which  be- 
lievers in  him  have  to  bear  daily,  (not  if  perchance  they  meet  v.itli 
it,)  else  cannot  be  his  disciples — a  cross  daily  :  "  If  any  man  will 
?'  come  after  me,  let  him  deny  himself,  and  take  up  his  cross  dcdl-j^ 
.  "  and  follow  me."  '•  And  whosoever  doth  not  bear  his  cross  a?:d 
"  come  after  mc^  cannct  be  my  disciple."  [Luke  9.  23,  and  14.  27.] 
What  is  that  self-denial?  Is  it  practical,  or  merely  scntlmenlal? 
Now  tlicse  v.'ords  of  Christ  have  a  meaning,  and  no  doubt  an  impor- 
tant one.  If  therefore  the  Shakers  put  a  wrong  construction  on 
these  and  such  like  sayings,  they  who  have  the  truth  ought  to  open 
to  the  understanding  of  the  ])eople,  what  is  that  daily  cross,  and  wliat 
that  self-denial  in  which  believers  follow  Christ,  and  by  which  they 
are  distinguished  from  all  the  world  :  for  it  is  irresistibly  true,  accord- 
ing to  the  above,  and  such  like  sayings,  that  they  wh.o  deny  themselves 
;ind  follow  Christ,  bearing  his  cross,  are  exclusively  his  disciples. 

You  will  perhaps  say,  that  your  writings  are  not  on  this  subject, 
they  ought  not  therefore  to  be  expected  to  open  it.  But  in  treating 
on  liiC  doctrine  of  justification,  or  atonement,  it  is  as  preposterous  to 
leave  cut  this,  which  Christ  makes  the  very  essence  of  religion,  as 


478  FAMILIAR 

iov  tb,c  scriptures  to  ric^xr  once  have  named  the  impuiation  of  tht 
lightcousness  of  Christ  to  believers,  if  that  were  the  efficient  cause 
or  grounds  of  their  justification.     But, 

As  you  ha^c  never  taken  the  true  ground  of  justification  ;  conse- 
quently, you  Jiave  no  where  exhibited  in  your  writings,  the  character 
of  a  real  christian.  "  Whosoever  is  born  of  God  doth  not  commit 
"  sin  ;  for  his  seed  remaineth  in  him :  and  he  cannot  sin  because  he 
■*'  is  born  of  God.  In  this  the  children  of  God  are  manifest  and  tlie 
"  children  of  the  devil."  Dost  thou  not  remember,  that  ten  or  twelve 
years  ago,  a  number  of  you  acknowledged,  on  that  very  principle, 
that  ye  were  not  christians  ?  What  has  become  of  that  matter  now  ? 
Would  such  an  open  acknowledgment  of  the  simple  truth  of  the  holy 
scriptures,  approach  too  near  to  the  Shakers?  But  let  truth,  be 
truth,  lead  where  it  may — it  will  not  lead  from  God. 

It  is  indeed  not  to  be  expected  of  one  who  hath  not  traveled  on  that 
ground,  to  describe  in  clear  colors,  without  a  scruple,  the  genuine 
character  of  a  christian,  or  to  lay  open  the  way  to  come  to  that  mai-k. 
None,  abstractedly  from  the  faith  of  Christ  in  his  second  appearing, 
can  direct  inquiring  souls  in  the  way  of  eternal  life.  Neither  can 
they  find  out  the  reason  of  their  incapability,  else  it  could  be  alleviat- 
ed. The  instances,  occasional  or  numerous,  of  some  v/ho  meet  with 
what  is  called  conversion,  under  such  ministrations,  are  no  proof  of 
their  having  the  true  gospel,  but  the  contrary,  for  if  they  had  it 
they  could  teach  it  to  others  with  such  clearness  that  no  soul,  who 
heard  them,  would  fail  through  ignorance  or  inability,  to  find  the 
treasure  of  salvation.  For  what  a  man  hatli  he  can  minister  toothers. 
"  Freely  ye  have  received  freely  give.'''  And  the  way  which  a  man 
knowcth,  he  can  tell  to  another.  If  therefore  those^people  or  church- 
es had  the  true  gospel,  or  had  they  come  in  by  Christ  the  door,  they 
could  open  the  door  and  show  it  to  others,  so  fully  that  there  would 
be  no  difficulty  on  that  ground  :  all  could  get  in  who  would,  on  the 
.terms  of  forsaking  all  for  Christ.  For  all  tiaie  ministers  of  Christ 
have  entered  in  at  the  door,  and  have  the  key  of  the  kingdom  of  hea- 
ven, and  can  i-eadily  open  to  those  who  come  The  key  of  the  king- 
dom is  not  gold  nor  silver,  but  the  knowledge  of  Christ  and  the  w^ay 
of  salvation  through  him.  To  have  the  key  of  the  kingdom  therefore, 
is  to  have  the  understanding  of  the  gospel.  If  Christ  is  the  door, 
according  to  the  scriptures,  and  the  church  the  house,  every  mem~ 
ber  of  the  church  must  know  how  to  get  in  ;  and  those  members 
\vho  cannot  inform  those  who  would  come,  with  such  clearness,  that 
they  can  enter  without  uncertainty  or  doubt,  neither  know  what 
Cliiist  is  nor  where  he  dwells.  This  however  is  not  intended  to 
deny,  that  many  people,  who  have  not  received  this  ii-iith,  have  had 
udcgiee  of  the  power  of  God,  more  or  less,  and  have  kept  it  as 
long  and  as  honestly  as  they  knew  hov.^,  and  have  therein  been  accept-- 
ed  of  God,  and  kept  until  the  day  of  the  perfect  gospel — "  Kept  by 
"  the  power  of  God  through  faith  unto  salvation  ready  to  be  reveal- 
*'  cd  in  the  last  time."  And  with  these  it  has  often  occurred  tliat  the 
Same  degree  of  faith  and  hcncstv  h?.s  been  communicated  ficni  ositj 


^         OBSERVATIONS.  479 

to  another,  and  improved  with  great  zeal  and  fervent  labor,  to  great 
extent,  and  according  to  their  devotion  to  God  in  obedience,  accord- 
ingly has  been  their  prosperity  and  blessedness.  Here  is  some- 
thing more  than  faith  alone  ;  and  yet  for  the  v.ant  of  receiving  and 
cultivating  the  perfect  gospel,  it  cannot  extend  beyond  a  very  limited 
boundary,  nor  keep  vvhereto  it  hath  obtained.  Thus  all  such  revi- 
vals run  through. 

It  would  appear  from  some  parts  of  your  Address,  that  you  utterly 
discard  the  idea  of  christians'  behig  unwaveringly  established  in  the 
Correctness  of  their  sentiments,  or  the  rectitude  of  their  faith.  But 
if  you  would  look  for  a  moment  where  the  charge  fiills,  you  would 
probably  reflect  seriously  on  renouncing  your  present  views  on  t'uit 
subject.  The  charge  of  uncertainty  must  fall,  not  on  human  imper- 
fection, or  fallibility,  which  is  exhibited  to  the  view  of  the  public  as 
unavoidable,  and  thus  becomes  the  protector  and  fosterer  of  uncer- 
tainty and  unrighteousness,  divisions  and  heresies — but  on  the  gospel 
— but  on  Christ  the  author  of  it — but  on  God  Avho  sent  him.  Ac- 
cordingly you  have  said;  "  Upon  the  rectitude  of  my  faith  and  prac- 
"  tice  my  eternal  interests  depend."  (yVddress,  P.  5.)  And  doth 
God  require  rectitude  of  you  with  such  exactness  that  your  eternal 
interests  depend  on  it,  in  matters  of  which  you  have  no  way  to  be 
certain  ?  Doth  it  surpass  the  power  and  promise  of  the  Father  and 
of  the  Son,  who  both  dwell  with  the  true  believer,  to  make  him  cer- 
tain, infallibly  certain  of  the  rectitude  of  his  faith  and  practice  ?  Or 
shall  I  reverse  the  question  and  ask.  Is  it  consistent  with  tlie  truth 
and  other  perfections  of  Deity,  to  leave  a  faithful  honest  believer 
(and  none  else  deserve  the  name  of  christian,)  i'l  any  uncertaintv 
about  the  rectitude  of  the  way  in  whicli  lie  walks,  or  his  faith  and 
practice,  after  the  umeserved  promises  which  he  hath  made  ?  "  This 
"  then  is  the  message  which  we  liave  heard  of  hira,  and  declare  to 
"  you,  that  God  is  light,  and  in  him  is  no  darkness  at  all.  If  we  say 
"  that  wc  have  fellowship  with  him,  and  walk  in  darkness,  v/c  lie,  and 
"  do  not  the  truth :  but  if  we  walk  in  the  light,  as  he  is  in  the  light, 
"  we  have  fellowship  one  with  another,  and  the  blood  of  Jesus  Christ 
"  his  Son  cleanseth  us  from  all  sin."  (1  Jno.  I.  5,  6,  7.)  They  tiien 
are  christians,  and  none  else,  v/ho  walk  in  the  light  as  he  is  in  the 
light.  "  I  am  the  light  of  the  world  ;  he  that  follovsreth  me  shall  net 
"  walk  in  darkness,  but  shall  have  the  light  of  life."  (Jno.  8.  12.) 
So  that  the  confidence  of  a  christian,  as  to  the  rectitude  of  his  sen- 
timents, or  more  properly  of  his  faith  and  practice,  is  the  fruit  of  the 
light,  the  truth  and  the  infallibility  of  God  and  of  Christ,  and  net  cf 
any  perfection,  fallibility,  or  infallibility,  of  the  creature.  But  to  all 
who  follow  Christ,  his  Spirit  and  his  premise  conhrm  tiicm  in  infal- 
lible certainty.  Every  man  therefore,  who  is  uncertain  whether  his 
faith  and  practice  are  of  the  true  faith  of  Christ,  is  in  possession  of 
full  proof  that  they  are  not — that  he  is  not  a  christian. 

Indeed  it  is  no  far-fetched  inference  from  your  writings,  that  prac- 
tical Christianity,  or  union  with  Christ,  hath  no  effect  or  influence  to- 
-.var'is  C3tab!ishuig  the  heart  in  a  good  th.ing ;  "  Being  well  convinc- 


430  FAMILIAR 

<>■  ed,"  you  rsay,  "  of  the  frdlibility  cf  n^ortals— sccirg-  (l.c  fiiictr.a- 
"  lions  uf  great  ai.c!  good  men  amongst  us  IVom  system  to  system, 
"  and  theii  revtiting  to  the  relinquished  system — vie\virjg  the 
<'  c<;nfidence  cf  every  sect  in  the  rectitude  of  their  doctrines,  r.nd  all 
'«  believing'  and  declaring  tliey  are  honest—heai'ing  every  party  pro- 
"•  nouncing  us  wrong,  aud  joining  their  general  voice  against  i;s — 
'•  t^v.-:  icg  tiiese  things  I  determined  to  re-examine  ray  views  of  tlie 
"  go.speh"  (Address,  P.  4,  5.)  1  have  nothing  to  object  against  re- 
peated examinations  and  searchings  after  truth,  imtii  it  is  found  to 
iuli  satisfaction,  proving  all  things  and  holding  fast  that  vvliich  is  good. 
But  sui  eiy  in  these  slateraents  you  make  no  account  of  th?  infallible 
truth  of  the  gospel,  (but  measure  all  by  the  fallibility  of  mortals.) 
i,oi'  of  the  promise  of  Christ  to  his  people,  that  the  liolv  Spirit 
should  abide  v.ith  them  for  ever,  and  guide  them  into  all  truth. 
*>•  And  I  will  pray  the  Father,  and  he  shall  give  you  another  com.- 
"  i'orter  that  he  may  abide  v/ith  you  for  kver."  "  Ilowbeit  wlicn 
"  I'.e,  the  Spirit  of  truth  is  come,  he  shall  guide  you  b-Ao  all  truth'''' — 
"  He  shall  teach  you  all  things."'  (Jno.  14.  16,  26,  and  16.  13.)  You 
might  think  it  disingenuous  (and  I  do  not  desire  to  say  any  thing  dis- 
ingenuous or  unkind,)  to  compare  you  and  your  great  and  good  men 
to  the  heathen  philosophers  and  other  moralists,  ever  revolving  and 
never  able  to  come  to  a  permanent  standard,  or  to  th.ose  silly  women 
and  these  who  lead  them  captive,  all  laden  with  sins,  and  led  away 
of  divers  lusts,  ever  learning  and  never  able  to  come  to  tl:e  know- 
ledge of  the  truth.  (2  Tim.  3.  6,  7.)  But  wherein  do  ye  differ  from 
ti-em  }  But  let  th»  truth  appear.  You  have  not  shifted  your  ground 
so  overtly  as  some  others  ;  you  hayc  aflected  a  more  steady  perseve- 
rance;  bat  you  acknowledge  those  fluctuating,  unstable  spirits  as' 
breliirenand  as  christians,  as  ,g-7T«2r  and  f;-90f/ men,  and  more  than 
implicitly  patronise  instability  in  the  gospel. 

"  JJut,''  you  say,  *'  great  and  good  men  have  dilTcred."  (Ibid.) 
And  h.ow  shall  v/e  prove  that  great  and  good  men  have  differed  in  the 
iaith  and  practice  of  the  gospel  ?  By  tl;.e  same  rule  by  which  we 
Can  prove  that  the  scriptures  arc  a  lie,  "Which  inform  ViS,  that  with 
great  and  good  men,  (if  such  are  christians,)  at  least  in  the  true 
chvirch  of  Christ,  There  is  one  body,  (not  two  ditlcring,)  a;-,d  one 
Spirit,  (not  two  di Bering.)  even  as  they  are  called  in  one  hope  of 
their  calling  ;  one  Lord,  (not  two  competitors,)  one  faith,  (not  two  in 
opposition,)  one  bapiissr,  (not  tw^o,)  being  ail  baptized  by  that  one  Spi- 
rit ir;to  one  body,  one  God  and  Father  of  all,  who  is  above  all,  and' 
through  all,  and  in  them  all.  [Eph,  4.  4,  5,  6.  1  Cor  12.  13.]  But 
not  .'nany  wise  men  after  the  flesh,  not  n-.any  migh.ty,  not  many  noble 
arc  called.  [_  1  Cor.  1.  26.3  But  you  add,  "  Therefore  from  the  Bi- 
"  b";e  I  wish  to  draw  my  sentiments,  and  by  the  Bible  to  have  ihcm 
"  judged."  [Ibid.]  The  same  so\irce  from  which  these  great  and 
g',od  men  v.iio  differ,  say  they  draw  theirs,  and  to  which  they  appeal 
as  the  judge  or  test  of  their  seniimcnts.  Therefore  the  Bible  is  ci- 
ther not  tlic  proper  guide  of  christians,  (not  denying  its  usefuh\css  in 
the  hands  of  the  men  of  God,  in  subordination  to  the  tru;-  rjcide,  .n-> 


OBSERVATIONS.  481 

being  '.vriltsn  by  tho  ir.fluence  of  the  same  Spirit,'^  or  none  of  you, 
who  thus  differ  among  yom-sei\  es,  are  christians  indeed.  And  indeeci 
ii  must  be  a  poor  guide,  when  great  and  good  men  cannot  agiee  in 
the  purport  of  its  instructions. 

It  may  be  asked  if  these  things  are  so,  how  arc  we  to  know  who 
are  rigiit,  seeing  all'  are  so  corikiei.t  ?  I  answer;  Fnxl  what  the 
true  church  is,  and  you  will  be  at  no  loss  to  know  where  it  is,  and  of 
whom  it  is  constituted.  Ti;e  knowledge  of  the  trutii  is  not  "to  be 
obtained  unless  in  that  church,  or  issuing  fronj  it,  which  is  the  house, 
of  God,  the  ground  and  pillar  of  the  truth.  The  law  gocth  forth  of 
Zion  and  the  word  of  the  Lord  from  Jerusalem.  But  to  bring  the. 
Blatter  nearer  to  the  popular  understanding  ;  The  rule  of  Christ  is 
always  good  ;  By  their  fruits  ye  s'sall  know  them.  But  it  is  a  mis- 
take to  suppose  that  proltssors  are  all  confident  of  the  rectitude  of 
their  faith  and  practice ;  although  it  woidd  be  imputing  wilful  error 
to  any  people,  to  suppose  they  do  not  believe  their  systematic  tenets  to 
be  the  best  they  know.  Yet  few,  very  few,  have  I  found  put  to  the  ti  ia!,. 
in  thirty  years,  (for  about  that  long  I  have  been  observing  profess- 
ors,) who  without  a  scruple,  will  assert  their  certainty  c;f  eternal  life 
from  day  to  day.  I  am  not  sure  tliat  I  ever  found  or.e  out  of  the  pre- 
gent  faith,  (and  these  have  seldom  an  occasion,  tiieir  faith  and  works 
are  their  witness,)  except  those  who  do  it  through  ambition.  Some 
say  the  Roman  Catiiolics  are  confideiit ;  and  they  are  alledged  as  a 
proof,  that  clear  confidence  is  not  the  attendant  of  the  true  church, 
or  at  least  no  evidence.  I  doubt  nbtbut  they  assart  that  salvation  is 
not  known  out  of  the  Catholic  church:  But  I  have  not  found  one, 
nor  heard  of  one  in  late  days,  asserting  that  he  or  the  other  members 
are  christians  in  the  present  tense.  Ar.d  weie  it  not  that  their  fiuits 
testify  too  plainly,  that  they  arCj  at  least  in  part,  the  people  who  lave 
the  form  and  deny  the  power,  they  iiavc  in  many  respects,  a  better 
claim  to  being  thetrue  church  than  any  who  have  separated  from 
them.  Cut  what  is  form  and  correct  sentiments  without  fi'uit  to  ho- 
liness ?  Such  people  are  no  stumble  to  an  honest  man,  after  hearing 
what  the  truth  is. 

This  is  a  convenient  place  to  introduce  the  notice  of  another  error, 
■which  is  eminently  marked,  not  only  throughout  your  writings,  hut  in 
most,  if  not  all  the  denominations  of  the  chiistian  world.  It  is  this  ; 
That  they  who  heard  the  apostles  preach,  and  believed,  were  then 
born  of  God,  and  christians  in  the  full  sense  of  the  word.  This  opi- 
nion is  the  source  of  much  ttii  chief.  For  men  read  in  the  scripture?, 
of  these  people  who  were  cslled  by  the  gospel,  among  whom  were 
yet  many  evil  things;  and  concluding  that  these  were  christians,  it  is 
an  easy  inference,  that  people  in  these  days  may  -be  christians  also, 
although  corrupted  in  the  same  manner.  Whereas  with  a  modeiate 
attention  to  the  scriptures,  and  a  just  conception  of  the  gospel,  it  is 
iwt  difficult  to  learn,  that  when  they  believed  they  were  cnlv  entering 
int«  the  work  of  being  burn  as^^ain,  to  the  effectuatif  n  of  wh  rh  they 
had  to  attain  by  denying  self,  bearing  the  cross  aid  following  Christ 
m  the  rcgcncr?.tioc.     They  then  took  en  them  the  yoke  or  cross  of 

?  3 


482  FAMILIAR 

Christ,  and  began  to  learn  of  him,  and  in  proportion,  to  find  rest  fbir 
their  souls;  and  were  supported  by  the  power  and  gills  of  the  Hoiy 
Spirit,  as  many  as  were  found  faithful,  which  jrotected  them,  and 
elevated  them  above  all  opposition,  that  they  migiit  not  be  overccnie,, 
but  according  to  promise,  have  strength  equal  to  their  day,  in  tl  ft 
time  of  heavy  and  bloody  persecution.  As  many  therefore  as  were 
simply  honest  and  faithful,  although  they  had  not  airivcd  to  that  stage 
%vhich  is  called  the  being  born  of  God,  in  which  there  is  ccnipicta 
and  perpetual  power  over  all  sin  in  nature  and  works,  were  owi;ed  of 
Christ  as  his  disciples,  and  were  properly  in  him  thus  far.  And  txt- 
withstanding  that  many  wrongs  and  improprieties  might  be  lound 
■with  them,  while  as  yet  their  corruptions  were  not  purged  out  in  a 
perfect  obedience  to  the  truth,  they  were  treated  in  forbearance,  w  ith 
suitable  admonitions  and  reproofs,  until  by  time  and  experience  tl.ey 
ceased  to  do  evil,  and  learned  to  do  well ;  until  they  were  caj.able  o€ 
becoming,  in  full  order,  living  members  of  the  one  living  body. 

But  that  they  were  not  all  born  of  God  who  had  believed  and  were 
gathered  into  churches,  is  evident  from  many  considerations.  The 
apostle  James  hath  written  the  main  part  of  his  epiatle,  to  |)rove  to 
liis  hearers  that  they  were  not  justified  christians,  with  all  their  faith,- 
because  they  had  not  works.  The  Galatians  to  wliom  Paul  wrote, 
■with  all  their  zeal  and  swift  running  in  the  beghining  of  tfeir  faith^ 
were  in  danger  of  returning  to  Judaism,  or  to  the  beggarly  elements 
of  the  world.  And  he  tells  the  Corinthians  in  plain  teimsthat  they 
-were,  yet  carnal,  and  that  he  could  not  speak  to  thenv  as  to  spiritual 
but  as  to  carnal.  Now  they  who  are  carnal  aad  not  spiritual,  are  nut 
born  of  the  Spirit — they  are  not  in  Christ  in  the  full  sense  of  the 
word— they  are  not  new  creatures,  old  things  havhrg  passed  awjjy 
and  all  tilings  having  become  new,  and  all  things  of  God,  as  he  teils 
those  same  Corinthians  is  the  case  with  those  who  are  in  Chiist ;  for 
carnality  is  not  of  God — they  are  under  the  power  of  death,  For,  to 
be  carnally  niinded  is  death.  [Ro.  8.  6.]  It  is  not  however  to  he  un- 
derstood,  that  they  were  called  carnal  who  bore  a  faitlilul  cress 
against  ail  carnality  from  the  beginning,  or  who  came  to  it  in  hoinest 
simplicity.  But  these  Corinthians  had  not  yet  arrived  to  that  sim- 
plicity. They  were  therefore  carnal  and  walked  as  men,  not  as 
christians,  [l  Cor.  3.  1,  2,  3.j 

It  is  indeed  preposterous  enough  to  imagine  that  they  were  bom 
of  God,  who  lived  in  such  divisions  and  other  disorders,  and  fell  so 
far  short  of  that  order  and  power  of  the  true  church,  which  he 
taught  to  them  and  others  ;  and  who  also  had  fornication  aaiong  thein 
of  the  most  aggravated  kind,  That  one  should  have  his  father's  wife, 
and  that  publicly  known,  and  there  was  not  as  much  Christianity 
among  them  all-  as  could  exterminate  that  evil,  and  Mith  it  all,  they* 
■were  not  humblvd,  but  puffed  up.  Ard  yet  in  our  days,  tlese  are 
accounted  a  chui  ca  of  the  true  saints  of  God,  born  of  the  Spirit,  and 
esteemed  as  patterns  for  believers.  Notwithstanding  there  were 
many,  and  perhaps  some  even  at  Corinth,  who  bore  a  full  and  faith- 
ful cross  against  the  flesh  and  ail  evil,  walkiiig  in  the  simple  Spirk 


OBSERVATIONS.  485 

■of  the  tjDSpel;  who  were  the  church  in  the  true  sense  of  the  word  in 
that  day ;  with  whom  they  who  were  carnal  and  walked  as  men 
could  not  keep  full  fellowship,  but  were  the  outer  court,  or  worldly 
sanctuary,  to  whom  the  enemy  had  access,  to  keep  up  divisions  and 
promote  the  practice  of  living  after  the  flesh,  as  most  acceptable  to 
human  nature,  to  the  utter  oveithrow  of  genuine  Christianity  in  that 
day.  Accordingly,  anti-christ  is  of  the  world,  but  went  out  from  the 
church,  that  is,  from  among  the  faithful.  "  Little  children,  it  is  the 
"  last  lime :  and  as  ye  lia-ve  heard  that  anti-christ  shall  come,  even 
"  now  are  there  many  anti-christs ;  whereby  we  know  that  it  is  the 
"  !?.st  time.  'I'hey  went  out  from  us,  but  they  were  not  of  us;  for 
*'  if  they  had  been  of  us,  they  would  no  doubt  have  continued  with 
*^  us  :  but  they  went  out  that  they  might  be  made  manifest  that  they 
♦*  were  not  ail  of  us."  "  Tliey  are  of  the  world,  therefore  speak  they 
"  of  the  world,  and  the  world  heareth  them."  [l  Jno.  2.  18,  19. 
and  4.  5.1 

This  view  of  the  subject  shows  why  the  apostles  dealt  with  the 
people  as  they  did,  in  all  long  suffering  and  forbearance;  Warning 
every  man,  and  teaching  every  man  in  all  wisdom,  that  they  might 
present  eveiy  man  perfect  in  Christ  Jesus — that  if  by  any  means 
they  might  hold  all  those  who  believed,  or  as  many  as  possible,  to 
the  simplicity  of  the  gospel,  until  they  should  gain  the  point  of  sal- 
vation, or  power  overall  sin,  and  not  be  carried  away  v»ith  the  spirit 
of  the  world,  which  is  anti-christ, as  it  exists  in  professors.  Accord- 
ingly, they  were  reminded  of  that  to  which  they  were  called  by  the 
gospel ;  "  To  put  ofl",  conceiTiing  the  former  conversation,  the  old 
"  man  which  is  corrupt  according  to  the  deceitful  lusts^  and  to  be 
renewed  in  the  spirit  of  their  minds ;  and  to  put  on  the  new  man 
who  is  created  in  righteousness  and  true  holiness,  and  thjis  to  become 
new  inall  respects. 

One  other  subject  I  must  notice  in  this  place.  It  becomes  neces- 
sary, according  to  the  testimony  of  the  denominations,  who  have  not 
the  fiith  that  Christ  has  come  the  second  time,  to  leave  their  present 
standing  and  receive  a  different  faith.  Their  testimony  is  that  the 
day  of  the  Lord  is  to  come  ;  and  with  many  of  them  it  is,  or  has  been, 
that  it  is  at  hand  ;  consequently,  they  are  not  in  it,  but,  on  the  contra- 
ry, if  they  desire  to  see  one  of  the  days  of  the  Son  of  man,  they 
cannot  see  it  without  a  change.  For  the  introduction  of  the  day  of 
the  Lord  must  produce  a  change  in  all  v/ho  receive  him  ;  because  if 
they  had  the  same  faith  and  the  same  understanding  of  things  before 
as  after,  they  would  have  already,  all  things  pertaining  to  that  day, 
but  the  practice,  which  they  might  at  any  time  commence.  But  this 
they  know  is  not  the  case  ;  they  know  not  what  the  v/ork  of  that  day 
is  ;  for  of  that  day  and  hour  knoweth  no  man  before  its  commence- 
ment, and  how  should  he  perform  its  duties  ?  The  people  of  each 
denomination  have  the  perfect  gospel  and  power  of  salvation,  or  they 
have  not.  Those  who  have,  bring  forth  the  fruits  heretofore  stated 
in  different  places  ;  and  may  increase  on  the  same  ground ;  and 
those  who  have  not,  are  subjected  to  the  indispensable  necessity  of 


4U  FAMiLi/a< 

moving  forward  to  perfection,  or  cf  perisl.ing  witl^oiit.  For  God 
will  finalJy  accept  cf  nothing  short  of  perfeclion;  Ec  ye  tlxjcloie 
perfect  even  a^  your  Jr^'alher  in  heaven  is  peifect. 

The  alarniiiig  apprehension,  therefore,  of  ii.novation,  which  systc- 
inatics  and  loiniaiists  so  much  chead,  ar.d  against  which  tl;cy  watch 
with  so  much  assi<h.iity,  is  an  iiisidioi.s  U!i\!ipcr  cf  ti-e  ti.icne  of  Ciod, 
and  an  'enemy  to  the  coming  of  jthe  Loid.  ^V■ithol•,t  cuch  innova- 
tion how  should  Ih.eie  ever  be  any  recovery  froni  the  darkness  of  any 
formal  cr  ai^ti^chiistiaii  religion  ?  But  it  is  conciusiveiy  evident,  tiiat 
tiiey  v/ho  leytify  that  the  day  of  theLoicl,  or  latter  day  cf  gioiy  is  at 
hand,  are  conscious,  tViat  it  iiath  not  yet  ccme,  at  least  to  thtm.  Yet 
this  is  no  pioof  that  they  are  not  moved  by  the  Spirit  of  (jod  in  their 
testimony.  God  sent  John  to  baptize  and  to  preach,  sayii.g,  Repent 
for  the  kingdom  of  heaven  is  at  hand.  Yet  John  was  not  tl^en  in  it ; 
for  the  least  in  the  kij  gdi.n-,  or  gespel  chinch,  v.as  grcatei  than  he. 
Bi!t  such  a  testimony  psoves  ti;at  those  who  bear  it  have  net  the  thing 
in  possession;  accoiding  theiefuie  to  their  own  testimony,  the  woili 
in  which  ihey  stand  must  cease  and  give  place  to  that  whitli  is  greater. 
Thus  Joh.n  honestly  coi  f.ssed  the  ground  on  which  f^e  stood  and  the 
natu!  s  of  liis  mission.  "  And  he  confessed,  and  denied  not ;  Lut  con- 
<'  fesstd,  I  an)  not  the  Chiist."  ''  Ke  must  increase  but  I  must  de- 
"  crease."  (^Jno.  1.  20.  and  3.  30.]  Dost  thou  not  remember  tie 
time,  when  on  a  certain  morning,  at  the  time  of  writii^.g  The  laat  will 
and  testmnerci,  of  the  Spiingfield  pvc-shytery,  cne  of  the  brethren, 
being  in  a  peculiar  operation  of  the  Spirit,  exclaimed,  in  th.y  house, 
Ho  !  this  is  not  the  Christ !  It  is  only  John  the  baptist  1  relating  to  a 
greater  work  to  come.  For  thougi)  Chiist  was  ti.cn  amongst  us,  wei 
knew  him  not  in  the  work  of  full  redemption.  .     ' 

But  as  well  might  John  and  his  disciples  have  rejected  the  testi- 
mony of  Jesus,  and  have  said,  Vv'e  have  the  trutli,  ai,d  stand  in  the 
true  testimony  of  Gccl,  (ai,d  so  they  did,  for  it  was  tuie  as  far  as  it 
wents^  as  they  wiio  have  received  a  measure  of  light  from  God,  to 
let  them  kiiow  that  t];e  day  of  the  Lord  is  at  hand,  and  that  God  is 
about  to  restore  tire  puie  work  of  the  gospel  on  the  eaith,  can  n.ain- 
tain  tlsat  they  aie  in  the  true  a;^.d  peifcct  wtiy.  They  may  plead  that 
they  l)a-e  evidently  haJ  the  power  cf  God  among  them  :  but  that  is 
no  proof,  as  already  shown,  that  they  are  in  tl^.e  perfect  way,  or  lave 
that  v>-ork  which  is  competeirt  tf)  salvation.  For  Jolm  had  the  power 
r,f  God  with  him  ;  he  was  a  Ijurning  and  sijning  liglit,  but  he  was  not 
the  true  light :  he  was  smt  to  licar  witness  of  that  light.  'J  bus  after 
the  apostary  had  jisd  its  day,  and  had  be^un  to  veige  towaids  a  close, 
God  raised  up  many  witnesses  in  the  Spirit  of  the  apostles,  as  John 
had  once  tome  in  the  Spiiit  of  Eliss,  ail  testifying  that  the  kingdom 
ii  at  hand.  And  in  the  nridat  of  tliis  testimony  the  kingdom  appear- 
ed. But  as  John  said,  He  mii^t  increase,  but  I  must  decrease,  so  has 
Ir  been  with  t],em  in  part,  atid  stil!  coi^tinues  to  be. 

But  as  the  first  appearing  of  Christ  was  to  be  mad*  among  the 
Jews  only,  the  Gentiics  having  not  yc-t  been  invited  to  salvation,  <.riO 
pvincipal  forerunner  was  sufficient;  whereas  the  aecond,  or  last,  ap- 


OBSERVATIONS.  4<'5 

pearing  to  those  who  look  for  him,  being  to  incuide  the  face  of  tl;e 
whole  earth,  it  becomes  necessary  that  a  testimony  of  tlie  same  kind, 
be  sent  forward  from  time  to  time,  and  in  (Uvers  places,  to  j.icpa.c 
the  way  of  the  Lord — to  wake  the  people  up  to  »;.'me  care  ai.ci  ic*;  i- 
ing  after  salvation,  that  they  ir.ay  be  in  expectation  of  tlie  coiluiv^  t;f 
the  Lord.  But  as  with  the  teslirnor.y  of  Johji,  so  with  that  of  aii  ti.e 
rest.  It  acconiplisl'.ed  the  work  wliich  it  was  sent  to  do,  and,  in  a 
while,  ceased;  and  those  who  would  not  receive  ti,e  testiniuiiv  oi" 
Jesus  perished,  their  standing;  for  a  time  in  the  light  and  truth  of 
God,  sent  by  John,  notwithstaiiduig;.  So  it  is  with  aii  the  subjects  of 
the  preparatory  v/ork  of  God  in  tiiis  day  of  Christ  wij-jh  has  now 
opened;  all  those  wlio  reject  the  testimcr.y  of  Christ  iii  his  second 
appearing,  soon  lose  their  power,  and  become  fornral  asul  eaithiv, 
scatter  and  diside,  a;id  sliow  in  ail  res[-<ects,  that  nolv,  iths'andiug  thty 
have  had  a  day  of  the  mighty  power  of  God,  they  have  fir.ished  tiieir 
work  and  dons  all  they  c.in  d'>  on  t'nat  gound  ;.  and  that  if  ever  tr.e 
subjects  of  that  day  of  power /Vvouid  fiiid  salvation,  it  behooves  tiicm 
to  leave  the  giound  v/hereon  they  stand,  and  advance  into  the  pci  feet 
work;  like  John  to  decrease,  and  be  superseded  by  that  kiuj^do.u 
which  is  superior,  perfect  and  everiasting. 

An  urgent  argvjment  among  the  people  some  years  ago  was.  Stay 
where  you  are  and  get  rsio;^ — stay  where  you  are  and  get  nur.e  ;  as 
if  more  could  be  had  without  advanciiig.  i  stayed  there  until  I  had 
gotten  all  I  could  get;,  or  s?.vv  any  prospect  of  getting,  and  have  never 
seen  any  one  gain  any  thing  by  staying  there  pjist  the  time.  Svuh 
was  the  language  of  t/;e  Jews  as  if  they  had  said;  Stay  where  you 
are;  Go  not  after  this  inr.ovator.  We  k;xw  that  God  spake  to  P.I(7- 
ses  ;  but  as  for  this  fellow,  v,e  know  not  whence  he  is.  True  enough  ; 
God  spake  to  Moses  ;  and  by  I^ioses  taugl:t  that  ar.cther  should  su- 
persede him.  '»  A  prophet  shall  the  Lord  your  God  raise  up  vnto 
"  you  of  your  brethren,  like  uiito  me;  him  shall  ye  hear."  [Acts  7. 
n7.J  So  might  the  disciples  of  John  have  said  ;  "V^'e  know  that  God 
sent  John,  let  u.s  hold  fast  to  him.  True,  God  sent  John,  and  by 
him  taught  that  a  greater  than  he  should  come  after  him,  to  whom 
he  mast  yield.  So  may  the  society  of  the  Fi  lends  say,  Let  us  stay 
where  Wvi  are.  We  know  that  God  spake  l?y  Fox,  but  as  for  this 
Anna  Lee,  or  he-r  f^llowars  we  know  not  whence  they  are.  True 
enough  ;  God  spake  by  Fox,  and  by  Fox  tanglit  that  the  kingdom 
was  at  hand;  of  course  that  he  had  it  ^t,  and  therefore  must  be  su- 
perseded. Accordingly  this  testimony  of  Fox,  having  done  its  work, 
ceased— the  Frieixls  ha'e  not  their  fcrmer  power.  So  mav  the  Me- 
thodists sav  ;  Let  VIS  stay  where  we  are.  We  knov/  that  God  spake 
by  John  Wesley ;  haras  for  these  Shakers,  we  know  not  whence 
they  are.  True;  God  spake  by  Wesley,  and  by  Wesley  foretold, 
cr  signified,  a  greater  and  deeper  wo-k  than  was  in  his  days,  or  ever 
had  been:  for  which  he  w.is  no  doubt  sent  to  prepare  the  way,  hi!t 
not  to  build  it  up.  it  therefore  behooves  them  also,  if  they  would  be 
saved,  to  be  superseded.  For  it  is  manifest  they  have  not  the  king- 
uo;r) ;  their  day  of  pov.'ov  is  too  unst.'ibh^  and  fleeting.     So  may  the 


486  FAMILIAR 

people  of  the  late  revival  say,  Let  us  stay  where  we  are,  and  get 
more.  We  know  that  God  spake  Ijy  his  Spirit  in  the  revival,  and  is 
not  that  enough  ?  but  as  for  those  who  tell  us  that  Christ  has  come 
tiie  second  time,  we  know  not  what  to  make  of  them,  we  do  not  see 
him.  True ;  God  spake  by  his  Spirit  in  the  revival,  and  by  that 
Spirit  he  said,  'J'hat  his  everlasting  kingdom  was  at  hand;  and  also, 
That  that  revival  would  never  cease  until  the  latter  day  of  glory  should 
commence.  But  the  revival  is  gone.  The  people  who  were  the 
subjects  of  it,  have  no  more  the  spirit  and  power  which  they  once 
had,  as  many  as  have  rejected  the  testimony  of  Christ  in  his  second 
appearing :  little  if  any,  is  among  them  all.  Now  that  revival  was 
either  false  and  no  work  of  God,  (for  it  could  not  be  a  tiiie  work  and 
its  testimony  false,  because  a  good  tree  cannot  bring  forth  evil  fruit,) 
or  the  work  wliich  entered  at  the  latter  part  of  it,  and  which  claims 
the  character  of  tlie  everlasting  kingdom,  is  true.  But  the  revival 
carried  such  convincing  marks  of  the  work  of  God,  that  almost  all 
who  believe  in  Christianity  as  being  a  living  work  of  God,  claim  the 
honor  of  acknowledging  the  revival ;  even  those  who  have  turned 
away  from  it,  to  escape  the  cross  which  was  found  in  the  fulfilment 
of  its  testimony.  Its  testimony  therefore,  that  the  latter  day  of  glory 
would  be  introduced  before  it  closed,  is  also  true. 

This  work  differs  from  all  those  which  have  preceded  as  forerun- 
ners,  in  this  amongst  other  things  ;  that  whereas  they  have  testified 
that  the  kingdom  is  to  come,  and  therefore,  according  to  their  own 
tcsiimony,  must  cease,  and  give^place  to  it,  on  its  appearing  ;  the 
present  work  testifies,  that  the  kingdom  has  commenced,  and  that 
this  is  it ;  and  therefore  according  to  its  own  testimony,  seconded  by 
others,  ought  to  stand  for  ever.  Accordingly  it  has  outlived  all  those 
revivals  and  testimonies  wliich  have  preceded  and  testified  of  it ;  for 
though  they  keep  some  form,  or  shadow,  they  lose  the  power.  And 
this  is  not  all ;  God  will  yet  send  the  s;.me  Spirit  of  Elias,  or  rather 
of  the  apostles,  to  wake  up  the  people,  and  njake  farther  preparation 
for  the  work  a:-d  testimony  of  the  everlasting  kingdom,  which  has 
entered  on  the  earth  for  the  salvation  of  souls.  "  But  now  he  hath 
"  i)iomised  saying,  Yet  once  more  I  shake  not  the  earth  only,  but 
«  also  heaven.  And  this  word,  Yet  once  mote,  signifieth  the  remov- 
"  ing  of  those  things  that  are  shaken,  as  of  things  that  are  made,  that 
"  those  things  which  cannot  be  shaken  may  remain."  The  day  is 
come ;  and  God  hath  begun  to  remove  the  things  which  may  be 
shaken,  as  things  which  are  made  by  the  contrivance  and  wisdom  of 
men,  that  the  work  of  the  kingdom,  which  shaketh  all  things  and 
cannot  itself  be  shaken,  may  remain.  "  Wherefore,  wc  receiving  a 
"  kingdom  which  cannot  be  moved,  let  us  have  grace,  whereby  we 
"  may  serve  God  acceptably,  with  reverence  and  go<llyfear:  for  our 
«  God  is  a  consuming  fire."  [Heb.  l^,  26,  to  29.] 


OBSERVATIONS.  U7 


SJECTION  IV. 


Farther  obse-rvatitms  and  corrections  ;  together  VJith  sundry  matieV'S 
fiertaining  to  the  revelation  of  Christ  in  his  everlasting  kingdom. 

Bartoi?  ; 

I  NOW  come  to  consider  those  parts  of  your  vvtitings, -which 
immediately  respect  the  faith  of  Christ  in  his  second  appearing,  or 
the  faith  of  the  people  called  Shakers.  And  on  your  own  principles, 
you  cannot  count  it  ungenerous,  if  I  point  out  some  of  the  same 
evils  in  you,  of  which  you  so  heavily  complain  in  others,  and  require 
you  to  prove  by  the  scriptures,  that  our  tenets  are  wrong-,  before  you 
condemn  them  and  reproach  us  as  the  degenerate  sons  of  the  pope  of 
Rome.  We  are,  it  is  true,  charged  with  claiming  infallibility,  because 
we  maintain,  (as  the  only  prete:a  for  such  allegation  with  which  I  am 
acquainted,)  that  God  hath  opened  and  confirmed  in  Christ,  the  everlast- 
ing gospel,  which  is  his  perfect  work,  and  infallibly  saves  from  sin  and 
ruin,  all  who  keep  it,  and  that  in  keeping  this  gospel  we  are  saved  from 
sin  and  all  criminal  or  dangerous  error,  and  that  God  hath  made  this 
gospel  known  to  us,  for  tho  use  of  all  men  who  are  willing  to  be 
saved.  If  maintaining  this  gospel  be  to  claim  infallibility,  we  sliall 
not  repel  the  charge.  We  will  bear  the  censures  of  men,  rather 
than  deny  the  work  of  God. 

You  complain  of  a  flood  of  opposition  poured  forth  against  you, 
and  yet  pouring.  And  if  you  bore  it  in  the  simple  defence  of  the 
truth,  without  endeavoring  to  choak  it  in  yourself,  or  to  disguise  and 
pervert  it  in  others,  I  would  compassionate  your  distress  ;  but  as  \ou 
do  the  same  things  of  which  you  complain,  your  calamity  is  not  so 
pitiable.  I  intend  therefore  to  deal  freely  with  your  publications,  on 
those  points  which  I  shall  notice  in  them,  and  with  yourself,  as  a 
professed  christian,  even  as  freely  as  you  did  with  another,  not  with- 
out reason,  when  you  said,  "  Heaven  knows  you  are  wrong."  I  deal 
thus  freely,  purely  for  the  sake  of  uncovering  the  truth,  in  those 
matters  which  ought  to  be  known,  for  the  information  of  those  who 
seek  the  truth,  and  not  instigated  from  the  beginning,  with  any  san- 
guine expectations  that  it  would  be  of  any  benefit  to  you,  or  to  many 
of  your  present  adherents.  For  as  it  is  written  ;  "  Israel  hath  not 
"  obtained  that  which  he  seeketh  for  ;  but  the  election  hath  obtained 
"  it,  and  the  rest  were  blinded  to  this  day  ;"  so  the  people  in  the 
revival  have  not  obtained  that  kingdom  which  they  expected,  hut 
the  election  hath  obtained  it,  and  the  rest  were  blinded  to  this  day. 
Yet  it  is  not  wrong  to  provoke  them  to  jealousy ;  that  if  by  any 
means  we  might  save  some  of  them. 

You  say  you  have  no  interest  in  being  wrong,  (Address  P.  5.)  But 
if  you  have  no  interest  in  being  wrong,  we  more  so.  We  know 
f^odliness  hath  promise  of  this  life,  as  well  as  that  which  is  to  come ; 
but  we  do  not  know,  that  it  indulges  in  fleshly  lusts  and  gralifica- 
dons,  lawful  or  unlawful,  the  rejecting  of  which  is  the  cause  of  our 


4SS  OF  THE  EEVELATtON 

heaviest:  oppositions,  and  the  central  barrier  in  the  way  of  general 
appvobatioji.  But  if  we  are  right,  you  have  an  interest  in  being 
wi-ons;- — .An  inteicst,  for  which  many  have  labored  haid,  at  the  ex- 
pense of  beirg-  v.icr.g  ard  niissirg  the  point  en  v\'hich  their  eternal 
i!ner?sts  dcpi'iid  —  an  interest,  for  which  every  man  and  woman  on 
earin  would  forego  every  other  inheiitance,  until  eternal  things  be- 
couic  ihc  most  important  wit!)  tl  cm — an  interest,  which  ia  the  life 
of  every  man  in  natvtre-^t'.is  interest  is,  to  escape  the  cress  of 
C'hrist -and  save  the  life  ;  '-For  v/hosoever  will  save  his  life  siiall 
"  *u:,e  it,  and  be  that  wi.l  lose  his  life  shall  find  it."  ,  If  you  have  no 
inUrtrst  in heinj5  wrong,  you  mvist  reasoJiably  conclude,  tliat  ctheis 
have  as  little,  especially  those  who  sacrifice  more  tlian  yon,  for  the 
sake  of  beins^  lii^ht.  You  have  not  sacrificed  all  for  Chii'it.  You 
have  res;irved  the  most  precious  of  your  idois.  Ananias  like  yoiv 
held  back  part  of  the  price  with  this  pretext,  that  Chiisi  doth  not  re- 
quire that  part — that  which  is  more  dear  to  you  than  life — more  pre- 
cious than  Chiist.  Was  it  not  in  opposition  to  the  teslimory  cF  Gcd 
borne  to  you  by  his  witnesses,  that  you  told  with  your  own  mouth,  that 
you  felt  a  disposiiion  to  blaspheme  God  ?  It  wrought  in  me,  said  one, 
ail  manner  of  concujjisccnce.  Was  it  not  throug-ii  opposition  to  the 
same  testimony,  and  your  grief  at  finding  srme  of  the  people  likely 
to  buar  ihcir  ctoss,  that  y*u  spat  blood  a  considerable  part  of  one 
right;  or  perliaps  more  ?  And  thus,  wliilc  some  ate  called,  and  obey 
the  cal',  to  resist  to  blood  striving  against  sin,  did  you  not  resist  to 
blood  striving  for  the  life  of  an  idol?  And  have  you  no  interest  in 
being  wning  ?  If  we  arc  right,  we  presume  you  have.  And  none 
lia-e  yet  been  able  to  show  us  that  v/e  are  v^rong,  in  not  reserving 
that  most  precious  jewel,  when  we  make  our  surrender  to  Christ. 
For  it  is  poor  reasoning  to  v,s,  tliat  you  beiuve  we  are  the  people., 
'*^  Who  creep  into  houses  and  lead  captive  silly  women  laden  with 
"  s'ns,  led  av/ay  of  divers  lusts  :  ever  learning  and  never  able  to 
"  corne  to  the  knowledge  of  the  truth,"  because  we  reject  in  word 
and  works,  every  s"n,  and  every  Heslily  lust,  lawful  and  unlawful,  and 
raaiii  1  abidin:j!y  est  lb  isied  i  1  the  Ur.o  vicdgi  of  the  trutln  Our 
logic  tells  us,  that  sucli  scriptures  better  app.y  to  those  who  live  af- 
ter the  course  of  the  world,  ar,d  are  always  more  or  less  in  urcertain- 
tv  ;  or  changing  from  system  to  system  and  then  revetting  tp  the  ic- 
linouishcd  system. 

After  complaiiiing  o^  the  flood  of  opposition  which  you  have  had 
to  meet,  you  add,  "  We  are  not  to  be  driven  from  our  sentiments 
"  l>y  bare  assertions  or  ill  nunn-ed  scurriltty — heretical  names,  or  pa- 
"  thetic  lanientaiions.  These  substitutes  for  argument  have  been 
"  frequently  tried  ;  but  to  me  and  many  others  in  vain."  (Addr.  P.  !.) 
In  the  last  of  yo.u-  reply  to  Campbell  you  say  ;  "  Let  us,  after  this, 
"  ever  keep  iii  r\nnd  that  n)cmgrable  desciiption  cf'  a  citizen  cf  Zion. 
rpsm.  15,."]  '•  He  hackbitcth  net  with  his  tongue,  ncr  doth  evil  to  his 
"  neigI;bor,  nor  taketh  up  a  reproach  against  his  nciglbcr."  Peo- 
"  pie,"  you  coniinuc,  "  in  ti.ese  di-vs  are  as  they  woie  in  tie  days  of 
•^^  .';  •'■'t;;-ah.     The-- h^*c:l  Jercnnah,  anr '"?r'?'^^' 'c  b!?>st  his  veput:i- 


OF  CHRIST.  4S9 

*'  tiQR.  "  Report,  say  they,  and  we  will  report,"  L«t  us  bot  take 
*'  up  ungrounded  reports  any  longer."  Af'er  tfiis^  and  any  longer—- 
After  the  preceeding  paragraph,  in  which  the  most  ungrounded  re- 
ports which  heaven  ever  witnessed  from  a  maliguant  heart  are  liber- 
ally poured  forth  against  an  innocent  people  vrho  have  forsaken  all 
for  Christ — who  have  given  up  more  than  you  have  done  to  be  right, 
and  tlicre-fore  if  possible  have  less  interest  in  being  v/rong— *a  peo- 
ple who  never  interrupted  you,  or  any  of  your  adherents,  or  any 
other  people,  in  any  sense,  except  by  urging  on  them  the  necessity 
of  salvation,  and  claiming  the  privilege  to  freely  minister  the  gos- 
pel, publicly  and  from  house  to  house,  to  all  who  would  hear  it — 
a  people  against  whom  all  hianner  of  evil  is  spoken  falsely  for  his 
xiame's  sake  whose  reproach  they  bear,  and  who  once  bore  for  us 
the  reproaches  with  which  they  reproached  God — a  people  against 
whom  you  can  support  no  charge,  except  what  is  included  in  pur- 
aviing  the  light  of  the  revival  to  the  end,  tlrat  is,  to  the  introduction 
of  the  everlasting  kingdom  ;  as  things  appeared  according  to  oui* 
*inderstanding  as  v/eli  as  that  of  many  who  are  not  willing  to  lose  all 
for  Christ,  and  which  could  not  be  very  far  from  your  own  under- 
standing, if  you  spoke  the  sentiments  of  your  heart,  of  which  I  have 
no  doubt,  when  you  said  your  preaching  had  just  prepared  the  way 
for  the  Shakers  :  and  in  that  you  were  not  alone. 

But  you  state,  that  there  has  been  a  "  Lamentable  departure  of 
^'  two  of  our  preachers,  and  a  few  of  their  hcareis,  from  the  true 
"  gospel  into  wild  enthusiasm.  They  have,"  say  you,  "  made  ship- 
■"  wreck  of  faith,  and  turned  aside  to  an  old  woman's  fahles,  who 
<•  broached  them  in  New-England  about  twenty-five  yearS  ago^ 
■«'  While  we  weep  for  them  many  rejoice,  and  hope  and  expect  tjjis 
*<■  will  be  the  end  of  us  all."  Hut  what  is  this  wild  ent',usiasm  ?  That 
with  which  you  were  more  completely  swallowed  up  than  anything 
you  ever  heard,  until  you  found  the  people  in  the  kingdom  did  not 
marry  ?  Tiiat  kingdom  for  which  you  were  then  looking  and  which 
you  said  had  already  begun  ?  That  Miileunium  which,  when  one  of 
your  brethren  asked  you  to  help  him  out,  that  he  saw  there  was 
some  devil  about  marriage,  you  said  was  just  at  hand,  and  then  there 
would  be  none  of  these  things  ?  For  did  you  not  preach  boldly  that 
Chdst  had  already  come  and  was  in  his  people  ?  And  did  you  not 
say  once  and  again,  that  if  any  man  wants  to  see  Christ,  let  him  look 
at  a  christian,  and  he  will  see  him  ?  and  that  Christ  wo\ild  never  be 
seen  any  other  way  in  the  judgment  of  this  worl<l  ?  But  v/hat  are 
these  old  woman's  fables  ?  These  ;  That  no  unclean  thing  can  enter 
into  the  kingdom  of  heaven- — that  if  any  man  will  be  a  disciple  of 
Chtist  indeed,  he  must  deny  himself,  and  bear  his  cross  daily,  and 
come  after  Christ — that  the  true  gospel  teacheth  us,  tliat  denying  un- 
godliness and  worldly  lusts  we  should  live  soberly,  righteously  and 
godly  in  this  present  v.orld — that  if  we  confess  our  sins,  he  is  faithful 
and  just  to  forgive  us  our  sins,  and  to  cleanse  us  from  ail  unrighteous- 
ness. These  and  such  like  being  the  fables  of  that  woman,  young 
or  old,  bear  witness  t'rat  she  was  a  heavenly  minded  v.oman,  that  she 

Gt  3 


4^0  .    OF  THE  REVELATION 

^va5  indeed  a  lovely  Mother  in  Israel,  and  an  heiress  of  g-lory — qiiit9 
likely  to  be  the  one  who  the  people  with  her  say  she  was,  — the  wo- 
jiian  whom  God  hath  chosen  to  reveal  Christ  the  second  time  to 
those  who  were  locking  for  him. 

"  But,"  you  continue,  ••'  we  find  that  nothing  new  has  liairpencd 
''  under  the  sun  *'i**  Of  the  twelve  who  followed  Christ,  one  proved 
''  a  devil,  and  another  denied  him,  and  all  the  rest  forsook  hiiu  ;  but 
"  all  repented,  except  Judas.  This  may  yet  be  the  case  with  our 
^'  deluded  brethren — In  Paul's  day,  Hymeneus  and  Alexander,  Her- 
■'  mogenes  and  Philetus,  and  all  them  of  Aisia^  made  shipwreck  of 
■'  faith.  If  it  is  an  argument  that  we  are  wrong,  because  two  of  our 
"  preachers  have  revolted  from  the  truth — the  argument  is  equallr 
■'  strong  against  the  truth  of  the  christian  religion,  because  many  of  its 
'*  professors  in  every  age  have  done  the  same.  **  It  is  rather  in  ouf 
"  favor  that  we  are  right,  because  v/olves  always  go  among  the  sheep 
"  for  prey.  These  wolves,  in  sheep's  clothing,  have  smelt  us  frora 
"  far,  and  have  come  to  tear,  rend  and  devour.''  Thus  you  have 
condemned  without  hearing  and  knowing  what  we  do,  and  hated  with- 
out cause,  as  the  enemies  of  Christ  a^lways  do ;  have  used  bare  a.s- 
sertionsy  scurrility,  and  heretical  names,  without  argum.ent,  just  a& 
prepos.terously  as  you  complain  that  others  do  with  you.  Have  you 
ever  shown  to  us  or  to  the  world,  in  this  public  manner,  Vv-hat  proof 
v/e  carry  of  being  wolves  in  shceps  clothing  ?  Have  you  told  them 
or  us,  what  is  the  sheep's  clothing,  whether  a  fair  profession  or  a. 
righteous  life  ?  O  Barton — O  Barton — when  v»'ill  you  be  as  liberal  to 
others  as  you  ask  them  to  be  to  you  ?  Whether  is  this  paragraph  of 
yours,  reasoning  or  scurrility  ?  If  we  as  a  people  are  wolves  in  sheep's 
clothing,  why  do  you  not  show  us  and  the  world  wherein,  and  not  be. 
daubing  about  your  heretical  names,  and  diathetic  lamentations,  with- 
out offering  the  shadow  or  pretence  of  a  reason  ?  All  which  yo« 
have  yet  to  lift  at  your  own  expense.  But  what  do  these  tear  rend 
and  devour  ?  Have  they,  now  in  ten  years,  spoken  a  word  against 
any  thing  but  the  flesh  and  its  lusts,  or  all  sin  ?  Or  have  they  ever 
usurped  or  asked  any  power,  except  the  pov/cr  of  the  gospel  and 
the  person's  own  failh,  to  persuade  any  man  or  woman  to  believe  as 
they  do  ?  And  do  not  you  publiii'i  yourjaith  in  the  most  forcible  and 
engaging  manaer  you  can?  But  these  Shakers  have  disturbed  and 
even  broken  up  some  congregations,  they  must  therefore  be  wolves. 
And  have  not  yon  and  your  brethren  disturbed  or  even  broken  up 
some  congregations  of  other  professors,  often  divided  them,  and 
swept,  not  a  few,  but  many  of  the  people,  and  caused  them  to  be 
rejected  as  heretics,  as  you  reject  us  ?  Are  yc  not  thcreibre  wolves 
in  sheep's  clothing?  But  these  Shakers,  according  to  some,  arc  the 
best  calculated  to  deceive  of  all  people — they  make  the  fairest  ap- 
pearance and  look  the  m.ostlike  christians — they  can  tell  a  man  all 
his  experience  in  religion,  and  a  great  deal  more,  (didst  thou  nbt 
talk  this  way  ?)  they  must  therefore  be  deceivers,  or  wolves.  But 
if  the  best  appearance,  the  most  righteous  life  and  deepest  know- 
ledge in  religion,  be  the  sure  marks  of  wolves,  ivhat  are  the  true 


OF  CHRIST.  49;i 

THarks  of  the  sheep  ?  Ave  they  in  ignorance  of  God,  a  carnal  life 
and  ungodly  deportment,  or  wearing  a  v/olf  skin  and  appearing  just 
like  the  rest  of  the  world,  without  knowing  who  is  a  christian  and 
T/ho  is  not  ?  Let  reasonable  men  consider.  But  these  Shakers,  ac- 
cording to  some,  have  devoured  and  broken  up  many  families.  Yea;, 
true  enough  ;  by  preaching  and  propagating  the  spirit  of  faith  and 
unity,  in  Christ,  many  families  have  united  together  for  the  salvation 
of  all,  in  the  joint  work  of  the  Lord,  as  it  is  written  ;  "  They  shall 
•'  flow  together  to  the  goodness  of  the  Lord;"  and  again;  "And 
*'-  the  multitude  of  tlieni  that  believed  were  of  one  heart  and  one 
"  soul  :  neither  said  any  of  them  that  ought  of  the.  things  which  he 
"  possessed  was  his  own  ;  but  they  had  all  th/ngs  common  ;"  (Actt 
4.  32.)  T.'here  the  rich  and  the  poor  feed  in  common  bounty  and  good 
will,  and  all  other  families,  or  as  many  as  choose,  are  invited  to  par- 
take of  the  same  bounty  on  the  same  principles — ^just  to  confess 
and  forsake  all  sin.  Perhaps  you  may  remember  your  reply  to  an 
opposcr  of  the  work  of  God,  in  the  revival,  when  he  said  it  was  of 
the  devil.  "  A  good  devil  ;  I skould  love  to  have  fcllotvshifi  tvith 
"  him."  These  are  good  wolves  ;  I  should  love  to  be  devoured  by 
them. 

But  I  look  on  thislast  page  of  your  reply,  and  wonder,  If  you 
?wcre  so  far  lost  to  all  sensibilhy  and  reason,  as  to  suppose  that  the 
treachery  of  Judas  for  money,  the  farsaking  of  the  disciples  and  the 
denial  of  Peter  through  fear,  and  departure  of  Hymeneusand  Alex- 
ander, of  Hermogenes  and  Philetvvs  and  thein  of  Asia,  who  forsook 
Paul  to  escape  the  persecution  and  the  cross,  and  thus  made  ship- 
•wrcck  of  the  faith,  bore  any  resemblance  to  oar  case,  who  received 
and  kept  the  faith  of  Christ,  which  involves  tenfold  more  opposition 
tiian  we  had  to  meet  before,  as  well  as  an  infinitely  greater  cross  to 
human  nature.  It  is  true,  similes  prove  nothing.  But  a  man  who 
uses  them  to  gain  illustration  or  energy  to  his  statements,  ought  to 
see  that  they  are  apt.  The  introduction  of  the  above  characters 
jyroves  nothing  ;  universal  logic  forbids  it.  It  gives  no,^inustration  ; 
because  there  is  not  the  smallest  likeness  beivueen  the  two  cases.  It 
can  only  therefore  be  a  disingenuous  burlesque — mere  scurrility. 
It  is  a  pity  a  man  of  your  light  and  reason  should  descend  to  such 
measures.  But  you  had  no  better  v-'eapons.  But  perhaps  you 
thought  you.  saw  great  likeness  to  us  in  Hymencus  the  friend  of  mar- 
riage and  Philetus  the  carnal  lover,  because  they  taught  that  the  re-, 
surrection  was  ah'cady  past,  or  perfected  ;  consequently,  that  there 
needed  be  no  difficulty  in  using  the  bodies  they  then  had  in  marriage 
and  the  indulgence  of  sexual  love  ;  while  we  teach,  near  tv/o  thou- 
sftud  years  afterwards,  that  the  resurrection  is  not  past  yet ;  that  it  is 
afountain  of  deep  waters  through  which  no  man  can  pass,  and  that 
in  the  resurrection  they  neither  marry,  nor  arc  given  in  marriage, 
and  therefore,  that  all  who  come  into  it  give  up  with  marriage  and 
cainial  love  for  ever.  The  judicious  may  discern  how  much  resem,- 
iljlance  there  is  in  the  two  cases. 


49t  6Y  THE  REVELATIOJ^ 

"  But  God,"  say  you, "  has  lifled  np  a  standard  against  thcm,''^ 
(Ibtcl.)  that  is,  against  tlic  Shakers.  And  what  is  it?  This  kind  of 
opposition  which  you  justly  reprobate,  as  being  ir.efTectvial  with  you 
ai,d  others  ?  Or  is  it  the  preaching  of  jon  and  your  brethren  ?  one 
of  whom  would  not  thoroughly  perform  a  candid,  open  conversation 
Avith  one  of  our  preachers,  on  the  faith  of  Christ,  for  all  hii>  religion^ 
because  it  would  stireiy  cost  that  snd  more,  in  the  end.  Therefore^ 
as  in  your  v/ords,  f/iey  Jiij  from  us  as  from  the  face  of  a  scr/ieiit. 
But  why  should  any  man  who  knows  the  truth  and  walks  in  it,  b& 
afraid  of  being  charmed  by  the  serpent  ?  It  is  a  proof  that  such 
people  arc  not  right.  Rut  what  hath  this  sta;:idard  done,  which  God. 
liath  lifted  up  ?  The  people  of  the  revival  have  not  beei;  able  to 
stand  by  ii3  protecticn  ;  they  are  scattered  like  the  Jews  to  the  four 
winds  of  heaven,  and  have  no  more  the  power  which  they  once  had  j 
%yhilst  the  Shakers,  in  possession  of  that  gospel  which  shaketh  all 
and  can  be  shaken  of  none,  are  abundantly  more  numerous  thaii 
when  those  things  were  written, as  well  as  much  moie  like  the  Jeru- 
salem of  God,  compactlxj  built  together.     But; 

No  doubt  you  have  also  increased  in  numbers  ;  and  would  to  God 
ye,  -were  tenfold  as  many  as  ye  are,  and  all  in  the  genuine  spiiit  of  the 
revival.  1  am  not  going  to  count  on  numbers  to  confirm  the  faith,  or 
on  any  thing  else  which  is  aceoiding  to  the  honor  and  glory  of  this, 
■world.  But  I  mention  these  things  as  a  visible  sign  that  God  hath  not 
lifted  up  a  standard  against  us.  1  desire  that  they  vi'ho  are  willing  tq. 
see,  may  see  things  as  they  arc,  and  Ilnow,  as  the  people  are  learning 
more  ar.d  more,  that  no  religion  which  cometh  in  opposition,  is  able 
to  stand  again.st  the  sharp  two-edged  sword,  which  is  put  into  our 
hand  and  goeth  out  of  our  mouth  ;  that  is,  the  gospel.  There  are 
two  methods  now  in  practice  to  keep  from  visibly  failing  bcfoie  it ; 
ih.e  one  is  not  to  come  into  contact,  or  to  avoid  all  free  conversation, 
and  the  othe|^,to  determine  not  to  submit,  true  or  false  ;  and  the  way 
of  God — the  nature  of  the  gospel,  ia  not  to  force  but  to  invite.  But 
I  have  no  feeling  to  contest  the  ground  with  you  in  rcs])ect  of  credit 
in  the  world.  I  should  there  have  no  prospect  in  respect  to  faith. 
For  though  it  will  be  found  true,  that  the  present  work  of  God  will, 
carry  the  pali7i  in  every  thing  which  is  truly  worthy  of  a  rational 
man,  so  that  it  >vill  be  true  as  it  is  written  ;  "  When  a  man's  ways. 
"  please  the  Lord,  he  maketh  even  his  enemies  to  be  at  peace  with 
*'  liim  ;"  (Prov.  15.  7.)  Yet  the  faith  and  cress  of  Christ  will  always 
be  hateful  to  the  world,  while  such  a  world  exists.  For  our  faith  is 
not  of  the  world,  therefore  the  world  hateth  it.  But  your  faith  it 
cannot  hale,  farther  x\\&Vi  as  it  coincides  v.'ith  ours.  As  far  as  it  is  dif- 
ferent fiom  our  faitb,  people  will  generally  bear  with  you  ;  for  in  it 
yon  have  no  death,  no  cross  against  the  old  ntan.  It  is  true,  you  have 
spoken  of  self-denial  in  a  christian.  (Reply,  P. ,66.)  But  what  do  ye 
deny  ?  Not  self;  not  the  old  man  with  his  deeds;  for  yc  live  after 
the  course  of  the  world,  marrying  and  gi\ing  in  marriage,  as  th? 
rest  of  the  world;  your  bodies  are  r.ot  dead  because  of  sin; 
ihey  do  the  appropriate  wovksof  the  first  Adam,  andbrij^.g  forth  th$; 


OF  CHRIST.  4: 

appropriate  fruits  of  the  world  ;  ye  partake  of  the  honors  and  friend 
ship  of  the  world  like  the  rest.  Your  people  fill  posts  of  honor  ar.c 
profit,  civil  and  miiitary,  and  are  therefore  of  the  very  members  o. 
the  world.  Your  Brother,  Elder  David  Purviance,  seems  to  have  had 
110  scruple  of  conscience  for  years,  against  filling  a  place  in  the  state 
legislature,  since  he*  has  lived  in  a  state  whose  constitution  adnuti- 
preachers  to  the  house  of  Assembly  ;  although  some  years  ago,  v.hei 
in  the  spiiitof  tlie  revival,  he  rejected  that  seat,  if  1  am  not  misii> 
formed,  as  not  being  the  place  of  a  christian.  He  must  therefoic  be 
of  the  world,  and  the  world  love  him,  or  they  would  not  appoint  l.i;.; 
to  make  their  laws.  Wlicie  then  is  your  cross  against  the  old  n.i  , .' 
Your  religion  is  accommodated  just  to  his  wishes.  You  may  v  '.. 
Calvinist  like,  of  Christ  bearing  the  cross  for  you.  But  without  s|;i. 
jng  Calvinist  or  anti-calvinist,  Jesus  talks  of  every  one  bearing  his  owi. 
croiis,  and  that  daily,  and  coming  after  him,  otherwise  he  caniiot  be 
his  discipie.  You  may  talk  of  the  cross  of  Christ,  or  self-denial,  in 
the  spirit.  But  who  will  believe  that  a  man  denies  lumself,  or  fol- 
lows Christ  in  the  spirit,  and  the  world  in  his  woiks  ?  Not  one  wjio 
knows  the  gospel.  On  the  whole  it  is  evident,  that  they  who  panici- 
pate  in  these  things  which  are  of  the  world,  bear  no  real  cress  against 
the  old  man. 

Those  things  which  have  been  written  so  long  ago,  I  suppose  I 
should  not  have  noticed  now,  had  it  not  been,  that  in  your  last  publi- 
cation you  have  shown  the  same  ungenerous  opposition  ar.d  the  most 
disingenuoiiS  misrepresentation,  by  which  you  show  that  youi'  former 
enmity,  against  the  faith  of  Christ  in  his  second  appearing,  remains 
intii'C.  And  it  is  not  necessary  that  your  unprovoked  slanders  should 
remain  unnoticed.  You  have  misrepresented  us  with  the  pretext  of 
defending  yourself — This  is  uncandid,  and  to  the  prejudice  of  truth, 
be  that  found  where  it  may.  An  ingenuous  man  will  l<:t  all  other 
people's  sentiments  alone  ;  or  represent  them  as  thcyjire,  accoi  ding 
to  their  own  statements  of  them,  or  the  best  information,  if  their  own 
cannot  be  obtained.  And  if,  on  their  own  statement,  he  can  confute 
ti-.em,  he  is  justifiable  in  so  doing.  But  loathsome  as  our  faith  is  to 
this  world,  it  is  certainly  to  your  disadvantage  as  a  man  of  sense  and 
piety  to  misrepresent  us,  for  your  own  extrication.  If  you  are  con- 
scious of  having  a  correct  understanding  of  the  perfect  gospel,  what 
need  you  care  where  the  people  say  it  leads,  or  to  whom  it  is  akin  ? 
To  have  some  likeness  is  not  to  be  the  same  thing.  .  Some  people 
arg';e  that  our  faith  has  a  resemblance  to  the  Roman  Catholic,  which 
to  many  would  appear  a  strong  argument,  if  not  conclusi\e,  that  we 
are  wrong.  And  what  of  it  ?  That  insinuation  will  not  prove  us 
wrong,  neither  will  it  prove  that  our  faith  leads  to  the  Romans.  We 
have  no  need  to  misrepresent  them.  I  am  not  to  reject  a  truth  be- 
cause the  Roman  Catholics  believe  it.  It  is  my  joy  to  find  truth  be- 
lieved and  error  rejected  by  any  people. 

You  have  said, "(Address,  P.  106.)  "  I  do  not  desig-n  to  investigate 
"  the  doctrines  of  the  Shakers  ;  bat  to  remove  a  frequent  insinuation 
"  aguinst  us,  which  is,  that  cur  doctrines  lead  to  Shakerism.     By 


491  OF  THE  REVELATION 

Shakciiirn  I  undcrslaiul  ihe  peculiar  doctrines  of  that  denomination." 
After  stating  some,  in  your  manner,  of  which  I  shall  take  notice,  you 
say,  "•  Now  to  which  of  these  doctrines  or  to  any  other  peculiar  doc- 
"  trine  of  the  Shakers,  does  one  doctrine  we  hold  lead  ?  Did  wc 
"  profess  to  receive  immediate  inspirations  and  illuminations  before 
"  we  could  believe  the  gospel,  the  objection  would  be  weighty." 
Now  Barton,  candor  ;  O  iov  that  candor  which  you  so  highly  recom- 
mend to  others.  Duplicity  in  the  statement  of  other  people's 
doctrines — bold  insinuations  of  peremptory  falsehoods,  which  cannot 
be  stated  in  the  affirmative  for  the  want  of  authority,  are  poor  means 
for  a  man's  own  exculpation  at  the  expense  of  others.  May  I  have 
t!)e  liberty  to  put  a  construction  on  this  last  sentence,  at  least  thus 
favorable,  that  possil^ly,  through  the  determined  opposition  to  the 
testimony,  so  early  imbibed,  and  giving  full  credit  to  the  envious  re- 
ports, you  might  have  come  to  believe,  at  least  partly,  that  Shakers 
hold  to  immediate  inspirations  and  illuminations  before  believing.  If 
this  be  the  case,  for  your  credit's  sake  and  for  the  truth's  sake,  inform 
yourself  better,  before  you  say  any  more  about  the  doctrines  of  the 
Shakers;  and  wherein  they  agree  with  you,  acknowledge  the  truth, 
and  let  it  have  its  own  weight  and  stear  its  own  course.  But  if  you 
believed  it  true,  that  Shakers  profess  such  illuminations  before  be- 
lieving-, why  did  you  not  state  it  among  their  peculiar  doctrines  ?  Or 
did  you  suppose  it  not  /Teculiar  to  us,  and  place  it  where  you  did,  to 
rcturn  a  well  played  sarcasm  on  the  Calvinists,  by  insinuating  that 
their  doctrines  lead  to  Shakerism,  because  they  hold  to  the  illumina- 
tion, or  a  renovating  work  of  the  Spirit  before  believing  ?  But  even 
in  that  case,  you  had  no  right  to  misrepresent  our  faith.  Shakers 
believe  in  the  illuminations  or  inspirations  of  the  Spirit  in  the  present 
day,  as  far  as  may  be  necessary,'  whether  mediate  or  immediate,  to 
build  up  the  church  of  Christ  and  to  promote  the  gospel  in  the 
world,  and  to  understand  the  scriptiu-es  sufficiently  for  their  proper 
use  ;  but  they  arc  so  f<>r  fVom  believing  as  you  h.ave  stated  above, 
that  they  do  not  believe  immediate  inspirations  or  illuminations  neces- 
sary to  the  salvation  of  individuals,  (otherwise  than  as  the  Spirit 
dv/ells  in  each  faithuil  believer  with  proper  gifts  and  graces,}  either 
licfore  believing  the  gospel  or  after.  Shakers  believe,  that  it  is  the 
undeniable  privilege  of  every  one  who  hearcth  the  gospel  to  believe 
on  the  authority  of  God  therein  ministered,  without  wailing  or  look- 
ing for  any  otiier  work  or  pov.er.  But  the  public  will  soon  have  in 
their  hands  informatioji  enough  on  that  subject. 

If  I  reverse  your  sentences  in  my  remarks  on  them,  it  will  not  be  to 
avoid  their  force,  but  to  get  those  last  on  which  I  design  to  treat  to 
the  greatest  extent.  And  when  I  have  done,  you  may  reflect  whe- 
ther the  wise,  or  less  informed,  are  most  likely  to  conclude  your  doc- 
trines lead  to  Shakerism.  I  cannot  deny  but  there  is  some  ingenuity 
in  your  statements,  as  well  as  duplicity  handsomely  covered,  ajul  cal- 
culated to  conceal  the  true  state  of  things  from  the  weak  and  less 
inrornied.  You  undertake  to  clear  yourself  of  the  "  insuiuation" 
thr.i  your  doctrines  lead  to  'ihakerism.     To  effect  this,  you  stale 


OF  CHRIST.  495 

\vhat  you  understand  by  Shakerism — "  The  fieczdiar  doctrines  of  that 
<'  denomination  ;"  as  if  because  you  do  not  believe  the  doctrines 
which  none  believe  but  Shakers,  therefore  your  doctrines  do  not  lead 
that  way.  But  you  ought  to  know  that  to  be  in  the  doctrines  of  the 
Shakers,  and  to  hold  doctrines  leading  that  way,  arc  two  thinp;s.  But 
that  the  doctrines  which  you  hold,  arc  quite  favorable  to  the  Shakers, 
when  compared  with  those  of  Calvinists  and  some  others,  cannot  be 
denied  by  any  man  of  candor  and  discernment.     For  instance  ; 

Calvinists  believe  that  God,  by  unchangeable  decree,  hath  ordain- 
ed all  thinp-s  to  be  just  as  they  come  to  pass,  and  that  the  eternal  con- 
dition of  every  man  is  unalterably  fixed  without  respect  to  Ms  cha- 
racter or  works.  This  doctrine  you  deny — So  do  the  Shakers.  Cal- 
vinists and  some  others  hold  the  doctrine  of  surety  righteousness,  and 
surety  payment,  and  that  the  righteousness  of  Christ  is  transfcn-ed, 
or  imputed  to  tlie  elect,  or  to  believers,  for  their  jusliHcation.  But 
this  doctrine  of  suretiship  on  which  all  these  things  depend,  you  re- 
ject with  all  its  consequences — So  do  tlic  Shakers.  Calvinists  be- 
lieve that  the  regenerating  work  of  the  Spirit  is  necessary  in  evei  y 
one  to  enable  him  to  believe  the  gospel.  This  you  deny,  and  main- 
tain that  a  sinner  is  capable  of  faith  in  Christ  previously  to  regenera- 
tion, or  the  gifts  of  the  Spirit,  because  tlie  Spirit  is  received  through 
faith — So  do  the  Shakers.  Calvinists  and  others  also  lio!d,that  there 
are  three  distinct  persons  in  Deity.  Tins  you  deny — And  so  do  tlie 
Shakers.  Those  also  hold  that  Jesus  Christ,  the  Son  of  Ciod,  is  true 
and  very  God,  the  same  in  substance  with  the  Fatlier.  This  you 
deny,  and  believe  that  he  is  a  creature,  and  that  his  divinity  consists 
in  the  principle  that  the  fulness  of  the  Godhead,  or  Deky,  dwelt  in 
him  bodily — So  do  the  Shakers.  Calvinists,  generally,  and  with  ab- 
horrence, reject  dancing  from  the  worship  of  God;  which  ye.  ap- 
prove and  practise — So  do  the  Shakers.  In  these  and  ether  things 
ther£  is  no  just  ground  of  contention  between  us.  And  it  is  strange 
if  your  doctrines  do  not  lead  towards  Shakerism,  when  Shakers  »nd 
you  agree  in  so  many  points  which  are  rejected  by  others,  more  than 
those  in  which  others  and  you  agree,  and  which  the  Shakers  reject. 
I  know  you  are  not  a  Sliakcr.  I  suppose  the  Shakers'  full  illustra- 
tion of  some  of  these  points  might  be  too  hot  for  you  to  swallow. 
Besides;  Shakers  believe  matters  which  you  disbelieve.  I  ki-ow 
also,  that  you  are  not  disentangled  from  Calvinism,  although  you  dis- 
card the  greater  part  of  it  in  words,  and  have  in  the  Letters  effectu- 
ally refuted  it  past  recovery.  But  to  be  completely  unfettered,  yoit 
never  v/ill,  until  you  be  a  partaker  of  the  faith  of  Christ  in  his  second 
appearing.  For  it  is  true,  as  Calvinists  say,  that  there  is  no  place  to 
stand  betu'cen  them  and  us.  After  rejecting  the  Calvinist  doctrines 
which  you  have  rejected,  particularly  that  of  duretu  righteouanefm 
im/iuted.yow  only  need  an  open  and  hearty  acknowledgment  of  those 
practical  words  of  Christ,  "  If  any  man  will  come  after  me,  let  him 
•'  deny  himself  and  take  up  his  cross,  and  follow  me,"  to  preponde- 
rate swiftly  towards  the  Shakers.  And  is  it  not  highly  probable  that 
you  had  been  with  them  before  now,  had  you  not  rejected  your  own 


: :  OF  THE  REVELATION 

Iio-ht,  ^vhicli  j'-ou  had  received  of  God  in  the  revival,  vphich  had  been 
ji.st  preparing  the  way  for  the  Shakers,  especially  such  as  that  which 
you  roinistcred  in  that  sermon,  in  which  you  taught  that  Christ  would 
conic  to  jwdi^nient  in  the  people,  and  in  no  other  way  ?  Was  net 
that  doctrine  leading  towards  Shakerism  ?  And  did  it  spring  fron\ 
the  commonly  received  doctrines,  or  from  the  same  source  whence 
also  sprung  your  other  doctrines  which  formal  professors  opp(;se  i 
And  from  what  source  did  it  spring ;  from  the  commonly  received 
d(;ctrir.es,  or  from  the  same  source  of  your  other  oifensive  doctrines, 
that  you  maintained  tlic  proriety  of  a  community  of  interests  and  of 
living,  in  the  christian  church  ?  and  that  to  your  shame  the  Sl.akevs 
had  the  lead  of  you  in  that  respect  ?  Did  you  not  preach  it  holdiy,  aiid 
argue  that  you  could  then  send  out  preachers  free  from  the  incum- 
brance of  a  family?  And  did  you  not  persist  in  those  views  until 
some  began  to  insinuate  that  that  plan  led  to  Shakerism  ?  and  did  you 
not  then  turn  back  and  oppose  what  you  had  maintained  as  truth  ? 
And  has  not  this  been  your  continued  method  of  evading  the  truth, 
to  preserve  the  flesh,  since  ever  the  cross  of  Christ  presented  itself 
T)!'  your  cruciii.cion  ?  As  "  I  cannot  dig,  (can  get  no  deeper  into  the 
'  revival  to  be  supported  in  spirit  there,)  to  beg  I  am  ashamed,  (to 
'     vo  back  to  Calvinism,  after  such  a  mortal  wound  as  you  have  given, 

',  1  beg  for  quarters,)  I  have  resolved  what  to  do,  that  when  I  am 
>-  piit  oat  of  the  stewardship,  they  may  receive  me  into  their  houses." 
A  :^  omniodate  matters  by  degrees. 

!?ut  befo'e  I  examine  all  your  statements  of  our  doctrines,  I  feel 
i  iclincd  to  help  you  to  an  cclaircissement  of  a  proposition  which 
seems  to  be  used  to  confirm  the  insinuation,  that  your  doctrines  lead 
to  Siiakerism.  "  But  it  is  said,  that  the  most  of  those  who  joined 
''  the  Sliakers  Avere  of  our  communion.  *  *  *  But  I  would  ask, 
'•  who  were  the  people  who  joined  them  in  such  m-ultitudcs  in  the 
"  eastern  states  some  years  ago  ? — We  did  not  then  exist  as  a  pco- 
"  pie."  i^Ibid.)  Yea,  but  a  people  much  in  your  situation  did  ;  that 
is,  in  the  situation  in  which  you  were  when  the  first  witnesses  came 
to  this  country — a  people  v/ho  had  been  the  subjects  of  a  noted  re- 
vival, and  were  v.-aiting  for  the  kingdom  of  God,  in  full  expectation 
l.hat  it  was  at  hand — a  people  who  v/ere  led  by  the  power  of  God  in 
that  revival,  forward  of  the  denominations,  to  be  in  a  waiting  posture 
for  the  Bridegroom.  And  should  you  ever  see  another  revival, 
equal  to  the  former,  in  this  or  any  other  country,  you  will  find  that 
the  subjects  of  it  will  again  join  the  Shakers,  or  in  other  words,  take 
up  their  cross  and  follov/  Christ  in  the  path  of  self-denial,  and  then 
tlic  world  will  hate  thet:i  and  call  them  Shakers.  And  should  you 
never  sec  another  general  revival ;  yet  it  will  be  true,  and  if  you  will 
be  libeial  enough  to  inquire  into  the  reason  of  things,  you  may  sec 
it  with  your  eyes,  and  understand  it  with  your  heart,  that  all  souls 
who  become  heartily  willing  to  have  Christ  and  his  salvation,  at  the 
expense  of  all  carnal  things,  as  soon  as  they  get  opportunity,  will 
nnitc  with  the  Shakers  and  follow  Christ  beating  their  cross.,  that  is- 
bis  yoke. 


OF  CHRIST.  497 

.  But  to  return  to  what  you  say  are  the  peculiar  doctniies  oi"  the 
Shakers.  "They  deny,"  say  you,  "  the  resai'rection  of  the  body 
*'  ffoni  the  dead,  or  from  the  grave — they  hoid  to  auricular  confes- 
<'  sion  of  sins."  On  these  points  I  shall  not  contest  your  statement. 
The  public  have  been  furnished  witii  some  information  respecting 
our  reasons,  and  the  nature  of  our  faith  on  thobc  points,  and  will  b>i 
with  more — Perhaps  you  have  forgotten  the  spirit  of  op^-n  (-onfcs- 
sion  which  appeared  in  the  revival,  in  several  instances. 

You  say,  "  They  forbid  to  marry."  This  assertion  is  not  correct. 
Shakers  do  not  marry  ;  that  they  may  follow  Christ ;  and  that  they 
have  his  example;  and  that  he  taught  his  people  to  follow  hini,  as 
well  as  that  he  left  us  an  example,  that  wc  should  follow  his  step;;, 
you  cannot  deny.  You  and  your  people  marry  after  the  course  of 
this  world,  or  the  first  Adam,  and  yet  presume  to  be  f  jllowers  of 
Christ.  Shakers  teach  that  mariiage  is  a  cjvil  right  of  tlic  world. 
and  not  a  christian  institution,  and  that  according  to  the  laith.  and  ex- 
ample of  Christ  as  well  as  his  doctrine,  it  is  not  the  part  of  a  follower 
of  Christ  to  marry,  yet  lei.ve  it  with  all  men  to  do  that  h.y  which  they 
can  live  most  acceptably  to  God  and  their  own  consciences.  But  wo 
are  satisfied,  and  no  man  hath  yet  been  able  to  show  us  that  we  arc 
mistaken,  when  we  say,  that  neither  we,  nor  any  other  people,  can 
walk. in  the  Spirit,  and  live  at  th.e  same  time,  after  the  course  of  thin 
world.  May  I  once  more  refer  you  to  your  own  words,  and  pray 
you  to  be  consistent  with  yourself.  (Address,  P.  5,  G.)  »  Should 
"  any  say  we  deny  their  explanation  of  such  doctrines,  they  v/ould 
"  speak  correctly."  Had  you  said  the  Siiakers  deny  that  marriage 
is  according  to^  the  exannile  or  faith  of  Christ,  and  believe  it  has 
no  place  in  the  kingdom  of  God,  or  gospel  church,  you  v/ould  have 
been  correct.  But  this  v/onld  have  been  acknov.dedging  too  much 
truth  with  the  Shakers.  It  is  a  pity  that  a  man  who  has  assumed  the 
name  of  a  christian,  should  not  exercise  the  same  candor  towards 
others,  which  he  claims  of  others  towards  himself. 

But  another  docti'ine,  you  say,  is,  '-That  the  final  judgment  i-; 
"  come  and  going  on  by  the  Shakers."  This  statement  is  lame,  and 
calculated  to  make  false  impressions,,  for  the  want  of  something  ex- 
planatory. That  the  judgment  hath  commenced,  and  t'ni  we  have 
fo and  and  obeyed  the  gospel  by  v/hicii  God  is  judging,  and  eventu- 
ally will  judge,  not  only  us  who  have  njw  lielieved,  bu  all  other 
men,  we  will  not  denv — this  is  our  faith.  But  human  nature  is  as  it 
has  been,  enmity  against  God.  No  message  has  ever  beeii  sent  from 
God  to  increase  the  knov.-ledge  of  his  name  or  worship,  but  the :\^ 
were  some  to  oppose  and  misrepresent  it.  »  Report,  say  they,  and 
"  wc  will  report."  "  But  the  disciple  is  not  above  his  master,  nor 
"  the  servant  above  his  Lord.  It  is  enougli  for  the  discinle  that  he 
"  be  as  his  master;  and  the  servant  as  his  Lord."  We  need  not 
therefore  expect  to  escape  mir.representation.  And  again  said  Je- 
s-is;  "  I  am  come  in  my  Father's  name,  and  ye  rec-ive  me  not;  if 
"  another  shall  come  in  his  own  name,  him  ye  wi!!  receive."  (Jno. 
«;,  43.)     If  th''  les!inionv  were  according  to  the   desires  of  iru;).!,  it 


498  OF  THE  REVELATION 

would  be  received.  It  has  perpetually  been  represented  as  thovrgh 
the  Shakers  want  to  claim  the  work  as  being-  their  own — that  the/ 
run  beibre  God  and  aim  to  take  the  work  oi;t  of  his  hands  notwith- 
standing that  their  testimony  uniformly  is,  That  God  is  the  judge  of 
all,  and  they  are  his  witnesses — that  Christ  is  come  to  judge  the 
world  according  to  the  gospel,  or  that  Word  which  he  said  would 
judge  them  in  the  last  day ;  and  they  are  his  witnesses  to  the  people 
— that  the  time  is  come  that  judgment  must  begin  at  the  house  o£ 
God — and  that  now  is  the  judgment  of  this  world,  and  now  shall  the 
prince  of  this  world  be  cast  out ;  and  that  in  all  these  thUigs  tliey  are 
witnesses  to  the  people. 

Now  in  these  things  we  may  discover,  that  the  judgment  is  not  to 
destroy  the  lives  or  souls  of  men,  but  to  judge  and  cast  out  the  prince- 
of  this  world,  that  is  the  devil,  and  that  all  souis  who  will  submit  to 
the  judgment  and  freely  cast  out  the  prince,  or  spirit  of  this  world, 
that  spirit  that  now  worketh  in  the  children  of  disobedience;  mav  he 
saved,  and  Become  also  witnesses  of  God  and  of  his  righteous  judg- 
ment, and  helpers  of  the  Lord  against  the  mighty,  and  thus  all  join 
issue  with  God  against  the  nature  of  evil  i  none  being  finally  con- 
demned only  those  who  refuse  to  submit.  And  farther,  it  is  evident 
according  to  this  doctrine,  that  the  \\''ork  of  the  judgment,  and  the 
privilege  of  being  witnesses  for  God  in  the  judgment  cf  the  wicked, 
is  not  arrogated  by  a  few,  or  by  any  number  whatever,  as  though 
they  thought  themselves  any  better  than  other  people,  or  in  any  pe- 
culiar sense  the  favorites  of  heaven,  to  the  disadvantage  or  degrada- 
tion of  others,  but  the  testimony  of  God  which  they  have  received,  is 
equally  held  out  to  all,  and  with  equal  privilege.  The  true  state- 
ment therefore  is,  that  God  hath  begun  to  call  the  world  to  a  final 
settlement,  or  tti  judgment,  and  that  as  fast  as  the  people  ccme  to  a 
settlement  of  their  accounts,  they  are  called  Shakers.  You  and  the 
rest  of  the  world  may  exclaim,  that  we  are  deceived  and  have  a 
devil;  but  we  can  reply,  in  the  words  and  Spirit  of  our  meek  and 
patiept  Master,  We  have  not  a  devil ;  but  we  honor  our  Father  ar.<i- 
our  Master.  Satan  is  not  divided  against  satan,  and  Which  of  you- 
convinceth  ffs  cf  sin,  in  the  faith  which  we  have  against  it  ?  "  They 
"  never  yet  have  d»ne  it;  and  if  wc  may  guess  their  I'nturc  success, 
<'  by  their  former  efforts,  I  almost  conclude  th.cy  never  can.  It  is 
"  easier  to  declaim  against  some,  doctrines  tlian  to  refute  them. 
»'  Many  have  chosen  the  former,  and  have  gained  their  poiiit  with  the 
"unthinking  and  prejudiced."  (aA.ddress,  P,  61.)  But  the  truth  v.ilL 
stand. 

You  say  Shakers  teach,  "  That  Chiist  has  ccme  t!;c  second  time 
"  in  Ann  Lees,  without  sin  unto  salvation — that  v.e  are  now  to  obtain 
"  salvation  by  Ann  Lees  and  not  by  Jesus  of  Nazareth."  I  take 
lhe.se  sentences  together,  as  bring  intimately  connected,  that  I  n)ay 
consider  them  with  the  less  labor.  There  is  enough  written,  and  i« 
the  hands  of  the  public,  to  have  informed  you  better  than  you  have 
here   stated.     But  perhaps  yoiu"   prejudice    vzn  tco   high  to  let  you' 


OF  CHRIST.  499 

read.     It  is  more  agreeable  to  the  carnal  mind  to  live  on  the  A'ague 
reports  of  the  enemy,  than  to  come  to  the  knowledge  of  the  truth. 

According  to  your  statement,  the  faith  of  the*  Shakers  is  to  set 
Jesus  Chi'ist  aside  from  being  the  author  of  salvation,  and  the  salva- 
tion of  God  to  the  ends  of  the  earth.  On  that  principle  they  must 
be  fools  in  the  extreme,  to  suffer  as  much  opposition  as  they  do,  or 
have  done,  for  the  sake  of  keeping  the  faith  of  Jesus  of  Nazareth ; 
to  stripes  often  ;  to  bonds  and  imprisonment  in  some  cases;  to  the 
destruction  of  much  property  by  the  burning  of  barns  and  the  like  ; 
and  all  because  they  keep  the  faith  of  Christ,  from  whom,  according 
to  you,  they  expect  no  salvation,  consequently  no  reward.  Besides 
the  daily  cross  which  they  bear,  and  the  self-denial,  which  to  you  are 
more  tlian  death,  together  with  the  universal  torrent  of  opposition 
from  the  corruption  of  the  whole  world;  and  all  for  Christ  whom 
they  esteem  as  nothing — no  Savior.  That  wom.an  also,  of  whom 
you  speak,  as  the  supplanter,  or  substitute  of  Jesus,  must  Iravebeen 
a  most  tremendous  fuel  indeed,  to  have  suffered  such  things,  and 
much  more  tiian  any,  to  support  the  character,  cross  and  ♦faith  of 
Christ,  if  she  counted  herself  able  to  save  without  him.  I  wonder 
how  such  a  woman  as  you  say  she  Avas,  could  gather  so  many  people 
to  receive  Jicr  testimony  which  is  so  offensive  to  human  nature,  thou 
thyself  being  witness;  people  too  who  have  been  waiting  for  the 
salvation  of  God  for  years,  and  have  undergone  more  pain  and  distress 
about  that  one  th.ing  than  all  others — a  people,  many  of  whom  were 
led  forth  to  wliere  her  testimony  found  them,  by  that  revival  and  that 
manner  of  prcaciiing  in  which  you  were  once  a  bold  laborer.  And 
-I  wonder  how  such  dupes  as  could  be  led  by  such  a  woman,  arc  able 
to  live  together  in  a  society,  (for  great  wisdom,  either  human  or  di- 
vine, is  necessary  to  govern  mankind  in  close  connection  ;  something 
more  than  common  fools  possess  ;)  and  not  only  in  society,  but  in  the 
best  order  and  under  the  best  regulations  of  any  people  on  earth ; 
to  the  admiration  of  the  beholders,  and  confounding  of  the  wisest 
men  on  earth  ;  (hath  not  God  made  foolish  the  wisdom  of  this 
vorld  ?  "  For  it  is  writtea,  I  will  destroy  the  wisdom  of  the  wise, 
•'  and  will  bring  to  nothing  the  understanding  of  the  prudent ;")  to 
the  terror  also  of  anti-christians  whose  consciences  are  aw^ke,  be- 
cause they  fee]  that  these  foolish  people  have  the  fear,  knowletlge 
•end  powerful  presence  of  God,  in  a  manner  or  degree  which  they 
never  experienced.  As  thou  also  knowest,  that  the  only  way  for  thee 
io  escape  the  terror  of  death,  is  to  keep  well  out  of  the  Shakers' 
reach  ;  because  to  be  familiar  or  accessible  with  them  on  the  affairs 
of  the  gospel  of  Christ,  the  sharp  two-edged  sword  which  §oeth  out 
6'i  their  mouth,  would  goad  thy  religion  out  of  thy  soul.  That 
which  cannot  be  shaken,  shaketh  all.  The  foolishness  of  God  is 
v/iser  than  men. 

But  how  did  you  find  out  that  the  Shakers  expect  salvation  by 
Anna  Lee  and  not  by  Jesus  of  J\razareth  ?  By  the-same  rule  which 
a  man  would  take  to  find  out  that  Paul  expected  salvation  by  Ananias 
•and  not  by  Jesus  of  Nazareth.     For  Paul  was  not  afraid  nor  asliemcd 


500  OF  THE  REVELATION 

!o  ackno'wiedge  before  the  wcrlcl,  Ihat  Ananias  ininistcTed  to  hiioQ 
Christ,  and  told  liim  uJiat  \vas  appointed  for  him  to  do;  so  neither  d6 
the  Shakers  fear  or  refuse  to  acknowledge,  as  they  have  published  to' 
the  \vcrjd,  that  Anna  Lee  did  minister  to  them  Clirist,  and  teach 
iliem  the  way  of  God  in  ?.!!  th,inf!;s,  in  subjection  and  subordination  to 
jes'.is  Christ  her  Lord  nnd  Master,  whom  she  ever  acknowledged, 
and  for  whom  she  suffered  the  loss  of  aji  thinii;s,  and  endured  the 
reproaclies,  the  hat'/ed  and  the  persecution  of  this  evil  world,  as  her 
children  also  do  to  this  day,  for  his  name's  sake.  But  can  you  pro- 
duce any  writings  of  theirs,  any  authentic  documents  to  sliow  that 
they  ever  bore  such  a  testimony,  or  intimated  such  a  thought,  as  sal- 
vation by  Anna  Lee  Avithout  Jesus  Christ  i*  whom  you  and  Pilate 
have  called  Jesus  of  Nazareth ;  which  name  you  seem  to  have 
adopted,  (not  tbut  there  is  any  real  evil  in  the  term.  See  Acts  3.  6, 
and  10.  2,  S.)  for  the  sole  purpose  of  keeping  the  anointing  Spirit, 
which  constituted  him  the  Chiist,  as  far  out  of  sight  and  as  deeply 
vailed  in  humanity  as  practicable,  that  you  might  exclude  the  possi- 
bility of  his  being  revealed  according  to  the  order  of  God  in  the  pre- 
sent day.  But  all  such  attempts  will  prove  abortive.  Must  I  once 
inoic  refer  you  to  your  own  lessons,  that  you  may  study  them,  and 
learn  to  state  olhcr  people's  doctrines  as  they  state  them,  and  to  look 
into  all  their  reasons  ?  and  then  if  you  can  refute  them  do  so. 

But  it  is  easier  to  declaim  than  to  refute.  (Addres,  P.  61.)  Per- 
haps that  was  tiie  reason  that  one  of  your  brethren  extlaimed  as  it 
is  said  he  did,  und  with  Paul,  I  at  least  partly  believe  it.  "  T/iat, 
"  'iiio7i!an  Gcd  my  soul  abHors."  And  v.liat  would  ye  think  cf  a 
man  God?  Or  do  ye  suppose  that  God  is  anymore  in  the  shape 
of  a  man  than  of  a  wonian  ?  Or  that  there  is  any  more  inconsiaten-r 
cy  in  the  revL-Iation  of  the  Spirit  or  Word  cf  Gcd  in  a  woman  tl  aa 
a  man  ?  Or  do  ye  account  a  woman  too  inferior  a  being-  for  Gcd  to 
take  any  notice  of  her,  or  give  her  any  part  in  the  work  of  redemp- 
tion, being  fit  for  nothing  I)ut  the  gratification  of  the  lust  of  con.cupi-> 
r.cence  m  carnal  men  f  You  may  estecin  the  foregoing  intolerably 
satiricfwl ;  but  whether  it  be  nlore  so  than  your  own  language  calls 
for,  or  whether  it  be  not  the  most  eligible  kind  of  reply,  they  whd 
sqe  both  may  determine.  What  is  more  unpardonable  in  a  writer^ 
than  thus  barefacedly  to  misrepresent  the  faith  of  others  ?■  U  is  r> 
pity,  Barton,  that  you  should  act  the  sianie  part  against  us,  which  Iief 
acted  against  yoii,  to  whom  you  justly  replied,  "  Ileavet:  /cncws  you 
"  arc  ivront;^."  You  are  a  man  whom  I  have  p;icatiy  csieem.ed,  and 
cim  sltU  ready,  as  soon  as  your  opposition  to  il.e  cross  of  Christ  shali 
be  so  far  abated  as  to  invite  me,  to  esteem  and  treat  as  a  man  of  real 
worth.  But  I  must  proceed.  You  and  others  are  uc'ccme  to  the 
knowlcdc^e  of  the  truth,  as  fast  as  ye  will  obey  it. 

That  Chiist  has  come  the  second  time  witluuit  sin  to  sal'a'ion,  and 
ihat  he  dwelt  in  Anna  Lee,  and  was  by  and  in  her  revealed  to  these 
who  were  locking  for  him,  as  the  chosen  vessel  appointed  cf  Gcd  to 
that  work,  Shakers  do  not  deny,  else  they  had  never  made  such  clear 
and  c:<plicii  public r.ticns  to  the  world  as  they  liave.     But  with  ali 


OF  CHRIST.  501 

this,  they  do  not  expect  to  obtain  salvation  by  Anna  I.ce  cnid  net  by 
Jesun  Christ,  any  more  than  the  apostles  and  other  christians,  be- 
cause Jesus  revealed  the  Father  to  them,  expected  to  obtain  salva- 
tion by  the  man  Jesus  arid  vol  by  God  the  Lord.ihe  Savior  of  Israel, 
wiiom  Jcsvis  ever  acknowledged  as  the  doer  of  the  v.'ork.  They 
also  acknowledge  her  as  their  spintual  parent ;  and  that  she  is  the 
first  Mother  in  the  new  creation,  of  all  who  are  saved,  as  really  as 
Jesus  the  Lord,  hers  and  ours,  is  the  first  Father ;  and  that  she  is 
coheiress  with  him,  in  the  honor  and  glory  of  our  redemption.  But 
the  man  is  the  licad  of  the  womap  ;  nevertheless,  neither  is  the  man 
without  the  woman,  neither  t!ie  woman  v/ilhont  the  man,  in  the  Lord, 
more  than  in  Adam.  For  as  the  woman  is  of  the  man,  even  so  is 
the  man  also  by  the  woman  ;  but  all  things  of  God.  And  we  have 
a  rip-ht  to  represent  our  own  faith  as  v/e  understand  it,  and  no  man 
nor  angel  hath  any  riglit  to  subvert,  or  misi'epresent  it.  And  we  are 
ible,  as  a  people,  to  exhibit  to  honest  inquirers,  better  evidence  of 
the  correctness  of  our  fdtli  in  Ch.rist,  than  any  people  on  earth,  who 
do  not  know  Christ  as  revealed  in  our  Mother.  BlU  of  the  nat\u'e 
and  consistency  of  such  a  revelation  of  Christ  we  will  state  a  lev/ 
things,  the  plain  publication  already  made  notwithstanding. 

The  comiiig  of  Christ  is  a  matter  unknown  to  all  men,  until 
learned  in  the  event ;  notwithstanding  that  so  many  are  weak  enough 
to  imagine  they  can  understand  it  by  the  language  of  th.e  scriptures. 
And  although  all  the  scripture  language  on  this  subject  is  necessa- 
rily prophetic  ;  and  is  also  full  of  symbols  and  metaphors ;  the  |.ico- 
plc  intensely  lock  for  a  literal  fultiiment.  But  of  the  dilTerent  de- 
scriptions of  his  coming,  if  literal,  which  one  would  apply  to  the 
event,  no  man  could  tell.  It  is  written  ;  "  This  same  Jesus  which 
'•  is  taken  up  from  you  into  heaven,  shall  so  come  in  like  manner  as 
"  ye  have  seen  him  go  iiito  heaven."  Hence  nien  conclude,  that 
Christ  will  come  in  a  visible  cloud,  or  sitting  on  it,  visible  to  the  phy- 
sical man.  But  they  forget  two  things.  The  fust  is;  That  he  was 
not  visible  to  the  physical  man  or  natural  sight  when  he  ascended, 
nor  at  any  time  aficr  he  came  forth  from  the  grave,  or  place  of  the 
dead.  Therefore  his  disciples,  being  yet  natural,  could  never  see 
him  only  when  there  was  a  special  gift  of  Gcd  fjr  that  purpose  ;  and 
none  but  disciples  ever  saw  b.im  all  the  time  he  abode  with  them  or 
v/hen  he  ascended.  And  in  the  second  place  ;  S/iait  .so  co77ie  in  like 
jnanncr,  cannot  be  a  full  description  of  his  coming.  For  if  the  de- 
sciiption  and  the  language  be  figurative,  as  they  no  doubt  are,  with  all 
the  rest,  we  are  left  to  learn  the  manner  by  the  event.  But  if  any  con- 
sider the  description  and  connng  to  be  literal ;  many  important  mat- 
ters which  are  predicated  of  Ins  coming  arc  lacking.  He  was  to 
come  In  foumlug  jire ;  but  \vc  find  no  such   account  in  his  ascent. 

lie  was  to  come  with  the  sound  of  a  trumpet,  with  a  shout,  with  the 
voice  of  the  archangel  and  the  trimip  of  God  ;  but  no  account  of  any 
such  matter  in  ti-.e  ascent.  But  if  he  went  into  heaven  in  flamins( 
fh-c,  it  was  in  tiie  i>;rvver  and  Spi:it  of  Gcd,  who  is  a  flaming  and  con- 

jv.uiir,^:;  fire  ;  bv.t  unkno'An  and  unseen  by  cny  but  those  in  the  Spi- 


502  OF  THE  REVELATION 

rit ;  anil  tlius  he  cometh.  If  he  ascended  with  a  shout ;  as  it  is 
■ivritten  ;  "  God  is  gone  up  witli  a  shout,  the  Lord  with  the  sound  of 
"  a  trumpet ;"  it  was  only  heard  and  understood  by  those  in  the 
Spirit  and  not  by  those  in  nature.  And  so  is  his  coming  in  like 
7na}iner,  known  only  to  those  in  the  Spirit,  and  by  those  who  have 
the  Spirit  in  them.  And  if  a  cloud  received  him  out  of  their  sight, 
in  a  cioud  shall  he  return,  in  like  mannei-^  m  myriads  of  his  saints, 
in  a  cloud  composed  of  all  the  saints  who  had  waited  for  his  ascen- 
sion from  the  beginning.  And  the  shout  of  a  King  was  among  them. 
Thus  his  coming  is  in  like  manner  as  his  ascension  ;  In  the  Spirit, 
known  and  understood  only  by  those  in  the  Spirit ;  and  in  the  pre- 
sence of  witnesses,  who  arc  to  bear  witness  to  the  poople. 

A  few  v.'ords  to  show  what  Christ  is,  may  help  to  illustrate  this 
subject.  The  term  Christ,  you  know,  is  from  the  Greek,  and  signi- 
fies t/ie  A7iointcd.  The  Christ  therefore,  is  one  anointed  of  God  and 
set  apart  to  a  certain  office  or  lot,  or  the  performance  of  an  appoint- 
ed work.  Thus  Jesus,  the  Son  of  God,  was  anointed  and  consecrated 
l^y  the  gift  of  the  Spirit  to  open  the  new  and  living  way,  and  to  do 
all  things  necessary  to  the  bringing  in  of  the  better  hope,  the  gospel 
of  perfect  salvation,  and  thus  to  be  the  Redeemer,  the  Captain  of  all 
who  are  saved,  and  the  Head  of  the  body.  And  when  Jesus  ascend- 
ed the  Same  Spirit  was  given  to  the  apostles  and  other  disciples  to 
carry  on  and  perfect  the  work  of  salvation.  "  As  my  Father  hath 
••'  sent  me,  even  so  send  I  you."  "  It  is  expedient  for  you  that  I  go 
"  away  :  for  if  I  go  not  away,  the  Comforter  will  not  come  unto  you  ; 
"  but  if  I  dpjjart  I  will  send  him  unto  you.  And  when  he  is  come 
"  (to  you,  and  al;idcth  in  )ou  for  that  purpose,)  he  will  convince  the 
"  world  of  sin,  of  rightcmisness,  and  of  judgment."  Accoixlingly, 
the  disciples  and  other  members  of  the  body,  Jesus  Christ  being  the 
head,  are  one  body;  and  it  is  called  Christ.  "  For  as  the  body  is  one, 
"  and  hath  many  members,  and  all  the  membei"s  of  that  one  body, 
"  being  many  or  one  body  ;  so  also  is  Christ ;"  that  is  the  body,  or 
church.  This  is  correctly  according  to  your  own  statement.  (Reply, 
P.  19.)  Therefore,  Avherevcr  the  anointing  of  the  Spirit  is,  willi  the 
power  of  salvation,  there  is  the  Arue  Christ  of  God — there  is  Jesus 
the  Savior.  "  For  -where  two  or  three  are  gathered  together  in  my 
"  name,  there  am  I  in  the  midst  of  them  :"  not  the  man,  as  a  dis- 
tinct pcrsonaiily  ;  but  the  anointed  Savior;  the  Christ. 

Consistently  with  these  things,  the  anointed  ministers  of  God  undej* 
the  law,  before  the  gospel  or  the  true  Christ  was  known,  were  called 
christs.  The  ministering  priest  under  the  law  of  Moses  was  the 
Christ  [;n'iy:Dnj  of  that  day,  a  mediator  between  God  and  the  pco- 
]jie.  And  the  priests  of  the  whole  congregation  of  Israel,  as  set 
apart  to  the  work  and  worship  of  God,  each  in  his  proper  office,  were 
his  christs;  as  it  is  written  ;  "  Touch  not  mine  anointed,  [.•Tl'lJ'D  my 
"  christs]  and  do  my  prophets  no  harm."  (Psm.  105.  15.)  Cyrus 
also,  the  king  of  Babylon,  being  set  apart  by  God's  appointment,  to 
bring  a1)out  the  deliverance  of  liis  people,  was  railed  his  christ. 
"Thus  saith  the   Loud  to  his   :u?ointc,dj  [nn'tloS  to  his  christ."'^ 


OF  CHRIST.  503 

risa.  45.  1.)  From  these  examples  it  is  plain,  that  the  anointed  of 
Gocl  is  the  Christ.  And  when  Jesus  was  anointed  to  the  work  of  re- 
demption, as  the  high  priest  of  our  profession,  he  became  pre-emi- 
nently the  Christ ;  and  the  same  anointing  in  the  cluirch,  his  body, 
constitutes  that  body,  the  Christ  of  God.  After  the  falling  away 
therefore,  when  the  power  of  the  holy  people  was  scattered,  when 
once  the  same  anointing  is  found  in  the  cluirch  on  earth,  in  the  power 
of  salvation,  there  is  Christ  in  his  second  appearing — there  is  the 
anointing — there  is  the  Spirit ;  and  that  Spirit  is  the  Lord  :  he  is  a 
quickening  Spirit.  And,  if  men  argue,  that  it  is  said.  This  same 
Jesus,  shall  so  come ;  that^  argument  will  not  overturn  or  weaken 
what  is  here  stated ;  for  t/iis  sajne  Jesus  is  not  a  body  of  flcsli  and 
bones,  but  a  quickening  Spirit — Christ  in  his  people. 

And  that  Christ  may  be  revealed  to  those  who  look  for  hini  to 
their  understanding  and  salvation,  without  any  advent  or  vision  of 
that  human  body,  or  visible  personality,  in  which  he  once  appeared, 
is  proved  as  follows.  In  the  first  place  ;  He  is  a  Spirit  ;  as  it  is  writ- 
ten, "  Now  the  Lord  is  that  Spirit ;  and  where  the  Spirit  of  the 
"  Lord  is  there  is  liberty."  Thu&  the  Lord,  or  the  true  Christ  is 
the  Spirit  of  the  Lord;  that  very  Spirit  which  his  apostles,  or  mi- 
nisters, minister  to  the  people.  This  is  still  farther  evident  by  ob- 
serving that  the  words,  "  The  Lord  is  that.  S/iirit,"  are  in  direct  re- 
lation to  the  words  before  written,  "  Who  hath  made  us  abic  minis- 
"  tcrs  of  the  new  testament ;  not  of  the  letter,,  but  of  the  Sjiirit.  (v.  C.) 
Now  the  true  Christ  being  the  Spirit  of  the  Loixl,  as  here  proved, 
can  be  revealed  to  men  and  they  can  know  him,  without  the  vision 
or  presence  of  any  material  personality.  For  Christ  is  in  all  his 
saints,  as  it  is  again  written;  "Christ  in  you  the  hope  of  glory." 
[Col.  1 .  27."]  This  v.  as  not  any  visible  body,  or  personality,  but  that 
Holy  Spirit  of  promise,  or  promised  Spirit,  which  is  the  earnest  of 
our  inheritance,  or  hope  of  glory.  [Compare  Eph.  1  13,  14.]  In  the 
same  manner  the  Father  dwelt  in  Jesus  the  Son  ;  and  the  Father  and 
the  Son  dwell  with  those  whom  the  Father  loveth,  because  they  lovu 
the  Son  and  keep  his  words.  *' If  any  man  love  me,  he  will  keep 
"  my  words  ;  and  my  Father  will  love  him,  and  we  will  come  to  him, 
••  and  make  our  abode  with  him."  "  At  that  day  ye  shall  know  that 
"  I  am  in  my  Father,  and  ye  in  me,  and  I  in  you."  "But  if  the  Spirit 
"of  him  that  raised  up  Jesus  from  the  dead  dwell  in  you,  he  that 
'•  raised  up  Christ  from  the  dead  shall  also  quicken  your  mortal 
"  bodies  by  his  Spirit  that  dwelleth  in  you." 

This  then  is  the  order  in  which  Christ  is  revealed  in  his  people, 
and  by  or  in  them  to  the  world  who  cannot  otherwise  come  to  know 
him,  as  he  said  again.  "  That  they  all  may  be  one  ;  as  thou.  Father^ 
"  art  in  me,  and  I  in  thee  ;  that  they  also  maybe  one  in  us  ;  that  the 
"  world  may  believe  that  thou  hast  sent  me — I  in  them  and  thou  in- 
"me."  (Jno.  17.  21,23.)  And  in  this  manner  he  was  to  be  re- 
vealed in  the  final  judgment.  "  Behold  the  Lord  cometh  with  ten 
"  thour.ands  [Greek,  in  myriads,]  of  his  saints,  to  execute  judgment 
"  upon  all  and  to  convince  all  that  are  ungodly  arrioug  them.''  (Jude- 


504,  OF  THE  REVELATION 

14,  15.)     '•  When  he  shall  come  to  be  (glorified  in  his  saints  and  to 
"  be  admired  in  all  them  that  believe  in  that  day." 

Now  there  is  no  more  inconsistency,  or  impropriety,  in  saying;  that 
Christ  hath  come  the  second  time  without  sin  to  salvation,  when  the 
same  anointing  which  gives  power  over  all  sin,  is   again   re'itored  to 
those  who  have  been  looking  for  him,  than   in  the  saying  of  Jesus, 
that  £lia>i  i.3  already  co?nc',  meaning  John   the  Baptist,  in  the   Spirit 
of  Eiias,  that  is,  of  the  prophets  in  him.  For  according  to  those  say- 
ings v/hich  are  used  concerning  John,  it  is  evident,  that  the  advent,  or 
presence  of  the  visible  personality,  is  not  necessary  to   the  fulfilling 
of  a  prophecy  that  one  should  come  again.     For  thus  it  is  written  ; 
"  And  if  ye  will  receive  it,  this   is   Eiias  who   was    to  come,"   and 
again,  "  He  shall  go  in  the  spirit  and   power   of  Eiias."    (Matt    11. 
14.     Luke  1.  17.)     And  this  was  the  fulfilment   of  that  pi'ophecy  ; 
*'  Behold,  I  will  send  you  Elijah  the  prophet."  (Mala.  4.  5.)    In  like 
manner  was  this  prophecy   fulfilled  in  John.     "The  voice  of  him 
'■  that  crieth  in  the  v/iidemcss,    Prepare   ye  tlic  way  of  the  Lord, 
"  make  strait  in  the  desert  a  high  way  for  our  God  ;"  for    "  He  said, 
"  I  am  the  voice  of  one  crying  in  the  wilderness  Make  sri'aight   the 
"  vi'ay  of  the  Lord,  as  said  the  prophet  Esaias."  TJno.  1.   £3.      Isai. 
4.3.]     Now  he  was  not  literally  that  voice  ;  but  that  voice  or  spirit 
was  in  him^  and  he  uttered  it.     When  therefore  Mother  said,  '•  I  am 
Axx  the  Word,"  meaning  that  the  Word  dwelt  in  her ;  the  ex- 
pression was  correct ;  no  objection  can  be  supported  against  her  on 
.that  score.     Thus,  "  The  Word  was  made  flesh  and  dwelt  amongst 
lis,"  is  true  language,  though  figurative  ;  for  t'lat  flesh  was  not  God, 
but  the  Word  was  God  ;  the  meaning  therefore  is,  that   the    Word 
dwelt  in  fiesh.     I  have  also  proved  that  Christ  was  thus  to   come  in 
his  people  ;  and  that  the  revelation,  or  manifestation,  of  that    Spirit, 
or  Word,  which  is  Christ,  is  the  revelation,  or  appearing   of  Christ. 
No  argument  therefore  can  be  supported  agair.st  the  consistency   of 
this  doctrine,  that  Christ  is  revealed  in  Mother,  whose  name  accord- 
ing to  the  flesh,  is  originally  Anna  Lee,  and  by  her  to  the  people. 

As  to  what  may  be  objected,  that  according  to  this  view  he  is  re- 
vealed only  in  one,  whereas  according  to  the  scriptures  he  was  to 
come  with  or  in  many  ;  Let  it  be  remembered  th.at  every  dispensa- 
tion of  God  had  its  beginning  in  one,  as  in  Adam,  in  Abraham,  in 
IMobCs,  in  John,  in  Jesus  and  in  Mother.  And  as  the  Wcrd  was  first 
revealed  in  one,  who  was  the  man  Jesus,  so  last  of  all  it  is  revealed 
the  second  time  in  the  one  woman,  who  is  called  Mother.  But  this 
will  1)0  farther  opened  in  the  sequel. 

But  the  cgiegiousreproaclf  and  stumbling  block  are,  that  Christ 
should  be  reveajed  in  a  woman.  No  doubt  this  is  degrading  and 
mortifying  to  proud  human  nature,  to  the  carnal  mind  which  exalt- 
eth  itself  above  ail  th.at  is  railed  God  or  that  is  worshiped,  to  yield 
to  the  gift  and  revelation  of  God  in  a  woman,  for  its  own  destruction. 
But  thus  Ciod  works,  "  To  stain  the  pride  of  all  glory,  and  to  bring 
*'  into  coiitempt  all  tlfc  Iionorabic  of  the  earth,  v.'hcther  male  or  fe- 
"  male,  and  that  no  flesh  should  glory  in  hi-5  prcs^^nrr."     Thus  Gcd 


OF  CHRIST.  505 

laid  a  brand  of  contempt  and  reproach  on  the  seat  «f  ihe  piude  and 
glory  of  man,  winch  was  the'  outward .  sign  of  circinr.cisbion  iu 
the  iicsh,  and  was  committed  to  Abraham  the  typical  father  of  tiic 
faithful.  This  seems  to  have  been  a  cause  of  reproach  to  the  Jews  ^ 
hence  the  Roman  poet ;  "  Cicdal  Judaeus  apella,  non  ego  ;"  ,4  cirm 
cumcised  Jew  may  d'clicve  it ;  I  cannot.  This  stigma  was  of  such  a 
nature  as  to  be  exclusively  fixed  on  the  male. 

But  when  Christ  appeared  ui  the  true  circumcission  in  the  Spirit., 
making  no  exception  of  male  cr  female,  which  was  so  deep  that  the 
flesh  could  not  carry  it  and  live,  because  it  extended  to  the  putting 
off  of  the  \vhol«  body  of  the  sins  and  lusts  of  the  Sesh,  (for  they 
that  are  Christ's  have  crucilied  the  flesh  with  its  affections  and  lusts,) 
this  offended  the  whole  world,  both  Jews  and  Geniiles.  '■'•  The  wovhl 
*'  cannot  hate  you  ;  but  me  ithateth,  becaese  I  tcstity  to  it,  that  th«; 
"  works  thereof  are  evil."  "  Whose  God  is  their  bei'y,  and  whose: 
"  glory  is  in  their  shame,  who  mind,  or  savor,  earthly  things."  "  For 
"  it  is  a  shame  even  to  speak  of  those  things  which  are  done  of  them 
"  in  secret."  (Jno.  7.  r.  Piiii-  3.  .19.  Eph.  5.  12.)  During  the 
Mosaic  dispensation,  the  works  of  the  fiesh  could  be  performed,  and 
it  could  live  and  glory,  notwithstanding  the  stigma  fixed  on  the  scat 
of  the  beast.  But  in  Chiist  the  circumcission  is  real  and  not  a  sign; 
in  the  Spirit,  ami  cuts  off  the  whole  body,  tin ough  faith  and  not  with 
the  hands;  not  only  in  tho  man  Jesus,  but  also  in  ail  those  who  arc 
in  Christ,  and  who  walk  not  after  tlic  l]esh  but  after  the  Spirit  ;  for 
in  such  the  righteousness  of  the  law  is  fulfilled,  as  it  is  written ;  ''  For 
"  God  sending  his  own  Son  in  the  iikeri^is  of  sinful  fiesh,and  on  ac- 
"  count  of  sin,  condemned  sin  in  the  f!{;s!i ;  that  which  the  law  could 
<•  not  do  in  that  it  was  weak  through  tlie  flesh  ;  that  the  righteous- 
"  ness  of  the  law  might  be  fulfilled  in  us,  wh-o  W^alk  nof  after  the 
*'  flesh,  biit  after  the  Spirit."  «  And  ye  are  complete  in  him,  who 
*'  is  the  head  of  all  priticipaiity  and  power;  in  whon^  also  ye  arc  cir- 
«  cumcisedwith  the  circumcission  made  without  hands,  in  fxuttin^- 
«  ojf  the  body  of  the  sins  of  the  llesh,  by  the  circumcission  of 
«  Christ :"  not  imputed  to  them;  but  being  themselves  circum- 
cised.   [Ro.  8.  3,  4.     Col.  2.  10,  1 1.} 

Yet  in  the  first  appearing  of  Christ  it  was  not  unexceptipnablv  re- 
quired of  all  who  believed,  to  cease  from  all  the  works  of  the  ilesh, 
oi-  to  receive  this  saying,  that  "  It  is  not  good  to  marry  ;  But  he  that 
*'  is  able  to  receive  it  let  him  receive  it."  All  that  was  in  that  d'lr 
absolutely  required,  was,  that  all  should  live  up  to  ihat  which  tiieV 
professed,  and  not  pretend  to  bear  a  full  cross,  and  afterwards  incline 
to  marry  ;  for  by  so  doing  they  fell  under  guilt,  and  gave  an  advan- 
tage to  the  enemy  to  reproach  the  profession,  lost  their  power  and 
proceeded  to  greater  lengths  in  wickedness,  than  if  they  had  nevcv- 
made  such  a  profession.  Hence  Paul  advised  Timotiiy  to  receive 
into  the  number  none  l)Ut  the  best  characters,  and  those  who  were 
also  supposed  to  be  pa^t  the  age  of  marrying,  and  preferred  that  the 
younger  widows  should  tv.arry,  and  only  profess  tliat  oi-der  which 
V.y'^x  were  able  to  keeo,     "  L-^t  not  a  widow  be  talien  into  th:i  num- 


so^  OF  THE  REVELATION 

'<  bcr  under  three  score  years  old  having  been  the  v.ife  of  one  inan^ 
<'  well  reported  of  for  good  works  :  if  she  have  brought  uj)  children,  if 
"  she  have  lodged  strangers,  if  she  have  washed  the  saints'  feet,  if  she 
"  have  relieved  the  affiicted,  if  she  have  diligently  followed  cvsry  good 
''  work.  But  the  younger  widows  refuse,  ibr  when  they  have  begun 
"  to  wax  ntraiiton  against  Chrint^  they  are  w  illing  to  marry  ;  having 
''damnation,  because  they  have  cast  off  their  first  faith.  And  witluil 
"  the}'  learn  to  be  idle,  wondering  about  from  house  to  house,  and 
"  not  only  idle,  but  tattlers  also,  and  busy  bodies,  speaking  things 
'<  which  they  ought  not.  I  will  therefore  that  the  younger  widows 
"'  marry,  bear  children,  guide  the  house,  give  none  occasion  to  the 
"  adversary  to  speak  rcjnoachfully.  For  some  have  already  turn- 
-'  ed  aside  after  satan."  (1  Tim.  5.  9.  Sec)  Considering  your 
acquaintance  with  the  Greek  language,  it  might  be  thought  imperti- 
nent in  me  to  apologize  to  you  for  the  variations  which  1  have  made 
■from  the  common  translation.  It  was  a  bold  blunder,  to  use  the 
mildest  term,  in  the  translators,  to  supply  the  above  eJipsis  with  th.e 
word  TOo?Kf;7,  when  it  is  so  evident  fo  evei-y  scholar,  that  ivkloivs^  \z 
the  only  admissible  word.  N.ow  it  is  impossible  that  tliis  number 
should  be  merely  that  of  the  widows  to  be  .maintained  ;  fur  it  would 
be  cruel  in  the  extreme,  not  only  unchristian,  but  inhuman,  to  refuse 
a  widow  who  had  no  living,  because  she  was  not  sixty  years  old  ;  and 
for  a  young  widow  to  marry,  would  be  no  rx-proach  but  a  CTcdit,  as 
■well  as  to  releave  the  church  of  that  much  expense,  if  marrying  Lad 
been  according  to  Christ,  or  her  first  faith  had  not  been  to  the  con- 
trary ;  by  the  casting  o?i  of  which  she  received  damnation  ;  which 
also  could  not  have  been  if  that  first  faith  had  been  unnecessary  cv 
improper  :  for  who  can  be  condemned  for  doing  what  is  proper  ? 
Besides;  When  the}.''wax  wanton  against  Christ  they  are  willing  ta 
rtiarry,  and  net  before.  That  number  therefore  could  be  none  else 
than  those  who  undertook  to  bear  a  full  cross  after  the  example  of 
Christ,  who  were  in  truth  the  church,  and  wilfing  to  miuntain  all 
widows  who  were  Avidows  indeed,  (v.  16,  and  5,  6.^ 

Iti  that  dispensation  theix;  was  still  some  indulgence  ;  many  thfngs 
pertaining  to  the  flesh,  that  source  of  mischief,  were  borne  with  in 
those  who  could  come  no  nearer.  But  the  second  appearing  of" 
Christ  is  completely  without  sin  to  salvaiion ;  no  sin,  no  fieshly  thing- 
can  be  endured  in  those  who  keep  relation  to  the  church  ol'  Christ. 
Accordingly,  the  apostle,  writing  to  those  carnal  Corinthians,. who 
could  not  endure  strong  aieat,  among  many  otlier  instructions,  in  all 
which  he  covmsels  them  not  to  marry,  if  they  can  contain,  but  doth 
not  enjoin  it,  hath  these  words;  "But  and  if  thou  marry  thou  hast 
«  not  sinned  ;  and  if  a  virgin  marry  she  hath  not  sinned:  ncverthe- 
"  less,  such  shall  have  tiibulation  by  the  flesh :  but  I  spare  you. 
"  But  thisT  say,  brethren,  the  time  is  short :  it  remaineth  that  both 
»  they  that  have  wives  be  as  though  they  had  none  ;  and  they  that- 
"  weep,  as  though  they  w(:pt  not ;  and  they  that  rejoice,  as  though 
"  they  rejoiced  not ;  and  they  that  buy,  as  though  they  pcsscsrcd  not;- 
"  and  they  that  use  this  wor.Id.  as  not  abusii^g  it :  for  tlie  fashion  o^ 


OF  CHRIST.  507 

'''^  tliis  M'orld  passcth  away."     It  therefore   remained   for  all   those 
worldly  customs  to  cease  from  the  church. 

And  to  complete  the  mortification  and  destruction  of  the  pride  of 
the  human  heart,  the  last  appearing  of  Christ,  to  make  an  end  of  sin, 
is  in  a  woman,  from  whom  the  world  never  expected  any  thing,  ex- 
cept what  would  be  consistent  with  the  low  grade  in  which  th.ey  had 
placed  her  for  the  lust  of  concupiscence.  But  the  Lord  hath  looked 
en  her  in  her  low  estate,  and  hath  remenibered  his  covenant  and  his 
promise ;  »'  For  thy  Maker  is  thine  husband  ;  the  Lord  of  hosts  is 
"  his  name  ;  and  thy  Redeemer  the  holy  Qne  of  Israel :  The  God 
"  of  the  whole  earth  shall  he  be  called.  For  the  Lord  hath  called 
"*'  thee  as  a  woman  forsaken,  and  grieved  in  spirit,  and  a  wife  qf 
•"  youth,  when  thou  wast  refused  saith  thy  God.  For  a  small  moment 
"  have  I  forsaken  thee;  but  with  gieat  mercies  will  I  gather  thee. 
"  In  a  little  wrath  I  hid  my  face  from  ilice  for  a  nusment  ;  but  with 
"  everlasting  kindness  will  I  have  mercy  on  thee,  saith  the  Lord  thy 
"  Redeemer" — "  For  more  are  the  children  of  the  desolate  than  the 
*'  children  of  the  married  v/ifc,  saith  the  Lord."  (Isa.  54.  5,  to  8,  L) 
And  again ;  "How  long  wilt  thou  go  about,  O  thou  backsliding 
<^'  dav'.ghter  ?"  (as  in  the  days  of  the  church's  apostacy  ;  the  result 
of  which  was  to  deprive  the  woman  of  what  little  she  had  gained  by- 
obedience  in  the  first  dispensation,  an.d  sink  her  again  to  that  inferior 
stage  of  slavery,  to  which  the  world  have  degraded  her,  while  they 
adore  her  as  a  god,  !)ccause  of  her  willing  subjection  to  which  s!ic  is 
•reduced,  for  the  purposes  of  the  flesh,  and  for  no  other  reason,)  "  for 
*'  the  Lord  hatii  created  a  new  thing  in  the  earth,  A  woman  sh.all 
"  compass  a  man." 

This  prophecy  v/as  fulfilled  in  Mother  with  great  exactness  ;  who 
Avas  enabled  by  the  gift  of  God  which  was  in  her  to  compass  the  wholu 
,of  man's  nature,  and  to  show  him  his  fiill  and  ail  his  works  wherein 
he  had  gone  away  from  the  true  gospel  of  Christ.  This  was  a  r.cw 
thirg  which  the  world  had  never  seen  and  ne,ver  expected.  And  I 
'Cannot  feel  reconciled  to  pass  over  this  opportunity  without  obviating 
:a  deceptions  construction,  nov/  an  evasive  turn  given  to  this  phi-ase^ 
v4  won: an  shall  CGw/tass  a  vicn.  It  is  commonly  understood,  and  no 
doubt  justly,  as  a  prophecy  of  the  coming  of  Christ ;  and  being  igno- 
rant of  the  order  of  Christ  in  his  second  appearing,  men  have  appliefi 
it  to  the  extraordinary  conceptioi\  by  Mary,  as  of  the  same  import 
with,  A  x'irgin  shall  be  ivith  child.,  understanding  conifiass  as  tanta- 
inount  with  avoid  or  not  use.  But  that  acceptation  is  evidently  con- 
trary to  the  universal  use  of  that  word,  and  subverts  the  natural  force 
of  that  prophecy.  The  word  com]iass  means  to  surround,  eiicirde 
or  enclose.,  either  for  good  or  evil,  and  includes  the  comprehending 
or  possessing  of  the  thing  compassed.  Thus  the  Psalmist;  "For 
"  thou.  Loud,  wilt  bless  the  righteous  :  with  favor  wilt  thou  compass 
■"  him  as  with  a  shield."  (Psm.  5.  12.)  And  the  prophet;  "  For 
"the  wicked  doth  compass  about  the  righteous;  therefore  wrong 
"  judgment  proceedeth."  (Hcb.  1.4.)  So  said  .Tesus;  "  And  when 
*'  ye  shall  sec  Jerusalem   compassed  [environed  or  besirgcdl  with 


:'0S  OI-   THE  REVELATION 

"•  ?.r!riic:>,  tl.cjj  V-ncw  that  the  destntction  thereof  isnii^h."  [Liit.21, 
2;).j  So  ;  A  woman  shall  compass,  environ  or  comprehend^  a  man, 
and  take  iiim  by  the  gift  of  Cod:  for  l  he  Lord  hath  created  ft.  Hath' 
iwt  Ciod  chosen  the  foolhih  of  the  world  to  co5:»foiind  the  wise,  ar.d 
the  \vc?.k  to  confound  tl'.e  i7ii;>htj. 

Now  that  it  is  perfectly  corisi&tent  vilh  tlie  character  r^nd  order  of 
Chrji^t,  to  be  first  revealed  in  the  male  and  th"?!!  in  the  lemalc,  and 
that  both  these  revelations  are  of  one  Christ,  is  farther  cvhiced  a» 
ibliows.  "  Neiiiicr  is  the  man  wiUiout  the  v/oman,  neither  the  wo- 
*'  man  without  the  man,  in  the  Lord."  Thus  it  was  in  Adam  who 
V/as  the  fii^-ure  of  him  who  was  to  come,  that  is  confessedly,  of  Christ, 
And  as  Adam  was  created  male  and  female,  they  were  both  one» 
"•  In  the  image  cf  God  created  he  him  ;  Male  and  female  created  he 
''  them  ;  arid  called  their  name  Adam,  in  the  day  M'hca  they  were; 
"  creatt^d."  But  the  w-oman  did  liot  exist  separately,  and  was  not 
hnown  in  her  crdev  lor  some  tinic. '  And  even  after  she  stood  in  lier 
PC  palate  order,  they  were  one,  particularly  as  liicy,  or  he,  was  the 
irgure  of  him  who  was  to  come,  which  is  admirably  adapted  to  the 
present  inquiry.  For  it  is  not  disputed  that  the  woman  was  first  in 
the  transgression,  and  llierefore  by  hei-  sin  first  had  its  entrance  into 
the  huraan  race.  "  And  Adam  was  not  deceived  ;  but  the  woman, 
'<  being  deceived,  was  in  the  transgression."  '  "  She  took  of  the  fruit 
''■  thereof,  and  did  cat ;  and  j>:ave  ?ilso  to  her  husband,  with  her,  and 
''  he  did  cat."  [i  Tim.  5-  14.  Cen.  S.  6. J  Bv.t  when  the  similitude 
is  drawn  by  the  apostle,  between  Christ  and  Adam,  the  introductiort 
of  sin  is  imputed  to  Mie  niaii^  even  to  Adavn,  as  explicitly  as  the  in- 
ti'odr.ction  of  righteousness,'  to  one  man,  Jesus  Chiist.  "  Wherefore 
*'■  as  l)y  one  luah  siii  entered  into. the  world,  and  death  by  sia ;  and  so 
"  death  ])asscd  upon  all  men,  for  that  ?J1  have  sinned ;  (For  if  through 
"  the  oft'etice  of  Vjne  ir-aiiV  b6  dead  ;  much  more  the  grace  of  God 
"  cvA  (he  gift  l)y  grace,  by  one  mam,  Jesus  Christ,  hath  abounded  to 
"■  niany.)  Therefore  ?iS  by  4he  ofiencc  of  one  judgment  came  upon 
"  ail  men  to  condemnation  ;  even  so  by  the  righteousness  of  one  the 
"'  free  gift  came  wpui  ail  men  to  justification  of  life."  [Ro.  5.  12,  15, 
is.]  If  t'-.en  Adam  v.-as  the  iigure,  or  type,  pf  Christ,  it  comes  ous 
titraigbt,  tl:at  the  iTian  is  not  v/il|;.cut  the  wofuan,  neither  the  woman 
\vithoi.t  tl'.e  man  in  the  Lord  Christ,  notwithstanding  that  Christ  is 
one.  For  it  canr.ot  be  that  the  figure  should  be  more  perfect  thai> 
the  sub/Stance,  the  type  than  the  antitype,  or  the  order  of  nature  than 
ihc  order  6f  grace  ;  but  tiic  antitype  must  fill  the  type  in  all  its  matc- 
iial  parts,  to  be  perfect,  hc%vever  f.uperior  in  quality  and  real  worth, 
at;  it  is  always  expected  of  the  antitype  to  be  superior  in  point  of  va-: 
luc.  "  P'or  il.is  cause  shall  a  man  leave  bis  father  and  mother,  and 
'•  shall  be  joined  to  his  wife,  and  tiiey  two  shall  be  one  flesh.  This 
'^  is  a  great  mystery  :  but  I  speah  concerning  [in  or  towards]  Christ' 
'■•  iv,\<\  concerning  the  c'liiich."  [Eph.  5.  31,  32.]  This  then,  of  the 
two  being  one,  is  properly  a  figure  of  Christ  and  the  church.  "  I 
"  speak  concerning  Christ  and  concerning  the  church."  As  there- 
fore Chiist  is  two  in  one,  or  cue  revealed  in  iv.'c,  the  male  and  tie 


OF  CHRIST.  500 

knnaie,  which  two  become  one  in  him,  even  one  Spirit,  «o  are  the 
.two,  the  male  and  the  female,  united  in  the  church  into  one  Spirit. 
Accordingly  the  mrai  Jesus  forsook  his  father  and  his  mother  accord- 
ing to  the  flesh,  and  iinniediatclv  clave  to  his  spiritual  relation,  and 
correspondent  Spirit  in  the  church.  «'  Wist  ye  not  that  i  must  be 
«  about  my  Father's  business,  or  at  my  Father's"  ?  [Luk.  2.  49.  See 
Doddridg;e  on  the  text."]  And  who  is  my  mother  and  who  are  my  breth- 
ren ?  Whosoever  shall  do  the  will  of  my  Father  who  is  in  lieaven, 
the  same  is  ray  brother  and  sister  and  m.other.  [Matt:  12.  49.]  And 
we  have  no  account  that  he  ever  called  those  earthly  reputed  parents 
cither  father  or  mother,  but  showed  in  all  things  that  all  his  kindred 
were  of  another  order.  And  as  in  the  natural  creation,  the  man 
should  leave  his  father  and  moth<?r  and  be  joined  to  his  wife,  tlic  same 
also  applies  to  the  woman.  So  likewise  in  th.e  spiritual  family.  Ac- 
cordingly, Mother  forsook  her  father  and  her  mother  and  was  joir.cd 
to  Jesus  Christ  in  the  Spirit ;  fcr  whom  she  forsook  all,  and  suffered 
the  loss  of  all  things,  ari  it  is  written  of  her;  "  Hearken,  O  daughter, 
"  and  consider,  and  incline  thine  ear  ;  forget  also  thine  own  people, 
'*  and  thy  father's  house;  so  shall  the  king  greatly  desire  thy  beauty  ; 
''  for  he  is  thy  Lord  ;  and  worship  thou  him." 

Thus  it  is  evident  and  intelligible  t!ut  "  Neither  is  the  man  v-'iih- 
"  out  the  woman,  neither  the  woman  without  the  man,  in  the  Lord. 
"  For  as  the  woman  is  of  the  man,  even  so  is  the  man  also  by  \ho. 
"woman;  but  all  things  of  God."  Adam  indeed  was  not  by  tiic 
woman,  but  Jesus  was;  for  he  was  born  of  a  woman  into  the  world. 
But  as  the  woman  was  of  the  man,  according  to  th.e  work  of  God  in 
the  natural  creation,  for  he  had  been  alive  for  some  time,  and  had 
fallen  into  a  deep  sleep,  which  put  him  past  the  order  and  power  of 
sensation,  and  the  performance  of  the  actions  of  life  for  a  time ;  so 
was  the  spiritual  woman,  called  the  Queen,  or  the  Biidc  the  Lamb's 
wife,  of  the  man  Christ  Jesus,  after  lie  had  been  alive  in  the  power 
of  his  Spirit,  and  had  fallen  into  a  deep  sleep,  that  is,  the  Spirit,  as 
to  the  proper  order  and  power  of  spiritual  lite  and  salvation,  had  been 
removed  from  his  bcdy  the  church.  Out  of  that  body  was  this  wo- 
man taken  ;  aTid  endued  witli  that  same  spiritual  life  Avhich  had  been 
'ax  that  body  before,  even  Christ,  and  thus  became  one  with  him,  as 
th.e  first  woman  was  endued  with  the  same  animal  life  and  rationality 
of  soul  which  existed  in  the  first  Adam,  and  was  one  with  him  as 
already  shown. 

It  hath  been  commonly  understood  that  the  church  is  called  the 
Bride  the  Lamb's  wife,  and  that  the  term  or  relation  consists  in  the 
union  which  subsists  between  Christ  and  the  church,  as  he  is  her 
Savior,  and  she  is  a  partaker  of  his  Spirit.  This  union  or  relation  is 
not  to  be  denied;  but  this  alone  by  no  means  fills  up  the  prophecies 
en  that  subject.  If  the  church  is  called  the  Bride,  the  same  church 
is  also  called  Christ,  and  also  his  body^  "  And  all  the  members  of 
•'  that  ot)q  body,  being  many,  are  one  body;  so  also  is  Christ."  [I 
Cor.  12.  12.  Sec  G^:,!)  Reply,  P.  19.]  And  every  body  has  its  head; 
k'sus  Civiist  thcrefe.p  is  the  Ii{;ad  of  that  body  which  is  the  churcbi 


510  •  OF  THE  REVELATION 

and  is  called  Christ ;  as  saitli  the  apostle  ;  "  And  he  is  the  head  of 
"  the  body,  the  chiirch."  [Col.  1.  18.]  And  if  we  view  the  church 
an  the  line  of  the  female  or  Bride,  it  is  still  necessary  that  this  Bride 
c.v  body  have  a  head.  Accordingly,  it  is  recorded  in  scripture  of  the 
King  and  Queen,  as  being  united  in  one.  "  Thy  throne,  O  God,  is 
"  for  ever  and  ever :  the  sceptre  of  thy  kingdom  is  a  right  sceptre. 
"  Thou  lovest  righteousness,  and  hatest  wickedness  :  the4-efore  God, 
"  even  thy  God,  hath  anointed  thee  with  the  oil  of  gladness  above 
^'  thy  fellows.  Upon  thy  right  hand  did  stand  the  Queen  [in  the  He- 
^'  brev/,  Bride,  or  wife,]  in  gold  of  Ophir.  The  King's  daughter  is 
"  all  glorious  within  :  her  clothing  is  of  wrought  gold.  She  shall  be 
•"  brought  to  the  King  in  raiment  of  needle  work :  the  virgins  her 
"  companions  that  follow  her  shall  be  brought  to  thee.  "With  glad- 
"  ness  and  rejoicing  shall  they  be  brought :  they  shall  enter  into  the 
"  King's  palace.  Instead  of  thy  fathers  shall  be  thy  children^  whom 
"  thou  mayest  make  princes  in  all  the  earth."  [Psm.  4.5.  6,  £cc.] 
Now  it  will  readily  be  granted  that  the  King's  Son  who  is  anointed 
King,  is  Jesus  Christ,  the  Son  of  God  ;  for  the  apostle  expressly  ap- 
plies this  prophecy  to  him,  saying,  "  But  to  the  Son  he  saith.  Thy 
"  throne,  O  God,  is  for  ever  and  ever :  a  sceptre  of  righteousness  is 
^<  the  sceptre  of  thy  kingdom."  [Heb.  1.  8.]  But  who  is  the  King's 
daughter,  called  to  be  the  Queen,  or  King's  Bride  ?  If  it  be  said, 
she  is  the  church  ;  It  may  be  asked  ;  Doth  the  church  mean  all  the 
D-sembers,  or  only  a  part  ?  Unquestionably  the  whole.  Then  who 
arc  the  vii-gins  the  companions  of  the  Queen,  who  are  with  her 
brought  safe  into  the  palace  of  the  King?  From  these  things  it  is 
plain  that  there  is  a  female  head,  a  Bride,  or  Queen,  in  the  church, 
as  well  as  a  male,  and  that  those  virgins,  who  follow  that  female  head, 
are  brought  safe  to  the  King  and  into  the  kingdom.  And  who  are 
these  virgins  but  believers,  the  spiritual  children  of  these  spiritual 
parents  ?  Thus  far  then,  I  have^ shown  the  way  clearly,  that  Mother 
is  the  chosen  of  God  to  reveal  Christ  to  the  world  the  second  time  ; 
and  that  there  is  safety  in  following  her  and  obeying  her  testimony, 
for  all.  are  brought  safe  to  Christ;  and  because  he  is  her  Lord  and 
theirs,  they  all  worship  him  with  gladness  and  rejoicing.  Thus  Christ 
came  in  his  glory,  according  to  his  promise  ;  for  the  woman  is  the 
glory  of  the  man,  and  showeth  forth  his  glory  and  power,  even  as 
the  m.an,  especially  the  man  Christ  Jesus,  is  the  image  and  glory  of 
God.  And  being  revealed  in  the  woman,  he  immediately  fills  his 
parental  order  with  her,  and  bccometh  a  Father,  and  hath  children, 
whom  he  may  make  princes  in  all  tlie  earth ;  as  again  written ; 
"  And  (thou)  hast  made  us  to  our  God,  kings  and  priests;  and  we 
"  shall  reign  on  the  earth."  And  in  this  order  his  name  becomes 
universally  known  and  honored,  as  it  is  added ;  "  I  will  make  thy 
"  name  to  be  remembered  in  all  generations ;  therefore  shall  the 
"  people  praise  thee  [or  as  in  tlip  Hebrew,  confess  to  thee,]  for  ever 
«  and  ever."  (Rev.  5.  10,  17.) 

Bin  it  iialu  been  asked  by  war  of  objection;  If  Jesus  Christ  is 
revealed  the  second  lime  ir;  a  v/onian.  as  coheiress  with  him  in  the 


OF    CHRIST.  ;;11 

kingdom,  why  did  he  not  take  one  who  had  ftcver  sinned,  or  lived 
according  to  the  corruption  of  fallen  nature  ?  Or  why  did  she  have 
to  confess  her  sins  when  she  first  united  herseif  to  the  people  who 
\yere  looking  for  him  ?  But  the  ways  of  God  are  not  as  man's  v.'ays. 
It  is  the  way  of  God  and  of  Cln-ist  to  stoop  to  the  lost  and  to  those 
who  need  redemption.  And  the  confessing  of  her  sins  in  the  order 
and  gift  of  God,  which  had  been  established  among  the  people  of 
God  before  she  came,  only  shows  the  greater  likeness  to  her  Lord, 
when  he  first  entered  on  tlje  ministry  ;  who  having  no  sin  to  confess, 
nor  any  thing  of  which  to  repent,  (because  it  v.as  necessary  that  the 
first  foundation  pillar,  who  was  to  connect  the  church  to  be  redeemed,, 
with  God  the  head  of  all  and  the  four.taih  of  purity,  should  keep 
that  union  unsullied,)  went  to  John  and  was  baptized  of  h.ini,  in  the 
baptism  of  repentance  and  the  confession  of  sins,  saying.  Thus  it  be- 
cometh  us  to  fulfil  all  righteousness,  and  was  thus  set  apart  by  John, 
according  to  the  appointment  of  God  and  the  gift  of  the  Holy  Spirit, 
for  the  work  which  he  came  to  fulfil.  But  he  had  his  Bride  to  re- 
deem out  of  the  fallen  nature  and  works  of  the  comuicn  mass,  and 
to  call  away  from  her  father's  house  and  the  people  of  her  kindred, 
as  stated  above,  by  that  same  arm,  or  powei-,  wl,ich  brought  salva- 
tion to  hin:i,  and  kept  him  pure  from  that  fallen  nature  of  the  fiesh 
and  blood  of  the  common  mass,  of  which  he  partook  and  in 
which  he  was  tempted.  When  he  stood  alone ;  and  tiode  the 
wine  presses  alone,  and  of  the  people  there  was  none  with  him. 
And  he  gained  access  to  the  throne  of  God,  or  to  the  mercy- 
seat,  in  his  own  person,  when  there  was  no  intercessor,  no  INlediator 
before  him  :  none  to  help  him.  Thus  he  overcame  the  v.'orld  and 
all  evil  and  sat  down  w  ith  God,  as  the  first  foundation  pillar  in  the  new- 
creation,  the  first  medium  of  access  for  all  others ;  the  first  leader 
and  perfecter  of  faith.  "  And  he  saw  that  there  was  no  man,  and 
<'  wondered  that  there  was  no  intercessor  ;  therefore  his  arm  brought 
"  salvation  to  him,  and  his  righteousness  it  sustained  him."  "  Though 
"  he  Avas  a  Son,  yet  learned  he  obedience  by  the  things  w-hich  he 
"  suffered  ;  and  being  made  perfect,^  he  became  the  author  of  eter- 
"  nal  salvation  to  all  them  that  obey  him."  Therefore  she  who  was 
called  of  God  to  be  first  in  the  line  of  the  female,  having  the  works 
of  the  fallen  nature,  actually  confessed  her  sins,  and  took  up  her  ercss 
against  all  sin  in  nature  as  well  as  Avorks,  according  to  tiie  gift  and 
appointment  of  God  in  this  last  day,  and  thus  in  the  fulfilling  of  alt 
righteousness,  received  the  same  Spirit  and  became  unhcd  with  him 
who  lived  in  human  nature  without  sin,  and  was  thus  set  apart  to  the 
v/ork  of  the  everlasting  gospel  of  Christ's  second  appearing. 

This  is  the  woma^j,  to  whom  the  promise  is  fulfilled,  with  good 
witness ;  "  I  will  put  cninity  between  thee  and  the  v.^oman,  and  be- 
"  tween  thy  seed  and  her  seed  :  It  shall  bruise  thy  head,  and  thou 
"  shalt  bruise  his  heel."  The  first  woman  was  not  the  one  ;  for  she 
was  the  first  transgressor ;  and  her  seed  are  the  seed  of  the  serpent 
whom  she  obeyed.  «  Ye  arc  of  your  father,  the  devil,  and  his  lusts 
■'■  ye  will  do."     Some  may  count  Mary,  the  reputed  mother  of 


513  OF  THE  REVELATION 

Christ,  the  woman.  But,  according  to  what  she  saiid,  that  oil  n-ations 
should  cnll  her  blessed,  so  it  came  to  pass:  there  is  no  special  enmity 
of  the  serpent  against  her :  she  did  not  bring  forth  tlie  promised 
seed,  but  only  the  tabernacle  in  which  he  dwelt  for  a  time,  in  the 
line  of  the  male.  For  the  man.  who  is  the  head  of  the  womav  and 
of  the  whole  body,  must  of  necessity  be  lirst,  that  the  woman,  com- 
ing after,  may  be  subject  in  her  own  lot.  The  seed  of  the  woman 
is  very  correctly  granted  to  ])c  Christ ;  and  thus  it  comes  to  pass, 
that  as  she  led  the  way  into  sin,'  she  is  called  of  God  to  lead  the  way, 
and  bear  the  burden  and  suffer  the  persecution  of  the  serpent,  in 
making  a  final  cud  of  sin  in  the  church  of  God. 

Now  while  the  enmity  between  the  serpent  and  the  woman,  and 
between  his  seed  and  her  seed,  remains,  it  is  unavoidable,  that  the 
nearer  any  people  come  to  the  footsteps  of  the  true  seed,  which  is 
Christ,  the  more  the  enmity  will  be  raised  against  them  ;  and  when 
any  cohjc  to  walk  correctly  in  his  steps,  the  enmity  of  the  serpent 
and  his  seed,  will  come  to  the  highest  pitch.  And  herein  the  wicked 
world,  but  especial  the  professors,  ai-e  our  witnesses,  however  much 
against  their  intentions,  that  we  are  the  true  seed,  the  real  body,  the 
church,  of  which  Christ  is  the  head,  and  our  Mother,  the  woman  of 
the  promise.  This  is  thr  woman,  against  whom  the  eniTjity  of  all 
men,  under  the  influence  of  nature,  is  most  deeply  rooted;  not  as  a 
ivoman,  but  as  a  ivovuai  devoted  to  the  life  of  Christ ;  because,  by 
the  living  testimony  of  the  Spirit  of  Christ  through  her,  theiii  worldly 
glory  and  honor,  their  pride,  and  their  fleshly  lusts  are  cut  ofl":  and 
this  they  count  ruin.  Asa  young  man  not  long  ago,  said  ;  (as  I  was 
told  by  his  father,  and  with  Paul,  I  at  least  partly  believe  it ;  for  it 
was  a  very  natural  and  probable  saying,  and  represents  the  spirit  of 
the  world  to  an  exactness;)  '<  If  there  arc  a  people  of  God  on  the 
"  earth,  these  arc  the  people ;  and  they  will  ruin  our  family.  My 
"  father  is  sure  to  go  with  them,  and  my  sister  is  sure  to  go  with 
"  them  ;  and  they  will  ruin  our  family."  This  is  the  woman  of 
whom  your  brother  in  the  ministry  is  reported  to  have  exclaimed  ; 
<«  That  woman  God  my  soul  abhors."  This  he  pretended  was  be- 
cause she  was  owned  and  worshipped  as  God ;  but  that  was  a  lying 
affectation.  A  v.'ornan-god  is  his  soul's  delight;  a  woman,  devoted 
to  the  saciiflcesof  the  flesh  and  addicted  to  receive  them.  Accord- 
ing to  the  v/ords  of  the  old  ceremony  ;  "  With  my  body  I  thee  wor- 
•'  ship."  But  the  true  source  of  his  al)horrencc  of  that  T<,'cvian^  is 
the  same  in  him  as  in  all  other  men  in  nature  ;  (though  many  arc 
more  modest  and  gentlemanly  than  to  give  it  full  vent,)  because  she 
was  a  worshipper  of  the  living  God  and  his  Christ,  a  follower  and 
Iielpev  with  Christ  in  the  work  of  the  regeneration,  and  the  woman, 
Vvho  is  the  head,  in  the  female  line,  of  lus  body  the  church. ;  being 
the  Bride  the  Lamb'.s  wife,  and  by  whom,  in  that  relation,  the  man- 
child  is  brought  forth,  ''  Who  was  to  rule  the  nations  with  a  rod  of 
"  iron,"  "  'i'hou  shalt  break  them  with  a  rod  of  iron ;  tliou  shalt 
*'  dash  them  in  pieces  like  a  potter's  vessel."  Not  by  tyranny  or 
cruelty;  but  with  the   pov/cr  ond  edge  of  truth.     No  usurpation  iu 


OF  CHRIST.  5  Li 

Christ  or  in  his  church.     You  have  called  the  man-clilld,  i'rj*' .',7  .-  I 
feel  r.o  disposition  to  contradict  you — Christ  is  the  trutli. 

This  is  THE  WOMAN,  against  wiiom  the  cnnnty  of  all   wovTien  in 
nature,  and  living    after   the   couree  of  the  world,  is  strairicd  to  trr' 
hi.^hest  pilch  ;  because  by  the  living  testimony  of  Christ,  through 
her  and  her  seed,  their  earthly  consequence,  gioi-y   and  h.onor,  the 
carnal  Avorehip  paid  to  them ;  the   sensual    pleasures   a!;d  glovv  of 
this  world  and  the  kingdoms  of  it,  arc  all  cut  off.     They  frequently 
cry  out ;  that  tliey  will   be   ruined,  and   tliat  their  children  will  h". 
ruined,  and  their  souls  be  lost.     But  this  is  an  artful  prcte::t  to  pre- 
serve the  flesh — a  dcccptious  affectation.     For  as  soon  as  lise  sacri- 
fices of  the  fle.sh  are  restorfed,  or  secured,  their  great  ccricern  for  t!ic 
salvation  of  t|ieir  children,  or  themselves  cither,  is  of  little  force — it 
soon  abates.     No  great  lamentation  for  the  want  of  salvation  to  ti-.eir 
own  souls  or  those  of  their  children  ;  no  gi'Ccit  labor  to  obtain  it,  is 
found  among  women  more  than  men,  wl'.ere  none  of  them  are  likely 
to  confess  and  forsake  their  sins,  and  follow  Chiist  in  the  faith  of  his 
^;econd  appearing.  Not  much  inatter  how  ungodly  tliey  arc,  provided 
they  are  prosperous  in  the  glory,  the  honors  and  pleasures  of  this  weiid. 
But  the  true  cause  of  the  enmity   and  offence  of  won; en  in  natr.ic, 
against  the  testimony  of  Christ  in  his  scccmd  appearing,  is,  tliat  if  thev 
and  their  cliildrcn  receive  it,  Chrir.t  vj'.ll  get  t/ir-ni  ;  and  theci  ti.ey 
must  follow  him  and  not  Adam  ;  For  in  Christ  they  neither  marry 
nor  are  given  in   marriage.     And  this  being  the   case,  the  glory  of 
this  world  and  of  the   kingdoms  thereof,  is  cut  down  and  withereth. 
Woe  to  them  that  arc  Tj'ith  child,  and  to  than  that  give  H:!ck  in  tho^n 
days  ;  and  they  that  beget  are  not  exempt.     I'Liaily  here  ;  Wcuien 
who  are  diQiculted  and  in  trouble,  from  a  sen!>e  of  duly  and  there- 
fore not  so  chargeable  as  others  with  th.e  ungodly  temper  above  de- 
scribed, are   moderate  and  teachable  ;  and  never  afraid  to  converse 
freely  with  the  believers  in  Christ's  second  aj^pearing,  who  are  called 
Shakers  ;  never  boisterous,  never  comn)andh)g  or  auth.orilative  over 
their  husbands.     For  the  man  or  the  woman  v*ho  is  afraid  to  con- 
verse with  these  believers,  or  is  boisterous  and  unruly,  is  governed 
by  the  enmity  of  the  serpent  against  the  woman  and  her  seed.     YiWt 
again ; 

This  revelation  of  Christ  the  second  time,  in  the  line  of  tlic  lomale, 
is  also  by  believers  considered  as  the  revelation  of  the  Hdly  G!:ost 
in  her  proper  order  and  character,  as  the  Mntiier  of  Jesus  the  Sen 
of  God,  and  of  his  Bride,  and  through  them,  of  all  believers  ;  a-s  well 
as  of  the  whole  creation,  botii  old  and  new.     As  God  in  t;)C  relation 
of  Father,  is  the  fountain  and  spring  of  ail   power,  and  th.e  origin?! 
source  of  all  being,  aiul  from  whom  is  the  "sVoi'd,  or  seed,  !)y  which 
all  things  are  raade,>  or  generated,  so  may  the  Holy  Ghost  be  consid- 
ered as  the  corresponding  relation  or  ])ower  in  God,  through  wivnn  ' 
the  Word,  which  is  the  united  operation  or  going  i'ortii,  of  the  two, 
hath  its  effect,  to  the  orderly  prodxiclion  of  a)!  thirig'"^.     Thu?;,  «  In 
"  the  beginning  God  created   [or  procreatedl  the  heaven  and  the 
'=  earth.     And  the  earth  v,as  vithout  f;irni  and  void ;  and  darkness 

T  3 


514  OF  THE  REVELATION 

••  %vas  upon  the  face  of  the  deep  :  aiid  the  Spirit  of  Ccd  moved  [in 
■''  the  Hebrew,  sat,  or  brooded]  upon  the  face  of  the  waters."  (Gen. 
i.  1,2.)  After  which  the  various  paits  of  creation  were  distinctly 
brought  foith  in  order  as  the  power  and  Word  of  Gcd  called  them 
j)ut.  "  And  God  said,  Ixt  there  be  light :  and  there  v.  as  iigljt." 
Farther  ;  "  And  God  said.  Let  us  make  man  in  oiir  own  image,  after 
"•  our  likeness,"  doth  not  necessarily  imply  three,  two  being  equal  tc 
that  manner  of  language.  And  when  the  work  came  forth  accord- 
ing to  th.e  pi\oposal,  it  consisted  in  tu'o,  not  in  thirce  :  and  these  tv,o 
were  one.  "  So  God  created  [or  procreated"!*  man  in  his  image  :  in 
"  the  image  of  God  created  he  him  ;  male  and  female  created  he 
"  them  ;  and  blessed  them,  and  called  their  name  Adam,  in  the  day 
"  when  they  were  created."  And  with  respect  to  the  new  creation, 
of  whom  Christ  Jesus  is  the  beginniilg,  it  is  written ;  "  The  Holy 
*'  Ghost  shall  come  upon  thee  (to  enable  thee  to  conceive,)  and  the 
*'  pov/er  of  the  highest  shall  overshadow  thee  ;  (by  which  power  thou 
'•  shalt  conceive  ;)  therefore  also,  that  holy  One,  v;hen  bcrn,  shall  be 
''  called  the  Son  of  God,"  as  being  begotten  of  the  Father,  and  con- 
ceived by  the  Holy  Spirit ;  as  is  evident  afterwards,  (Matt,  I.  20.) 
"  That  which  is  conceived  in  (not  by)  her  is  of  the  Jloiy  Giicst,"  by 
^hom  it  wa?  conceived,  and  deposited  with  Mary,  to  be  endowed 
with  a  body  of  the  same  flesh  and  blood  with  these  who  were  to  be 
saved,  and  that  he  who  sanctifieth  and  they  who  are  sanclincd  might 
he  all  of  one.  And  there  were  evidently  two  co-o])erating  in  the 
generation  of  Jesus  the  Son  of  God,  without  considering  Mary  as 
liaving  any  part  in  it ;  as  she  evidently  had  not,  the  whole  matter  be- 
ing entirely  beyond  the  sphere  and  power  of  natural  generatior. ; 
although  the  niateiial  body  which  he  inh.abited  Avas  formed  of  her 
sabstance,  in  the  ordinary  line  of  physical  production. 

On  this  subject  I  shall  be  as  concise  as  I  can  to  comport  wiih 
plainness,  as  it  is  mainly  known  and  understood  by  the  revelation  in 
the  present  dispsnsatiqn,  and  because  there  is  already  such  a  clear 
and  explicit  publication  made.  The  knowledge  and  undcrstaixliug 
of  this  particular,  depending  on  the  revelation  of  the  piescnt  day, 
are  not  so  likely  to  be  received,  except  by  those  who  have  faith  in  the 
existing  testimony,  or  are  possessed  of  more  than  ordinary  candor 
and  simple  intelligency.  But  to  such  it  will  appear  plain,  according 
1',?  llie  scriptures,  that  there  was  yet  something  material  to  be  reveal- 
ed in  the  character  of  God,  which  Jesus  Did  not  make  known.  For 
tho\igh  he  revealed  God  in  the  relation  of  Father,  h.c  did  net  shew 

*  It  viaif  hs  ex/iedicnt  to  advertise  the  zu-karncd  reader.,  the  Icarntd 
I  nocd  not,  that  [li"lI3~|  (he  ivord  here  tised,  is  not  that  zvhichis  covi7no7!- 
lu  nfied  to  exfircsa  the  direct  /irocreation  ofv-wn^  \J.hut  tvord  is  'iS'  i!f;d] 
t)iU  is'handed  down  aft  huvin;^  the  abcx'e  accrfitation  in  ancient  days; 
and  it  a/iiiy  ,cx/n-esses  the  ".vorT:  of  God  in  /irodzicing  the  ivhole  crea- 
tion bij  his  OKiin  iiorjcr  and  cjiergij,  withont  the  aid  of  amj  other.  It 
is  also  an  acceptatiqn  ^tuell  ada/ued  to  express  the  cominr  f.rth  cf 
the  creation  in  ordTr,  a.rJ  of  i.icn  in  //.,c  ihiatjc  cf  God. 


OF  CHRIST.  515 

him  out  fully  in  that  relation :  Therefore  he  saith,  "  These  thinijs 
"  have  I  spoken  to  you  in  proverbs :  but  the  time  cometh  when  I 
"  will  no  more  speak  to  you  in  proverbs,  but  I  shall  show  you  plainly 
'•  of  the  Father  ;"  and  af^ain  ;  "  But  in  the  days  of  the  voice  of  the 
*'  seventh  angel,  when  he  shall  begin  to  sound,  and  the  mystery  of 
«'  God  shall  be  finished."  (Jno.  1g!  25.  and  Rev.  10.  7.)  Thus  the 
mystery  of  God,  and  of  the  Father  and  of  Christ,  v/hich  began  to  be 
opened  in  the  first  appeaAig  of  Christ,  remained  to  be  finished  when 
the  seventh  angel  should  begin  to  sound,  so  that  it  might  be  under- 
stood in  tl>e  progress  of  t!ie  work  from  the  beginning,  and  believers 
be  Irailt  up  in  that  knowledge.  And  nothing  can  be  mere  consistent 
and  according  to  order,  than  the  idea  of  a  twofold  corresponding  re- 
lation in  God,  as  exhibited  in  his  creation,  called  Father  and  Holy 
Ghost,  or  Mother,  as  the  source  from  v/hence  Christ  in  his  first  and 
second  appearance,  or  the  Son  and  the  Daughter,  shovild  spring  and 
come  forth,  to  be  in  their  proper  lot,  and  corresponding  relation,  the 
joint  visible  parentage  of  the  faithful  family  of  God.  Nothing  can 
be  better  in  order  than  that  the  King's  Son,  who  is  anointed  King^ 
and  the  Queen,  or  Bride,  who  stood  on  his  right  hand,  who  forsook 
aii  for  him  v.'hora  she  vrorslnppeth,  and  who  is  brought  into  his  palace 
with  the  virgins  who  abide  there  for  ever,  as  on  the  day  of  bis  mar- 
riage, according  to  what  is  again  written,  "  The  marriage  of  the 
"  Lamb  is  come  and  his  Bride  hath  made  herself  ready  j"  I  say, 
nothing  can  be  better  in  order  than  that  these  should  be  the  Son  and 
Daughter  of  the  Father  and  of  the  Holy  Spirit,  one  God,  and  these 
the  one  joint  parentage  of  the  church  of  God,  in  wluch  there  is  but 
one  Spirit. 

But  was  not  the  Holy  Ghost  revealed  in  tlie  first  appearing  of 
Christ  ?  As  God  was  revealed  to  men  lx:fore  the  coming  of  Chrisli 
at  all,  but  was  never  known  in  the  relation  of  a  Father  in  that  Spi^ 
ritual  manner  in  which  he  is  revealed  in  Christ  Jesus  ;  so  the  Holy 
Ghost  was  made  known  in  the  first  appearing,  as  the  Spirit  of  trutli, 
and  the  Spirit  of  promise,  by  which  Christ  dv,e!t  in  his  church.  But 
in  hor  corrcsporxling  relation  to  the  Father,  as  a  Mother  having 
children,  she  was  never  fully  revealed  until  the  present  day.  In  this 
day  the  mystery  of  Qod  is  finished. 

An  argument  hath  been  urged  against  this  doctrine.  That  the 
phrase,  Holy  Ghost,  in  the  scripture  is  always  used  in  the  mascu- 
line gender.  And  what  then  ?  Because  the  terms  Father  and  he 
are  applied  to  God'^s  being  masculine,  are  we  therefore  to  suppose 
that  there  is  in  God  any  tiling  properly  and  essentially  masculine,  or 
of  the  male,  as  in  mankind  ?  But  as  the  male  is  the  head,  and  has  al- 
ways been  accounted  the^most  honorable  in  creation,  and  God  is  the 
most  honorable  of  all  beings,  and  the  head  over  all,  and  finally  as  he 
is  called  the  Father,  his  name  is  used  in  the  masculine.  And  when 
the  Holy  Ghost  is  named  as  being  the  Spirit  of  the  Father  and  the 
Son,  especially  when  personified,  the  male  epithet  is  sometimes  used. 
But  what  is  in  this  to  make  the  feminine  imiproper,  whcnihe  Spirit  is 
made  known  in  her  proper  relation,  in  the  second  rc^'clation  of  Christ 


516  OF  THE  REVELATION 

it)  the  female,  even  by  that  woman  who  said,  "  I  am  Ann  the  Word/* 
Js  this  to  sigr.lFy  that  in  God  there  are  two  parts,  or  essentially  dis- 
tinct persons,  tho  inale  and  the  female  ?  By  no  means  ;  tiicse  are  all 
relative  titles.  But  these  various  and  corroborating  consideraticns 
show,  that  in  God,  there  is  that  which  answers  to  these  relations, 
that  is,  union  as  between  two,  and  correspoiidcnt  operations,  as  being 
of  the  Fariicv,  tiie  f;;tihlain  of  pov*-er,  whence  all  things  originate, 
and  the  Spirit  as  the  Mother  of  air  cieatures,  who  prcducelh  all  by 
the  saniC  V/ovd  cf  power  as  the  co-opcratiiig;  energy  of  the  two. 
Accordingly,  the  Spirit  of  God  speaks  in  the  feminine,  by  the  title 
of  \¥isdom,  as  a  copartner  and  companion  M'ith  him,  and  of  co-etcr- 
nal  csistancc,  saying ;  "  The  Lord  possessed  me  in  the  beginning  of 
'•  his  way,  bclbre  his  works  of  eld.  I  was  set  np  from  everlasting.'* 
Of  which  hereafter.  But  yon  are  not  unacquainted  that  in  the  Greek 
language  the  term.  Ilolj/  Ghost,  is  neuter  gender,  and  therefore 
equally  appiicvtble  to  nr^alecr  female,  although  its  relative  or  concor- 
dant vyords  are  sometimes  masculine,  'i'hese  are  also  ditTerent 
times  translated  in  the  masculine,  in  English,  when  they  are  neuter 
in  Greek.  It  is  fuvthennore  worthy  of  notice,  that  in  the  Hebrew 
the  term  Spirit  oi  God  is  used  in  the  cotnmon  gender,  which,  you 
know,  includes  both  male  and  female.  If  therefore  the  male  epi- 
thet hath  been  commonly  used  in  former  dispensations,  the  adoption 
of  th.c  female  in  th.i;j,  is  by  no  means  improper,  when  her  appropri- 
ate relation  arid  works  are  made  knov.-n.  Besides  ;  In  the  work  of 
creation,  tlie  term,  Spirit  of  God,  is  in  sgrc-emcnt  with  a  feminine 
participle,  by  wl.ich  it  !)cccraes  definitively  feminine,  and  the  Spirit 
is  reprcscnled  as  a  Pvlother  producing  all  things.  ^'  And  the  Spirit 
*'  of  Gcd  v.as  brooding  en  the  face  or'  the  waters.  And  God  said, 
«  Let  t'lere  be  light  and  there  was  light."  This  agrees  with  the 
order  of  the  generation  of  Jesus  Ch.rist  as  the  beginning  of  the  new- 
jmd  superior  creation.  These  things  show  that  these  epithets  ;;reat]y 
depend  on  the  idiom  of  languages,  and  the  conceptions  which  mtii 
have  of  the  relation  in  which  God  stands  towards  them.  At  the 
same  time  that  the  scriptures  and  the  works  of  God  in  both  the  old 
and  new  crealior.s  manifestly  teach,  that  the  male  and  the  female  arc 
the  nearest  that  iw.y  thing  can  come  to  that  inccmpreh.ensibie  natuie 
of  two  in  one,  v.liicli  is  in  God,  and  to  which  these  answer. 

So  much  beir.g  said  of  the  two,  the  Father  and  the  ITcly  Ghost, 
may  lead  to  an  ir.cpiiry  respecting  l/ic  three^  who  arc  said  (o  be  one. 
'' I  rr  there  arc  till  ee  that  Lear  ipccid  in  heaven,  the  Father,  the 
"  Word,  and  the  Holy  Ghost :  and  these  three  are  one."  We  also 
read  of  the  Word,  in  the  heginiiing  of  John's  record  of  (he  gospel  ; 
"  in  the  bcgip.ning  was  th,c  V/oid,  and  (he  Word  was  with  God,  and 
"  U>e  Word  was  God  :  (lie  same  was  in  the  brginning  with  Gcd., 
"  Ail  t!  irigs  were  made  by  hiin  ;  ard  witiioul  i.im  wus  not  ar.y  tldr.g 
'^"  made  u-hich  was  n;ade,  fs.V:^  tlic  Word  was  made  flesh  and  dwelt 
"  among  i:s  ("and  we  beheld  his  glory,  the  glory  as  of  the  only  1  c- 
«  gotten  of  [from  or  hy~\  the  Father,)  full  of  grace  and  truth."  Thia 
being  the  Word  who  is  Gcd,  by  v,  hem  all  thirgs  were  made,  and  vvIiq 


OF  CHRIST.  Sir 

was  made  flesli,  or  clothed  with  it,  in  the  person  of  the  Son  of  Gcd, 
is  God,  the  same  who  was  revealed  in  iiim  in  whom  dwelt  the  fulness 
of  the  Deity  bodily,  who  is  Jesus  Christ.  This  Word  tlxn  is  the 
revelation  of  God,tlie  Father  and  the  Holy  Ghost ;  or  it  is  God  re- 
vealed, the  Word  of  revelation — the  manifestation  or  exhibition  of 
the  power  and  energy  of  God,  the  Father  and  the  Holy  Ghost,  as 
v/hen  God  said,  Let  it  be,  and  it  was,  and  again,  Tet  us  make  inai/ 
in  our  image  and  after  our  likeness — or  it  is  God  operating;  for  by 
him  all  things  Avere  made.  As  therefore  the  Father  and  the  Hoiy 
Ghost  are  one,  the  Father  and  the  Word  and  the  Holy  Ghost  arc 
also  one.  This  Word  is  Christ,  or  it  is  God  dwelling  in  the  Son  by 
the  gift  and  power  of  the  Holy  Ghost  ;  accordingly  the  term  Son,  is 
used  in  th^  same  order  as  Word;  "  Go  ye,  therefore,  and  teach  ail 
"  nations,  hapti?:ing  them  in  the  name  of  the  Father,  and  of  tlie  Son, 
"  and  of  the  Holy  Ghost."  Tl>e  Holy  Ghost  being  named  last  in 
order,  because  the  Father  and  the  Word,  and  the  Son,  were  more 
i'ully  revealed  in  that  day,  than  the  Holy  Ghost ;  of  whom  nothiii;'; 
was  then  known  and  understood,  only  as  the  Spirit  cf  promise,  and 
as  the  Spirit  of  God  in  general  terms,  the  Spirit  of  the  Fatlicr  and  of 
the  Son,  the  Spirit  of  truth,  and  the  like;  but  nothing  correctly  as 
to  her  correspondent  relation  to  the  Father  in  the  works  cf  creation, 
both  old  and  liew  ;  and  because  the  Father  and  the  Son  are  in  tr.u 
line  of  tl;c  male,  the  Father  being  revealed,  or  declared  by  the  Sor;, 
they  are  named  first  in  order,  and  the  Holy  Ghost  and  the  Daughter, 
are  named  no:it  in  order.  In  the  mean  time  ;  as  Son  implies  Father, 
the  same  also  implies  Mother ;  and  as  Daughter  implies  J.Iothej-, 
the  same  also  implies  Father  ;  these,  therefore,  have  revealed  or  de- 
clared the  Father  and  the  Mother,  who  are  Gcd,  the  Father  and  the 
Hoiy  Ghost,  and  the  same  Word,  being  one  with  the  Fatl.er  and  the 
Holy  Ghost,  is  revealed  hi  them  both;  this  Word  is  Ciirist  in  his 
first  and  second  appearing :  God  and  Christ  are  one. 

Little  as  was  understood  of  the  Holy  Ghost  in  her  correspondent 
relation  to  the  Father,  in  Christ's  first  appc<u:iig,  some  scriptures,  a 
pat  t  of  which  I  have  already  noticed,  are  properly  applicable  to  this 
subject.  It  will  be  expedient  to  notice  a  few  more.  In  the  book  of 
the  Proverbs,  (8.  22,  &c.)  the  Spirit  speaks  h.y  the  name  of  Wisdom, 
t-aying,  "  The  Lord  possessed  me  in  the  beginning  of  his  way,  before 
'•  his  works  of  old.  I  was  set  up  from  everlasting,  from  the  begin- 
*' ning,  or  ever  the  earth  was.  When  there  were  no  depths  I  was 
"  brought  foith."  This  scripture,  tradition  has  applied  to  the  Son, 
as  being  otic  of  its  three  persons  in  Deity,  and  co-eternal  with  the 
i'ather ;  but  as  co-eternal  and  co-essential  with  the  Father,  are  epi- 
thets never  applied  to  the  Son,  by  the  authority  of  revelation,  nei- 
ther any  tiling  tantamount,  there  is  no  reason  for  such  an  acceptation 
of  this  scripture.  You  have  applied  it  to  the  Son  as  a  created  being. 
]5ut  such  a:i  acceptation  appears  rather  forced,  and  the  language 
too  stror.g  to  apply  to  one  w'iO  is  in  any  sense  a  created  being,  no 
(iouLt  as  strong  us  the  author  could  find  to  express  that  which  had  n'o^ 
hcgiiuib^.     "  The  Lord  possessed  (not  created)  me  in  the  beginr 


518  Oi    THE  REVELATION" 

of  his  waj',  (Ijefurc  he  had  made  any  thing,}  before  his  V.'orks  of  old,." 
and  "  Then  I  was  by  him,  as  one  brought  up  with  him:"  (as  though 
I  were  his  fellow  or  equal:  jnx  a  nurse  or  parent  of  the  same  power 
and  age.  See  Numb.  11.  12.  Isa.  49.  23.  and  therefore  as  completely 
everlasting  as  he.)     This  same  word,  which  is  translated  a  mirsing- 
Jat/iery  in  the  book  of  Moses,  '^  As  a  nursing-father  beareth  a  siickiiig 
child,"  ought  rather  to  be  rendered  a  nursing-mother^  as  it  is  the 
appropriate    work  of  the    mother   to  nurse  the    sucking     child ; 
'■  Thy  kings  shall  be  nursing-fathers  and  thy  queens  nursing-mothers." 
Accordingly,  the  Seventy  have  translated  the  word  in  both  the  above 
passages  by  a  word  ['r'c(9j;70i'J  v/hich  is  definitively  feminine  ;  and  this 
helps  to  illustrate  the  idea  of  Wisdom  in  the  feminine,  as  the  co-essen- 
tid  and  co-eterr.al  One  with  the  Father,  and  therefore  as  being  the  same 
■with  the  Holy  Ghost.  "  And  I  was  daily  his  delight,  rejoicing  always 
"  before  him  ;  rejoicing  in  tb.e  habital^le  part  of  the  earth ;  and  my 
"  delights  were  with  the  sons  of  men."     And  said  Jesus,  "  Wisdom 
"  is  justified  of  all  her  children."     Wisdom  therefore  is  a  Mother 
and  hath  children,  of  whom  Jesus  is  the  first  born,  and  all  the  rest 
who  are  younger  approve  her  Avork  and  justify  her  in  him.     I  do  not 
intend  to  insist  on  the   female  epithet  in  these  scriptures,  the  term- 
Wladoiiu  being  feraaninc  in  those  languages.     But  those  who  apply 
that  passage  in  the  proverbs  to  Christ,  and  make  any  account  of  tJie 
masculiiie  as  applied  to  the  Holy  Ghost,  ought  at  least  to  remember, 
that  if  Wisdom  in  that  place  means  Christ,  it  is  Christ  in  the  femi- 
rine  gender,  and  theretore  the  idea  is  not  unfavorable  to  hi.s  bciijg 
revealed  the  second  time  in  the  female,   and  that  the  revelation  of 
the  Koly  Ghost  m  the  same,  is  a  perfectly  consistent  matter.     But 
the  words  of  Jesus  Christ  have  fixed  the  matter,  that  Wisdom  as  be- 
ing in  the  female  liiic,  is  a  ?>Iother  having  children  ;  wiiich  perfectly 
agrees  with  her  being  the  Holy  Spirit,  the  Mother  of  the  Son  of 
God,  who  after  having  brought  him  forth  preserved  him  as  a  mother 
doth  her  son,  and  laid  special  claim  to  him  after  his  baptism.     "  And 
<'  the  Holy  Ghost  descended  in  a  bodily  shape,   like  a  dove,  upon 
"  him,  and  a  voice  came  from  heaven,  w-hich  said,  Thou  art  mr  be- 
"  loved  Son  ;  in  thee  I  am  well  pleased.     And  Jesus  being  full  of  the 
"  Holy  Ghost  returned  from  Jordan,  and  was  led  by  the  Spirit  into 
"  tlie  wilderness,  being  forty  days  tempted   by  the  devil ;"  but  was 
safely  kept  until  he  returned  in  the  power  of  the.  Spirit  into  Galilee, 
and  there  the  Spirit  of  the  Lord  was  upon  him,  and  so  remained. 

And  thus  the  whole  snhject  eventuates  according  to  the  words  of 
the  Lord  by  the  prophet  Jeren:iiah  ;  "  Behold  the  days  come  saith 
«'  the  Lord,  that  I  will  raise  i;nto  David  a  rightcotis  Branch,  and  a 
"  King  shall  reign  and  prosper,  and  shall  execute  justice  and  judg- 
"  ment  in  the  earth.  In  his  days  Judah  shall  be  saved  and  Israel  shall 
"  dwell  safely  ;  and  this  is  the  name  wliereby  he  shall  be  called,  tht, 
"  Lord  ovr  kichteous.nt.ss."  (Jer.  23.  5,  6.)  But  in  a  little  time 
t!ic  whole  land  is  corrupted  and  desolate ;  "  For  the  land  is  full  of 
"  ad'.iltcrics  ;  for  bcca'!se  of  swearing  th.c  land  mourneth,  the  plca- 
n  sant  plains  of  the  wi/dcrnc5:s  arc  dried  un  ;  and  their  course  is  d^tl, 


OF  CHRIST.  510 

*'  and  their  Ibrce  is  not  right.  For  both  prcplict  and  priest  tive  pro- 
"  fane ;  yea,  in  my  house  have  I  found  their  wickedness,  saith  the 
"  Lord.  The  abomination  that  makcth  desolate,  in  the  holv  place, 
where  it  ought  not  to  be — the  lawless  sitting  in  the  temple  of  God. 
But  in  the  next  place,  as  of  the  second  appearing  of  Christ  in  the 
female  in  union  with  the  male,  both  being  expressed  in  the  prophecy, 
the  promised  bles^ng  was  never  to  come  to  an  end.  "  Eehold  the 
"  days  come,  saith  the  Lord,  that  I  will  perform  that  good  thing- 
♦'  which  I  have  promised  to  the  house  of  Israel,  and  to  the  house  of 
*'  Judah.  In  those  days,  and  at  that  time,  will  I  cause  the  Branch  of 
"  righteousness  to  grow  up  unto  David  ;  and  he  shall  execute  justice 
*'  and  righteousness  in  the  land.  In  those  days  shall  Judah  be  saved, 
"  and  Jerusalem  shall  dwell  safely  ;  and  this  is  the  name  wherewith 
"  she  shall  be  called.  The  Lord  our  righteousness;"  and  this  is  fol- 
lowed by  a  bold  account  of  the  everlasting  piospcrity  of  the  church 
of  God.  (Jer.  33.  14,  Sec.)  Should  any  suppose  that  the  church,  or 
Jerusalem,  is  the  s/ie,  who  is  called  The  Lord  our  righteous^ness, 
Let  such  consider,  that  by  parity  of  reason  Judah  or  Israel,  is  the 
/if,  who  is  so  called  in  the  former  prophecy  as  quoted  aI)ovc ;  and 
thus  by  excluding  the  Christ  or  Word,  from  the  character  or  name 
of  The  Lord  our  Rig/iteousiicss,  in  the  female,  he  is  also  excluded 
from  that  honor  in  the  male.  For,  as  before  shown,  the  church  hath 
a  head ;  and  if  in  the  first  instance,  the  term  he,  be  used  in  rclati«in 
to  th&t  head,  who  is  the  male,  it  is  as  natural  and  fair  a  construction 
to  understand  the  term  she,  as  relating  to  that  head  who  is  female, 
in  the  second,  and  in  union  with  the  first.  Besides;  for  the  church 
to  call  herself  The  Lord  our  righteousness,  is  too  absurd  to  be  ad- 
mitted by  people  of  liberal  information.  Notliing  therefore  is  more 
natural  and  easy,  according  to  the  plain  language  of  those  proplie- 
cies,  as  well  as  the  revelation  of  the  present  day  than  to  understand 
the  first  as  relating  to  the  first  ap])earing  of  Christ  in  the  male  only, 
and  the  second,  to  the  revelation  of  the  same  eternal  Word,  or  Anoint- 
ing Spirit,  in  the  female,  in  union  and  corresponding  relation  to  the 
male.  And  thus  it  is  finished  ;  that  as  the  w  oman  is  of  the  man,  and 
Mother  sprang  up  of  the  same  body,  in  the  same  faith  and  Spirit  of 
Christ,  God  causing  the  Branch  of  righteousness  which  had  once 
been  raised,  to  grow  up,  so  the  man  is  by  the  woman,  Chiist  the  same 
eternal  Woid,  or  Anointing,  being  again  revealed  in  her,  while  she 
acknowledged  him,  as  her  Lord  and  head — the  head  of  the  woman 
is  the  man. 

Thus  I  have  stated  concisely,  according  to  the  scriptures — that 
Christ  is  a  Spirit — that  his  being  revealed  or  coming  again  doth  not 
require  the  vi;;ion,  or  appearance  of  that  material  body,  or  persona- 
lity, which  was  once  seen  among  the  people — that  he  was  to  come  in 
his  people,  or  church — that  the  church  hath  a  head,  or  beginning — 
and  that  it  is  according  to  the  scriptures,  that  this  beginning,  in  which 
ilie  second  revelation  should  commence,  should  be  a  woman — conse- 
quently all  reasonable  objections  against  Mother,  as  the  Anointed  of 
Cod  for  that  p\.-;rpose;  are  obviated.     This  be::;;;  done,  every  r^iscn- 


:o  OF  THE  REVELATION 

yble  man  is  satisfied  of  the  truth  of  the  testimony  as  it  stands.  And 
)  now  bvinj;-  my  long  epistle  to  a  close  ;  in  which  1  have  used  free- 
dom v/ith  a  few  parts  of  your  publications,  and  only  a  few,  as  I  had 
^10  intention  of  noticing  the  whole.  And  although  I  have  passed  over 
several  sentences  and  some  sentiments  which  I  could  not  adopt,  which 
vould  have  led  into  discussions  more  extensive  than  convenient,  many 
einer  parts  I  should  have  no  feeling  to  oppose,  as  being  v.  ritten  to 
;^ood  purpose,  and  containing  sentiments  wiiich  I  most  cordially  ap- 
prove, and  which  arc  well  supported  by  divine  revelation. 
With  due  esteem  1  am  vour  friend, 

JOHN  D UNLAW. 

ricasant  ITdl,  JYovcviber  4,  1815. 


POSTSCRIPT. 

Barton-  ; 

SEND  me  a  copy  in  your  handv»riting,  of  the  sermon  which 
you  ]>reached  on  the  coming  of  Christ  in  the  clouds  to  judge  the 
world,  Zech.  10.  L;  and  let  it  contain  all  tlje  doctrines  and  ideas  in 
explicit  terms,  which  you  delivered  on  that  subject  in  the  summer 
and  fall  of  1 804,  and  then  I  will  be  better  pi-epared  to  inquire  of  you, 
Why  it  is  niore  inconsistent  for  the  Shakers  to  say  Christ  has  come  in 
liis  people  and  is  calling  men  to  judgment  by  the  gospel,  than  for 
you  to  preach  that  the  judgirient  had  then  begun,  and  would  be  car- 
ried on  in  the  people  ;  that  these  were  the  white  clouds,  white  horses. 
Sec.  When  you  send  me  this  sermon  to  my  satisfaction ;  you  may 
demand  of  me  twenty  dollars  which  I  hereby  agree  to  pav. 

J.  DUNLAVY. 


